Our Experiences with Surgery and Hospital with Michelle Elman | Hannah Witton 

The part where Hannah's talking about how people don't know how to react to you getting surgery and being in hospital, the same thing goes for mental hospitals too. No one except the people who have experienced it understand what to say. And the little details of being in the psych unit matter so much just like a regular medical hospital because it is SO BORING. I've had surgery as well and been in a mental hospital so I understand both. It's always a beautiful thing to find other people who get it.

These videos are like opening the curtains and letting the light flood in. Not only the physical, but also the mental issues - it takes such a time to return to normal. Far longer than most folk realise. Great to see Hannah speaking about them on BBC news website. Hannah, what you have to say is important. Shout it from the rooftops!

I had surgery a year ago next week after dislocating and breaking my elbow, and so recovered from the surgery with a cast on over the scar and during Christmas. I identified with so many of the things you talked about even though my surgery was less serious - not realising how little energy you’ll have and exhausting yourself; crying every day from all of the emotions; missing big occasions; and not realising what small things will be hard/impossible - I couldn’t tie my own hair up, do up buttons on my jeans, cut up my food. Every surgery is different but it’s nice to hear some of the similar things people go through!

I'm a nurse and this is so amazing and helpful to watch! Things like measuring your urine, it's so obvious and normal to me why we do that, we need to remember why it feels odd to patients. Thanks so much Hannah ❤️

Hairdresser here! Your hair literally shows EVERYTHING that happens to your body. You could have taken illicit drugs last year and (granting that part of your hair hasn't been cut off), you will still find traces of it in your hair. A pregnant woman with naturally straight hair might find that it grows curly while she's pregnant, or vice versa, because of the hormone changes. Anaesthetic is the same, it does some weird shit to your hair. It can make it fall out or grow differently or change the texture. Your hair is so sensitive to everything that happens with your body.

OMG I HAD MY APPENDIX REMOVED AND MY BELLY BUTTON IS SUPER HAIRY! As soon as you talked about the doctor shaving you to do surgery I paused the video and ran to my mum to asked her about it, and she said yes. I'm 22 and I had that surgery 10 years ago and I have struggled with my belly hair for 10 years and now I know the reason, my mind is blown and I don't know how to feel.

You both are so brave ❤️ it’s good y’all are educating future doctors and nurses about the patient experience

Lol the editing thing. Q&A with Ariel!

It’s so good to hear someone else say they felt sad when they moved out of the ICU! I don’t have anyone to talk to about that sort of thing. Good chat guys

Loved filming with you! And such a dream to be able to talk to someone who just GETS it about this stuff!

Thank you thank you thank you. I have crohn’s and struggle majorly with fear and anxiety about the possibility of surgery, which is becoming more and more likely. Hearing people talk about it in a relaxed way like this is so, so helpful.

Yall are so strong. Kudos 💙

This video is incredible and so eye-opening. Thank you for everything you do, Hannah 💜

I had a kidney out a couple of months ago and seeing your videos about having surgery were really helpful and calming! I found that doctors will tell you about the surgery in hyper-detail, but never mention things like referred nerve pain, or having to sleep in one position, or not being able to put your own socks on for a month. No one told me that my abs muscles and core would be shattered from being cut into (like obv it makes sense but you don't think practically about it).. so a couple days afterwards my sister made me hysterically laugh and I almost passed out from the pain. I couldn't laugh for two months!

Hi Hannah! I have Crohns had an op in September this year where my appendix and part of my colon was removed (hemicolectomy) so basically open surgery. This video is so helpful, I feel so understood! My op was not as big as yours and still for a few days I thought I'd need a walking stick for a long time. Yesterday I did my first HIIT training at the gym in 4 months and I feel so proud. Still can't do any weight lifting but have my drs thumbs up for cardio. And THANKS SO MUCH for explaining about the hair loss. I've been losing my hair so much lately and thought it was because of the Crohns symptoms but the anaesthetic and trauma theory makes so much more sense. You are doing amazing work raising awareness Hannah. Gonna share this with my best friend.

