After the operation, how functional will I be?

You should not plan to return home if you live alone. Make arrangements to stay with a family member for at least one week. Make no commitments for at least two weeks (do not plan to have dinner guests, go to a party, or baby-sit a child). You will be very tired for about six weeks, requiring at least one nap a day plus more than eight hours of sleep at night. You may find it helpful to rent a hospital bed or a support bar to help you get in and out of your own bed or the first month after surgery. These items can be rented from local health-care companies for a reasonable cost (sometimes insurance will cover it) and the price includes delivery and set up. If you have responsibilities that include daily meal preparation, make and freeze one or two weeks of meals before your surgery or arrange a schedule for family or friends to bring prepared meals for your family for a week. If possible, a family member could be invited to stay and help for a week. Convalescence after this operation takes about four weeks, but if your occupation involves strenuous physical activity, you should allow about six weeks. When you feel ready, you may climb stairs. You will probably want to limit the number of trips you make each day, as this will be a tiring activity. You may drive your car after you have been home for two weeks. Additionally, you may not lift anything over 25 pounds for 3 months because lifting heavy objects will pull on your incision and could contribute to hernia formation.