jetjok, how are you doing?
08-20-2007, 07:56 PM
#1
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jetjok, how are you doing?
It's been three weeks now since your interesting day. Hope you will let us know how you are doing, without violating any HIPAA rules, that is. 
Still hoping to do that Thai massage with you! 
Still hoping to do that Thai massage with you!
08-21-2007, 05:33 PM
#3
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Not quite 24 hours have gone by, but still no word. Getting a little worried here. Does anybody have any idea? I posted with the utmost sincerity. I do not know how to be nor do I want to be facetious.
08-21-2007, 06:31 PM
#4
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Vagabond,
First and foremost, thanks for your expression of concern. I didn't post a reply, because there was nothing to really update you with. That's changed now, as I had an appointment, my first since leaving the hospital, with the surgeon who did the heart surgery.
For the past week or so I was in a lot of pain. Not heart pain, but shoulder and chest pain. I had two massages (neither with happy endings) and have spent a lot of time with a heat pack strapped to the right shoulder, with no decrease in discomfort. So today, I brought my concerns with me to see the doctor. He injected my shoulder with cortisone and prescribed some muscle relaxers as well as some pain medication. Also he discovered that I had developed some sort of secondary infection at the very top of the vertical incision, the one he made to pry my breastbone apart. He cleaned that out and repacked the dressing, and prescribed an antibiotic. He also took an X-ray, which he proclaimed perfectly normal, and he said my lungs were back to normal capacity and were functioning fine.
Since leaving the hospital, I've been taking it easy and living within the constraints that they had outlined for me, with the one exception of walking. Initially, they wanted me to walk for 5 minutes, 4 times a day. The reason was to increase, slowly, my lung capacity (which was diminished by the heart surgery), while at the same time, increase blood flow through my heart and limbs. I was expected to increase the walking times by a minute, for each trip, each day, until I reached 10 minutes. Then walk for that duration, 4 times a day. After 2 days, I was up to 20 or 25 minutes, 6 times a day, with no ill effects. So for the past week I've been walking between 2 and 3 miles a day, mostly with my Dobie, Hannah, by my side.
Since leaving the hospital 14 days ago, I've lost almost 12 pounds. I'm eating fine, but more healthy, mostly due to my wife's steadfastness on this issue. The thing that's most interesting, according to the cardiologist, is that this weight loss is explained by the fact that when the body tries to heal itself, it uses a very large amount of calories, and since my caloric intake has been reduced, because of no more McDonald's, etc, my body has grabbed what pockets of fat I had stored and converted it to usable calories, and consumed them. The thing that I find really nice, if there can be anything "nice" about this whole event, is that the extra stomach roll I used to have, and had been trying to get rid of for maybe the past 20 years, is almost completely gone. I'm weighing in at 167 pounds, which is less than I've weighed in the past 30 years.
So, that in a nutshell is my update. I look forward to getting these shoulder muscles to relax and for all the bones that were cut open and holes that were poked through my skin to heal. Then, I'll be able to get on with the real task of regaining lost strength and flexibility.
Regards,
JJ
First and foremost, thanks for your expression of concern. I didn't post a reply, because there was nothing to really update you with. That's changed now, as I had an appointment, my first since leaving the hospital, with the surgeon who did the heart surgery.
For the past week or so I was in a lot of pain. Not heart pain, but shoulder and chest pain. I had two massages (neither with happy endings) and have spent a lot of time with a heat pack strapped to the right shoulder, with no decrease in discomfort. So today, I brought my concerns with me to see the doctor. He injected my shoulder with cortisone and prescribed some muscle relaxers as well as some pain medication. Also he discovered that I had developed some sort of secondary infection at the very top of the vertical incision, the one he made to pry my breastbone apart. He cleaned that out and repacked the dressing, and prescribed an antibiotic. He also took an X-ray, which he proclaimed perfectly normal, and he said my lungs were back to normal capacity and were functioning fine.
Since leaving the hospital, I've been taking it easy and living within the constraints that they had outlined for me, with the one exception of walking. Initially, they wanted me to walk for 5 minutes, 4 times a day. The reason was to increase, slowly, my lung capacity (which was diminished by the heart surgery), while at the same time, increase blood flow through my heart and limbs. I was expected to increase the walking times by a minute, for each trip, each day, until I reached 10 minutes. Then walk for that duration, 4 times a day. After 2 days, I was up to 20 or 25 minutes, 6 times a day, with no ill effects. So for the past week I've been walking between 2 and 3 miles a day, mostly with my Dobie, Hannah, by my side.