OMGGGGGGGG!! 7 months ago i had an endometriosis and miomectomy and ive had so much hair loss!!! and couldnt figure our what was going on!!! this make so much sense!!, thank you so much for this video it makes me feel understood!!

Thank you both for making this video ❤️ I had 7 bowel surgeries in the past 12 months, I just reached the 1 year anniversary of my first surgery a few days ago! I’m still having problems and have had my fair share of difficult times in hospital which has since given me PTSD 🙈 I absolutely love to hear people talking about their experiences, it’s not very often you get to talk to people who understand what it’s like ! I also totally agree that you mustn’t bottle your emotions, I did this when I was in hospital, all my nurses and doctors kept remarking how ‘positive’ I was, this was false, when I got home I was overwhelmed with emotion! Again thank you so much for this video, I’d love if you could make even more like this ☺️❤️ Much Love xx

I've had 9 surgeries all on various different conditions... awaiting two more. One I'm dreading and one will be a complete relief. Thank you for sharing guys xx

Thank you for you both sharing your experience .

Hannah you 2 are absolutely amazing great information. Your energy and openness is a gift from Heaven

I find it so interesting watching your videos about your surgery, and now your friends experiences too, as I am a Nurse on an ITU and often look after people who have had the same type of surgeries as you. They are generally a little bit older but its interesting to hear what its like from your point of view.

I had surgery yesterday to remove a fatty lump from my groin, but have had many orthopaedic surgeries throughout my life! It's so nice to hear you and Michelle talking about your experiences, it can be quite isolating when you feel like you have no one to talk about it with!

Very enlightening! I have also had a major surgery but am about to graduate from nursing school as well. Made me empathize for my patients even more!

Some of my best friends are friends I've made online that have similar conditions to mine. Talking with someone who really gets it is a great feeling.

Michelle telling you to feel what you need to feel, really hit me hard. I’ve suffered from chronic pelvic/hip pain for 20 years(I’m 31) and I don’t let myself get angry or sad about it. I was talking to my boyfriend about my pain last month and started crying and I just bottled it all up immediately. I just kept thinking ‘if I start, I’ll never stop’ which I know isn’t the healthiest way of thinking about things Maybe this is something I need to work on with myself

Thank you so much for this video. I had a bowel resection and ileostomy 3 months ago and am struggling with day to day life. I could really relate to your comments. Bits of my life have returned to normal but a lot has been flipped upside down. The hardest part is the negative comments from people around you, people expecting you to of returned to normal by now and to be back to normal physical activities etc but it really isn't like that. You guys have let me know that's its OK and normal to still be recovering. Thank you x

Loved it, would love more.

First time watching Michelle, and immediately think she’s amazing!

I’ve had the same surgeries as you Hannah. Then I’ve had 3 more since those, to create a J-pouch, etc. After the initial surgery (where I got a stoma) I also lost my hair - but ALL my hair! It’s not the anaesthetic, it’s the shock of surgery like you mentioned Hannah. It’s now 2 yrs since I lost my hair - or since it started falling out, and it’s now back to last shoulder length - but it’s taken AGES! My first surgery was early October 2016 and all the things you mentioned -I also went through. Expect I didn’t get any hairs on my belly afterwards 🤣 I’m now DONE with surgeries and getting a J-pouch was the best decision even though it meant lots of more surgery but I now live a normal life - and it’s only 2 years since my very first op to remove my colon. Now I have no health issues except kinda low blood % but I get iron infusions for that and live a great life post stoma! ☺️

This is such an interesting video

Ah two of favourite women!! Really enjoyed this and learned alot xx

how have i not already seen this! my two favourite influencers doing a colab!

