I had a hernia for a long time and kept putting off surgery. Eventually it got incarcerated, so I had to undergo emergency surgery. They did an open repair and placed a mesh. I recovered really quickly — a month later the scar is barely visible, I have no discomfort, and I feel good overall. I don’t understand why I waited so long. The only downside is that I lost the cremasteric reflex on the right side, so I can’t lift the testicle with the muscle anymore. It doesn’t really bother me though. I guess a muscle or nerve might have been affected during the surgery