Waiting in pain for doctor appointment for inguinal hernia; any advice/tips?

Just venting/looking for support

• Cause: I had added a couple core-strengthening exercises and after 1.5 weeks of those, I noticed a bulge (a little smaller than golf ball) in the inguinal region while in the shower

• I scheduled an urgent care appointment for the next day

• The professional there diagnosed the inguinal hernia

• It's reducible: it flattens when I lie down

• But it is pretty painful at times, especially with any bending over / bending down tasks

• They referred me to a surgeon, but it's a 3 week wait and it's only a consult, not yet surgery or even ultrasound

• (I guess this isn't too bad compared to some of the horror stories I've read here, but it still felt/feels like a long time; I am on the waitlist in case anyone cancels)

• I live alone, so there are things that are just unavoidable -- no one is doing laundry for me, etc.

• I've made adaptations, realizing I can e.g. kneel when unloading laundry instead of staying standing up and constantly bending down

• I'm alternating between ibuprofen and acetaminophen; I'm not sure how much they help given it's a mechanical defect and it's just masking discomfort, plus they seem to increase constipation (I am increasing fiber and water)

• I have also tried ice on the area, which seems to help

It just sucks waiting in pain. It is starting to affect my quality of life, like not being able to enjoy lunch when the pain flares up after activity.

I even broke down and listen to a jon kabat-zinn video on chronic pain / mindfulness.

If anyone else is going through this / has gone through this and has any words of encouragement and/or practical tips, I'd certainly appreciate them.

Thanks for reading.