I recently had surgery for endometriosis on my tummy and also developed a hairy belly!! Glad to know I'm not going mad or just suddenly sprouting fur! 😆 Love the video guys!! I'm new to stomach surgery, this was my first time. And I've not had the chance to talk to anyone about this kinda stuff! Thank you both for sharing. ❤️

I love watching these videos, as a medical student it's so cool to better understand the POV of the patients in hospital. Like I knew about the shaving before surgery thing, but it never occurred to me that would make your hair grow noticeably thicker! And watching you recover from surgery has been so interesting too! Although I knew the type of surgery you had was really major, I had no idea how slow and difficult recovery would be. I thought it would be that way for an older person, but never realised the difficulty young people would have for months and months after too. Thanks for enlightening me :)

I've had 5 surgeries on my feet this year so have NO strength left in my body and can't work on my feet which is how I've always made income. I'm 26 and basically having to start life all over again and it's super overwhelming and frustrating to not be able to do these little things that are so easy for everyone else. That being said- I'm thrilled every time you upload a video like this because it makes me feel so much less alone and reminds me to be kind of myself about the smallest bits of progress. Thank you

Very interesting and enlightening experiences!

Not had the same sort of surgery but I had surgery on my breast and I was like one is hairy and ones not . Also had one on my lower back and a nurse came in and changed my dressing I didn't get what was going on because I was tired and aesthetic but she more or less saved me from being exposed in front of a crowd of student doctors - I know they need to learn but I would have been mortified, they weren't allowed to redress the scar tissue as it had already been done. Also had to see a counsellor because one surgery was not sewed up properly so bled out for the next 24hours thinking it was normal because they said i would bleed had to go to A&E and be tested and restiched with just local anaesthetic whilst being so tired. I feel like this sort of discussion could be an entire book thank you both for the video it means a lot.

Not a fun subject but you did a GREAT job of making it interesting! I've never had general surgery but i DID have a tooth removed yesterday through oral surgery and that's as close as I get to relating to this - THANKFULLY!

I had knee surgery three times, which is obviously pretty different, but I could relate so much to so many of the things you guys discussed. Thank you for talking about this!

My life is so much better with Hannah every day. Hann-ika Yay!

Ariel Bisset edits your videos?

I’ve had 2 surgeries on my knee! My first surgery was when I was 7 and my second was when I was 16 (I’m now 18). Whist my surgeries where very different to the ones you discribed, less tubes more cluncky leg braces, it was super nice to watch this video because none of my friends can relate to my experience of being in a hospital.

Oh my god, thank you for the warning about hair falling out! I'm at almost 4 weeks post hip surgery. If that happens to me, at least I'll know why now!

I'm likely facing abdominal surgery at 18 as soon as my referral gets sorted and this helped me a lot! Thanks!

I love Vlognakkah.

I shared this with my mom. I spent a week in hospital with her when she had emergency surgery. I remember the PURE JOY she felt when the doctors told her she could have as many ice chips as she wanted. THE LUXURY

AH the tube down into your throat was the worse for me, luckily I only had it for 24 hours to test my reflux disease. you ladies are wonderful!!

This was very helpful and interesting! I may have gall bladder removal surgery relatively soon, so it's super nice to have some sort of feel for what major surgery might be like!

I'm two weeks post-op tomorrow. I had my gallbladder removed via open surgery. I was in hospital for nearly three weeks and hated every minute of it! I've been experiencing symptoms of depression since coming home, and finding it very frustrating that I am no longer able to do things for myself.

Watching this from the hospital after major surgery and this was uploaded the day of my surgery. Coincidences!

Your channel is so helpful to me rn, right after the first of the year I am having a surgery, and right before that I need to schedule the second. Like this freaks me out a little bc I'm scared some things will happen to me, but bc I'm doing hysto there is advice in this for me

I had spinal fusion surgery but it was in an adult hospital/ward and I had one nurse who had worked with spinal fusion before probably in a children's hospital. When she set me up with pillows sitting in a chair, it was great and more comfy than with other nurses.