Since leaving the hospital 14 days ago, I've lost almost 12 pounds. I'm eating fine, but more healthy, mostly due to my wife's steadfastness on this issue. The thing that's most interesting, according to the cardiologist, is that this weight loss is explained by the fact that when the body tries to heal itself, it uses a very large amount of calories, and since my caloric intake has been reduced, because of no more McDonald's, etc, my body has grabbed what pockets of fat I had stored and converted it to usable calories, and consumed them. The thing that I find really nice, if there can be anything "nice" about this whole event, is that the extra stomach roll I used to have, and had been trying to get rid of for maybe the past 20 years, is almost completely gone. I'm weighing in at 167 pounds, which is less than I've weighed in the past 30 years.
So, that in a nutshell is my update. I look forward to getting these shoulder muscles to relax and for all the bones that were cut open and holes that were poked through my skin to heal. Then, I'll be able to get on with the real task of regaining lost strength and flexibility.
Regards,
JJ
08-21-2007, 07:06 PM
#6
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Joined APC: Aug 2006
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Posts: 267
Glad you are feeling a bit on the mend. Ask your doctor about a pain pump. I have seen them, I think the company is called "IFLOW" and they administer a local anesthetic via a tiny catheter directly to the incision site, and you can crank up the intensity anytime you want.
Maybe it's worth a shot.
Maybe it's worth a shot.
Originally Posted by Jetjok
Vagabond,
First and foremost, thanks for your expression of concern. I didn't post a reply, because there was nothing to really update you with. That's changed now, as I had an appointment, my first since leaving the hospital, with the surgeon who did the heart surgery.
For the past week or so I was in a lot of pain. Not heart pain, but shoulder and chest pain. I had two massages (neither with happy endings) and have spent a lot of time with a heat pack strapped to the right shoulder, with no decrease in discomfort. So today, I brought my concerns with me to see the doctor. He injected my shoulder with cortisone and prescribed some muscle relaxers as well as some pain medication. Also he discovered that I had developed some sort of secondary infection at the very top of the vertical incision, the one he made to pry my breastbone apart. He cleaned that out and repacked the dressing, and prescribed an antibiotic. He also took an X-ray, which he proclaimed perfectly normal, and he said my lungs were back to normal capacity and were functioning fine.
Since leaving the hospital, I've been taking it easy and living within the constraints that they had outlined for me, with the one exception of walking. Initially, they wanted me to walk for 5 minutes, 4 times a day. The reason was to increase, slowly, my lung capacity (which was diminished by the heart surgery), while at the same time, increase blood flow through my heart and limbs. I was expected to increase the walking times by a minute, for each trip, each day, until I reached 10 minutes. Then walk for that duration, 4 times a day. After 2 days, I was up to 20 or 25 minutes, 6 times a day, with no ill effects. So for the past week I've been walking between 2 and 3 miles a day, mostly with my Dobie, Hannah, by my side.
Since leaving the hospital 14 days ago, I've lost almost 12 pounds. I'm eating fine, but more healthy, mostly due to my wife's steadfastness on this issue. The thing that's most interesting, according to the cardiologist, is that this weight loss is explained by the fact that when the body tries to heal itself, it uses a very large amount of calories, and since my caloric intake has been reduced, because of no more McDonald's, etc, my body has grabbed what pockets of fat I had stored and converted it to usable calories, and consumed them. The thing that I find really nice, if there can be anything "nice" about this whole event, is that the extra stomach roll I used to have, and had been trying to get rid of for maybe the past 20 years, is almost completely gone. I'm weighing in at 167 pounds, which is less than I've weighed in the past 30 years.
So, that in a nutshell is my update. I look forward to getting these shoulder muscles to relax and for all the bones that were cut open and holes that were poked through my skin to heal. Then, I'll be able to get on with the real task of regaining lost strength and flexibility.
Regards,
JJ
First and foremost, thanks for your expression of concern. I didn't post a reply, because there was nothing to really update you with. That's changed now, as I had an appointment, my first since leaving the hospital, with the surgeon who did the heart surgery.
