Healing is an Inflammatory Process

I went for a follow up with my surgeon today. Following is a rough repeat of the conversation.

Surgeon: Push your belly out.

I do… he pokes around and proclaims: “Everything looks good.”

Me: Great. I’m still in pain.

Him: Healing is an inflammatory process.

Me: I’m in pain here and over here.

Him: Healing is an inflammatory process.

Me: Where is the patch, exactly?

Him: Here (as he spreads his hands in a circle over my tummy) but deep.

Me: So the pain could be from the healing of that?

Him: Those stitches have to heal. They’ll pull. The patch is deep. Healing is an inflammatory process.

My Conclusion: All is well. The pain is normal because healing is an inflammatory process. I’ll be in pain until I’m not in pain. When I’m not in pain anymore I’m healed. In the meantime I’ll try to not do anything that causes more pain than the usual amount of pain..