I loved this video and all these medical related videos you’re doing Hannah. I had scoliosis spinal surgery at the end of 2015 at 14 years old and as of the last year or so has it only properly dawned on me my experience. My hospital stay was eight days. Because it’s on your spine I’ve got a scar down my back that I love and I honestly don’t know if they shaved my back. I mean, it doesn’t seem hairy as far as I can tell lol. Just really numb, which it will probably be like forever. I wish ptsd caused by hospital stays and medical things was more well known. Only recently did I find out a statistic that 1 in 5 (I believe) of scoliosis spinal patients develop ptsd. I don’t hav it diagnosed nor can I be certain I have it, but honestly I probably should go to therapy to prevent it too. That’s my little input, but basically wanted to say hope whoever is reading this has a great day and that I’m loving these videos Hannah!

Thank you so much you guys for making this video, I literally relate so so much to everything you were saying 😂. I guess I don't really know anyone (apart from myself) personally who has been seriously ill or been in hospital for an extended period of time, so it was really great to hear you guys talking about it. I was in hospital for a few weeks because I had sepsis and my lung collapsed and my liver and spleen started not working properly. I was in ICU for a week and I had one nurse all to myself and then when I was put on general ward I felt exactly the same as what you were describing. You get used to knowing your nurse and not having to wait for thing etc. And then when you're suddenly one person out of a dozen that your nurse has to look after its so different and kind of scary sometimes. Another difference for me anyway was that in the ICU they were extremely lenient with visiting times and so my boyfriend and parents were there all the time essentially, whereas they were much stricter in general and I felt quite lonely. Anyway thanks so much for this video ♥️

I have Crohn's and I had my first surgery this year. I did also make a list of food I wanted to eat when I got out haha! Besides sneezing and coughing, laughing was the worst haha.. Seeing your videos about your surgery are so helpful! Thank you!

Hi Michelle! *waves* :) I had colon surgery earlier this year, so I could relate to many of the things you were saying. I didn't get hairy belly though because mine was a laparoscopic surgery through my belly button. It'll never be the same, but I realize it was a much easier surgery to have than the kind you had, Hannah (and Michelle, if she had the same kind as yours). This made me feel less alone in what I went through. Thanks! :)

OH MY GOD I used to always be really concerned about how hairy my wrist was around my surgery scar and this reminded me of it so I took a look and the hair on that wrist is double the length of the other AND NOW I KNOW WHY MY SURGERY SCAR IS HAIRY! THANK YOU!

OMG Ariel!!!!

What about the music in the operation room when you get prepared for surgery. 😊

my younger sister had reconstructive hip surgery this summer and it was rough. it was a whole family endeavor. even though ic an't relate to all of these things through myself, there are totally things I saw my sister experience

I relate to the sleeping in weird positions one so hard! I was hospitalised in 2011 with diabetes and I literally slept on my back for almost the whole time I was in hospital and normally I can only sleep on my stomach to fall asleep. Very weird but also weirdly comfortable when I was in the hospital

I had my uterus scraped because I had a cyst that didn’t belong there. That had to shave my pubes off and I absolutely hated it. Also the pain afterwards was so bad! Everything where I had a straight upper body hurt so bad. I wished someone had told me this before. Love this video! People should talk more about the not so nice but still cool things about bodies.

A lot of the things you were talking about are super relatable, and I've never met someone else in person who has experienced this kind of thing. I've had spinal fusion surgery, so I definitely understand not being able to sit myself up, or sneeze, or laugh, or even sit down by myself. I also understand the not being able to eat - probably not for the same length of time (they really push you out quickly now. In the past for this surgery, you'd be in for months. Now it's one week. Too fast in my opinion) I remember only being able to have ice chips for a while... And then not being allowed to have solid foods. All I wanted was a cheeseburger..

