When Michael Brennock was first diagnosed with prostate cancer in October 2022, he knew he was in for some struggle. By February 2023, he had undergone surgery to remove the cancer and started to feel on the mend. But not long after, during a routine follow-up, Michael noticed something unusual—a bulge in his abdomen. "I think I have a hernia," he told his doctor. After some imaging, his suspicions were confirmed.
Michael was referred to a general surgeon near his home in Carmel, New York. "My doctor said, ‘Just get a local general surgeon. They'll be able to patch you up,’" he remembers. Trusting his judgment, Michael followed that advice and underwent surgery in May to repair the hernia. Unfortunately, not long after it became obvious to Michael that something wasn’t right.
"It didn't heal. I had a kangaroo pouch—that's how much my intestines had come through," he recalls. By August, the situation had deteriorated to the point where even the hospital nurses were shocked. "I don't think we've ever seen anything like this," they told him.
Despite multiple attempts to repair the hernia, including a second surgery in August, Michael found himself back in the hospital with an intestinal blockage that kept him there for 13 days. The experience was harrowing for Michael. "I was deformed," he says. "I looked in the mirror, and I said to my wife, 'This can't be fixed.'"
It was at this low point that Michael's surgeon referred him to the Columbia Hernia Center. "If I would've gone here in the beginning, I would've never had an issue. It would've been fixed the first time," says Michael.
When Michael met with hernia surgeon Dina Podolsky, MD, he immediately felt a sense of relief. "I was amazed at the way she just grabbed the hernia, almost like pizza dough," he says with a laugh. But what truly reassured him was her confidence. "Her bedside manner was so nice, yet she was so direct. 'We can fix this,' she said, and I believed her."
Dr. Podolsky was quick to identify the problem—a 20-centimeter hole in Michael's abdominal wall. The complexity of his hernia at this point required a specialized approach, including the use of Botox injections to immobilize his abdominal muscles during surgery. "Honestly, by this point, I felt great," says Michael. "The whole team really did well by me."
Recovery was challenging, but this time, Michael was on the right path. He worked closely with a physical therapy team at Columbia to regain his strength, taking it slow but steady. "I'm now jogging on the treadmill," he says. "I’ve made some really nice strides. There’s still a lot of tightness, but I feel good."
In a moment of reflection, Michael emphasizes the importance of seeking specialized care for complex medical issues, especially hernias. "I'm definitely a testament to that," he says. I just wish I had known earlier. If you have a complex case, go to the specialists right away. It makes all the difference."
Today, Michael continues to recover and remains optimistic despite new challenges on the horizon. "I can't look back. My wife always says that, too. You can't look back; you’ve got to look at where you are now," he says. And now he’s on the road back to enjoying life with his family, living proof that the right care at the right time can turn even the most daunting medical journey into a story of hope and resilience.
Related:
- State of the Union: Hernia Care Today
- Overcoming Hernia after C-Section and Regaining Life as a New Mom
- A Delicate Dance: Alberto del Saz’s Journey Through Hernia Surgery and Recovery