I had my appendix out in 2005, after the bloody thing had grumbled at me for a year or so - the grumbling was replaced by an exceptionally sharp pain and a severe localised ache. I was still serving at the time, but it happened whilst we were at the in-laws so I ended up going under the knife at Calow in Chesterfield. I thought I'd have been safe with the NHS, but the consultant was an RAMC Major.
After poking and prodding me, the good Major said "a bit of keyhole, and you'll be back on your feet in a few days".
The "keyhole" ended up as a foot long incision, the wound of which (as it later transpired) had not been '"packed out", I was sat in front of the telly a couple of days after the operation when around a pint of blood gushed (yes, GUSHED) out of my wound - I almost shit myself in terror.
Fortunately the M-I-L (a GP at the time) had a look at it and said: "Not to worry, it's only venous blood".
"Eh" said I.
"Venous blood" she continued, "it's already been bled, which means that your wound hasn't been packed out - I'll be having f*cking words with that consultant tomorrow - oh and do try not to bleed on the couch or carpet, there's a good boy".
The "come down" from a diamorphine addiction, isn't as much fun as it sounds.
Given that Dr Death had hacked his way pretty much across my six-pack, it took around 6-8 weeks for the pain to go which allowed me to get back to work, and 3-4 months for me to be able to get back to strenuous activities