Love this video. I'm medically complex and so is my daughter so often times I feel like I speak a different language. I had a nurse tell me my toddler was being difficult about her NG tube so finally I found a grown up and asked them and they're like it's awful you always feel it. So as a mom who has not always experienced everything finding older kids or adults to be like how is this. Being told granulation tissue doesn't hurt when my kid is saying it does.

You are Beautiful Hannah.

Omg the car thing - I've never had abdominal surgery but I did recently have a minor surgery on my toes and having to hoist myself into the car without the ability to fully feel my feet was an interesting experience.

I’ve had 4 knee surgeries, my first one being when I was 15. I try my best not to think about it but sometimes it seeps into dreams. I wasn’t under general anesthesia, so I remember the hammering and sawing and this pulling feeling very well. I was confined to bed for two months each time and then had to walk using crutches for 6 months afterwards, without putting my weight on the leg for at least 4 months. Total recovery time was about a year each, but I still suffer chronic pain and it flairs up often. The only good thing I remember from my time in the hospital is that I was just so high and out of it that its all mostly a blur. Recovery is the hardest part, both physically and mentally. Going through surgery is no joke. I remember people really used to take it lightly when I told them about it because saying “I’m getting surgery” is somewhat commonplace but it impacted my mental health pretty radically, still does. It takes time to come to terms with it all, even after it’s “over”. Truth be told, I don’t really know anyone that has gone through anything like I have, so watching your videos about your experience has been comforting in a “well, I guess I’m not alone after all” kinda way.

Why would them shaving your belly make it hairy? It's been shown that hair does not grow back thicker/more after shaving, it just seems like that because it's shorter...

I had maxillofacial surgery two and a half months ago and even though it's not even vaguely the same as yours I relate so much so a lot of the things mentioned! No hair for me, since they cut me open from inside my mouth but the slooooow graduation through foods I totally get! Two and a half months later and I've only just been allowed to eat totally normally again! I was fantasizing about eating a sandwich (specifically egg mayo for some reason) for weeks. And being woken up loads in hospital is so frustrating. I was so tired all the time, but I was in so much pain that sleeping was hard, and I had to sleep entirely on my back and not move because my jaw was in pieces, which is really hard. I was also bleeding excessively from the wounds in my mouth, and basically choking on my own blood a lot, so the nurse gave me that suction thing they use in the dentist to suck the blood out of my mouth, which meant there was that added noise keeping me awake, plus a cannister of my blood next to my bed, and the constant threat of choking but then being in agony when attempting to cough. The nurses kept waking me up every couple of hours for obs and every time they did, my blood pressure would set off the emergency alarms because I hadn't eaten anything in days, so they'd make me down a jug of water, and then I'd be up an hour later needing to wee but unable to get out of bed on my own because I'd faint due to aforementioned low blood pressure. I also didn't realise how disabling jaw surgery would be. You'd think it wouldn't really have an impact on your movement since the rest of your body is fine, but I remember trying to walk and being in agony, and having to walk so slowly and carefully so as to not jolt my jaw. The second day I was in hospital, I had to have a load of x-rays and assessments and they wheeled me around in a wheelchair, but every time it went over door frames or the joins between the linoleum tiles on the floor I'd end up tensing my whole body in pain in an effort to not clench my jaw. For weeks I was slowly lowering myself in and out of chairs, basically housebound because the car would be too jolty for my fragile jaw to cope with. Not to mention how little energy you have when you're on a liquid or soft food diet, which just adds to the overwhelming boredom of hospital. Even now, two and a half months later, chewing still hurts, and I can't cup my face in my hand and lean on it because that hurts. I also have potentially permanent nerve damage in my face. And now for the first time I've just found out that my hair is gonna start falling out soon, just in time for christmas! It's really helpful hearing other people talk about this though, because no one I know has had major surgery, so everyone just says 'oh that sounds tough' but they can't relate to hospital banter, or that pure panic experienced when you wake up after surgery, insanely confused, hurting, tired, delirious, with none of your family around you, and (in my case) choking on the bandages and packing inside your mouth. I have nothing but respect and thanks for the nurses who talked to me in recovery, and those who helped me back on the SS ward, giving me the suction tube, getting me water, helping me go to the loo, being gentle with me when I was a wuss about the cannula (talking of, cannula scars, amirite). I will forever be grateful to them, and to people like you who talk about these things, creating a sense of community and bonding :) shoutout to all my fellow bionic people out there with metal instead of bone!xx