For the past week or so I was in a lot of pain. Not heart pain, but shoulder and chest pain. I had two massages (neither with happy endings) and have spent a lot of time with a heat pack strapped to the right shoulder, with no decrease in discomfort. So today, I brought my concerns with me to see the doctor. He injected my shoulder with cortisone and prescribed some muscle relaxers as well as some pain medication. Also he discovered that I had developed some sort of secondary infection at the very top of the vertical incision, the one he made to pry my breastbone apart. He cleaned that out and repacked the dressing, and prescribed an antibiotic. He also took an X-ray, which he proclaimed perfectly normal, and he said my lungs were back to normal capacity and were functioning fine.
Since leaving the hospital, I've been taking it easy and living within the constraints that they had outlined for me, with the one exception of walking. Initially, they wanted me to walk for 5 minutes, 4 times a day. The reason was to increase, slowly, my lung capacity (which was diminished by the heart surgery), while at the same time, increase blood flow through my heart and limbs. I was expected to increase the walking times by a minute, for each trip, each day, until I reached 10 minutes. Then walk for that duration, 4 times a day. After 2 days, I was up to 20 or 25 minutes, 6 times a day, with no ill effects. So for the past week I've been walking between 2 and 3 miles a day, mostly with my Dobie, Hannah, by my side.
Since leaving the hospital 14 days ago, I've lost almost 12 pounds. I'm eating fine, but more healthy, mostly due to my wife's steadfastness on this issue. The thing that's most interesting, according to the cardiologist, is that this weight loss is explained by the fact that when the body tries to heal itself, it uses a very large amount of calories, and since my caloric intake has been reduced, because of no more McDonald's, etc, my body has grabbed what pockets of fat I had stored and converted it to usable calories, and consumed them. The thing that I find really nice, if there can be anything "nice" about this whole event, is that the extra stomach roll I used to have, and had been trying to get rid of for maybe the past 20 years, is almost completely gone. I'm weighing in at 167 pounds, which is less than I've weighed in the past 30 years.
So, that in a nutshell is my update. I look forward to getting these shoulder muscles to relax and for all the bones that were cut open and holes that were poked through my skin to heal. Then, I'll be able to get on with the real task of regaining lost strength and flexibility.
Regards,
JJ
08-21-2007, 09:51 PM
#7
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I am very glad to hear about your progress. It can only get better from here. I once worked with an anesthesiologist (who has since moved to Wake Forest) who told me that pain in itself is a disability and a medical condition. My mom brought me up to believe that pain was something you endure, so it was quite a revelation to hear this doctor’s viewpoint.
I agree with Mawk about the pain pump. My mom, when she was still alive, had all kinds of medical problems, including surgery as a result of breast cancer, and I recall she was given such a pump. Depending on the severity of the pain, she could set it to infuse pain medication at a selected flow rate or give her a bolus. Because the medication was infused so close to the intraoperative site, there was no need for the use of large amounts of anesthetic.
Wonderful to hear you are already walking so much after only 3 weeks. Walking, particularly with a faithful dog for a companion, is one of the most enjoyable pastimes known to man. I do it with my dog every day.
Oh, how I'd like to lose 12 pounds! And my doctor suggested I get into pole dancing! I think I'll stick to walking.
We'll get to do Thai massage yet one day. You just wait and see!
I agree with Mawk about the pain pump. My mom, when she was still alive, had all kinds of medical problems, including surgery as a result of breast cancer, and I recall she was given such a pump. Depending on the severity of the pain, she could set it to infuse pain medication at a selected flow rate or give her a bolus. Because the medication was infused so close to the intraoperative site, there was no need for the use of large amounts of anesthetic.
Wonderful to hear you are already walking so much after only 3 weeks. Walking, particularly with a faithful dog for a companion, is one of the most enjoyable pastimes known to man. I do it with my dog every day.
Oh, how I'd like to lose 12 pounds! And my doctor suggested I get into pole dancing! I think I'll stick to walking.
We'll get to do Thai massage yet one day. You just wait and see!
08-22-2007, 08:06 AM
#10
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Joined APC: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,336
Please reconsider
Originally Posted by vagabond
And my doctor suggested I get into pole dancing! I think I'll stick to walking.
We'll get to do Thai massage yet one day. You just wait and see!
We'll get to do Thai massage yet one day. You just wait and see!
Vags.....a bunch of us here were hoping you'd reconsider this decision.....with your best health in mind of course