I've had SO MUCH SURGERY! I'm used to it (been having it literally my entire life) and there are definitely aspects of it that I enjoy (being waited on hand and foot really is nice) but I haven't realized until the last few years how much bitterness and frustration I haven't allowed myself to feel. It's very difficult to put on a happy face so well and for so long that you fool yourself only to realize that there is real psychological damage under that shell.

Did you see the Snapchat marker pen things for Chanukah! I was so hype when I saw it:)

Hi Hannah! Not quite as intense a surgery as yourself or others in the comments but I had a tonsillectomy when I was 16 which baffles a lot of people because it's not done very often and it's usually done on children but I had tonsils that were about 4x bigger than normal so every time I got a slight cold or a bit run down my tonsils would swell up and make me feel a lot worse than I should have done. A slight cough would turn into 2 weeks of feeling awful. I remember pretty much everything, I remember being put under and the moment they did it, I remember the moment I woke up which was great, a nurse asked me if I was okay and I was high off the anaesthetic and said it was the best sleep I had ever had and I remember the staff all laughing. I remember getting wheeled out into the ward and seeing my mum and I was all dopey and high. I wasn't allowed to leave until I had eaten and drank something. Drinking was easy but eating was a challenge but they were lenient and said if I ate some ice cream I could go (which wasn't really proper food). I was advised to eat things like toast and crisps and "scratchy foods" because it would help scar tissue develop and stop clots from forming which everyone is baffled by but makes sense to me! And I wasn't allowed to leave the house or have many visitors for 6 weeks and I remember by about week 5, my mum had a little barbecue in the garden and my siblings were playing in the garden and everyone was having a lovely time and I came out into the garden and burst into tears and sobbed that I was sick of being indoors and I wanted to go out and see my friends. I was completely better by that point so a few days later I had my first trip out into the world! I love your videos especially the ones about surgery, thank you for making them and being so detailed!

I had a surgury where they removed part of my lower intestine. I didn't want to accept how serious my recovery was to that surgury and when they had those people come in to like sponge bath me I realized how down I was. When you cant even take a shower. Being out of commission is such a humbling experience.

I had a few smaller operations before and 2-3 bigger ones. Some five years ago and one this year. It really sucks. Five years ago I was really ill and had to get operations to get well again, I spend weeks in the hospital and got really depressed. This year I broke my leg on my vacation in Malta and had to get the operation there. That was this summer and I am still learning how to walk. It's such a slow process...

I've always reacted badly to most pain meds and anesthetics, but I didn't know how bad it was until I had knee surgery over 10 years ago. It was meant to only be day surgery, but they had to keep me for an extra 12 hours because of how badly I came out of the anesthetic. But I can relate to quite a few of the things you talk about because of that experience.

I had a stoma formed in March and it's so good to see a video that's relatable like this. Also Fuck NG tubes so much.

I had an operation on my throat a few years ago and when we left the hospital after I was discharged I don't think I have ever taken a more painful car trip. I felt like a bobblehead, my neck muscles were absolutely messed up from both being in an unnatural position for hours during surgery and being cut into and I could not for the life of me stop the pulling on the wound that happens in a car. You never really realise how much your neck muscles move and stablise until that kind of thing happens. Also, don't even get me started on sneezing or coughing, I think I cried multiple times a day from the pain of my throat moving involuntarily. Last thing - hospital cravings omg. I was still on a jelly/ soft food diet when I left hospital and I begged my dad to stop to get a smoothie. Best thing I have ever tasted hahaha

Been through it so know how you feel. Went through reversal. Only real downside is couldn't go out on motorcycle for a month so stuck on public transport. Hardest part is the reversal especially on the enhanced recovery programme. The other part is that some employers don't cover your sick pay for the operation as you chose to have the surgery

I’ve had 7 surgeries all on my ear/nose/throat, it’s not as debilitating as most surgery but you just feel very woozy in the head for ages!

Relate so much with you guys, had UC and 4 surgeries. Did you guys have to have the machine that massages your calves, post surgery?

Omg the clip of Ariel I'm dying

I'm coming up for 2 years since my surgery, thankfully just keyhole to remove a gallbladder coz gallstones. Having spoken to people eisner I'm so happy I got it removed, pregnant ladies have said gallstone pain is worse than childbirth, so I'll be ready for that in the future! I agree with the ward thing - I was in a ward with one other woman under 40 and the rest were 90. The worst thing was they couldn't hear their alarms going off but myself and the other lady were woken up every 5 minutes through the night because of it. Also, stomach muscles are weird, what you were saying about not realising how much you need them is so true. I got home and felt terrible for my mum having to help me get out of bed in the morning because I wasn't able to myself.

Well, I didn't have comparable surgery but I still feel like I can relate to some parts, especially the different levels of understanding, since had/have anorexia nervosa and spent a lot of time in hospital, being force fed with a tube for many month, etc.. I loved the feeling when they flushed my feeding tube with hot tea, the warm feeling down my throat. Love the hospital content, sometimes I still have the need to go/talk through those things but it can be a very difficult topic for others to handle.

Hi Hannah, thank you for making this video! I had spinal/nerve surgery around the same time you were in hospital. It's so strange because even though it was a very intense experience, I find that I forget a lot of things from that time.. (Which also makes me wonder: did i process it all well enough?? ) One of the things I remember is that my voice was so fragile like I just lost all the power in my vocal chords even though there wasn't anything wrong with them. I couldn't write either because it took op too much energy, which i regret because that's also why ive forgotten so many details. It's like the sick person that I was is not me. Do you relate to that? Like obviously it is me, but it just feels as though its another ones life experience or something. I would also be very interested in your experience with the mental changes it brought to you. Funnily enough, almost a year later I can say that my whole hospital/surgery experience has made me less anxious about death and more grateful for life. But I still find it difficult to think about those heavy days in hospital. I kept the soap they gave me. Sometimes I smell it and it takes me back to my old hospital room. Its's a weird sort of feeling, but I kind of appreciate it to be able to go back to that time and relive it for a bit without getting pulled into all the emotions.

I've had a similar bowel surgery. The only difference with mine is that I only had to spend a few days in the hospital the first time I had it done. I had to get it revised a year later due to it closing up & only spent 2 days in the hospital that time. The most recent revision 6 months ago, I only stayed in the hospital long enough to have the surgery. I went home that night. I've also had other surgeries since birth, all of which were related to my disability.

I seen your article on Newsbeat.

Aww my baba had a NG Tube knowing what it felt like made me sad. He used to pull it out quite a lot. They swaddled him which was good to prevent him. Re the stepping into the car- after my section with my daughter I couldn’t wait to get home to my comfy bed! However I forgot how high my bed was and it was a total nightmare to get into.

Good video.

My mum had a hysterectomy a couple years ago. It was key hole but they still cut a lot of her stomach muscles in the process. My dad was abroad at the time so it was just me looking after her, and i just remember her trying to even sit up in bed so she could drink tea was such a massive effort for her. Shes been doing pilates every week for 2 years now and shes only just getting all her stomach muscle strength back. its mad to think that you have to literally grow your muscles back again!

I just had my 3rd surgery this year on Tuesday and this one has kicked my ass completely.

I had open heart surgery so I had Double Chambered left ventricle! So basically a tiny bit of extra muscle out; witch is was blocking the blood flow to the rest of my body ! I had to hug the towel and to cough and sneeze too for my physio !

I had a colectomy, a jpouch surgery, a stoma take down, a gallbladder removal and a tummy tuck within 5 years;) I’m not that hairy, so never felt the hairy belly thing, but my first surgery I woke up and was paralyzed in my bottom half because of the epidural, so I was lucky enough to get to stay in bed that day - if I hadn’t had that I would have been forced out walking ( with a high walker contraption) that evening... Here there is no such thing as ‘bed ridden’ if you are at all able to stand ;) My funniest memory from my surgeries, was after my tummy tuck... they removed most of my vertical scar, and my stoma scar, and I got a new scar from hip to hip - but totally worth it.. The funny thing though was when I was healed and got a good look at my new belly button... the surgeon had put it back in place upside down!! I know because my gallbladder surgery went through the top of my belly button and left a small scar there, and after the tummy tuck, the scar was visible at the bottom part of my bellybutton.... I still kinda giggle today when I remember that the surgeon turned it upside down - because in anyone else you wouldn’t be able to know what is up or down ;)

My very first surgery was right after i was born - for my Spina Bifida. I'm 37 now and I've had far too many surgeries to count! I think my head hair has grown back thicker due to me having had it shaved so many times! NG tubes are horrid things! - I've had a few, keeping my throat lubricated was the only thing that helped it to feel less scratchy.

OH MY GOD i had a near-death allergic reaction from spine surgery when i was 11, and i lost a ton of my hair. i had three surgeries in the space of about two months, though. i didn't know anesthesia did that! i always had disgustingly thick hair, and my hair is super thick now, but the texture never quite has been the same. also, the experience of being a kid in the hospital was way better than being a grownup in the hospital. i missed the finger painting so bad.

The car comment is so accurate! After my surgery, I was trying to get into a black taxi, and I just couldn't pull myself up. I remember just breaking down in the middle of London then and thinking I'd never get better - very over dramatic, I know!

Hooo boy, I've had a lot of surgeries/procedures requiring full sedation in an OR. And yeah, they have to shave anywhere that's going to be a surgical area. The...most memorable, I guess, immediately post-op thing that I remember is waking up from anesthesia to the feeling of having my catheter removed and thinking "OH. Well...that had to have been a catheter." It was a very...distinct feeling.

Years ago I broke my ankle and had to get two screws but in. I was anxious I had to be given a sedative, but other than that I don’t remember much about the surgery. I was in a cast for 2 months and a walking boot for an additional month, and spent a good 3 months after the walking boots with a terrible limp. To this day when I walk my right foot angles out to the right because that’s how it naturally rested with the cast on. Also a weird thing, I broke out in hives around the area where my iv was put in, turns out I was allergic to the adhesive from the tape they used to stick it to my arm.

Ahhh I had a food list! I watched continuous episodes of come dine with me so had stuff on there like Dauphinoise potatoes haha. I also have UC and had an ileostomy and 5 week stay in hospital, followed by a 2nd stint in hospital a year later to get rid of my rectum and get a 'barbie butt' :) Also lost lots of hair, so I got a pixie cut :D Well done both of you for talking about these things. Hospital is a weird place to spend so long, you become a bit institutionalised I feel.

My dad had surgery in the last 2 years i think and the doctor was surprised how fast he recovered. He's in his 70s, but he's work hard all his life and he's much tougher than me.

This is so interesting. I've never had surgery myself but I work at a veterinary hospital and have seen A LOT of surgery and recovery in animals. We do a lot of open abdominal surgeries (taking out various weird stuff out of intestines, taking out infected uteruses and stuff like that) and the vast majority of dogs and cats aren't really impacted by their abdominal wounds. Like, a few hours after surgery they're usually up and walking if they aren't too high on their pain meds or were really, really sick (like, peritonitis from a ruptured intestine kind of sick). And after anything from a day to a week or so most seem pretty much pain free. Seems like humans are super dependant on abdominal muscles.