Woke up Monday morning at 6am opened the curtains to glorious sunshine a beautiful calm sea and a really cute nurse bringing me a coffee in bed ....... heaven !!!
After breakfast and seeing the nurse for my blood pressure I decided to go for a walk along the sea front I went about 1and a half miles into the town of Littlehampton which was great to be able to get a few things I needed like shaving foam and shower gel . Went back had lunch afterwards sat out on the patio in the sunshine in my shorts chatting away to some lovely ladies and just chilling. Then I thought why don’t I do another walk so I left the convalescent home at the 3.45pm and didn’t get back till 5.30pm it was just fantastic the sea air was awesome and I was so pleased with my progress I had a smile on my fact that evening like a Cheshire Cat.
I woke up on Tuesday morning the sun was shining and the same cute nurse brought me my coffee BUT !!!!!! I had pains in my ribs and my left shoulder and I felt shocking it was a real struggle to get out of bed and get showered and I really didn’t want to go down for breakfast so had it in the room. The nurse came to see me to take my usual readings and boy did she give me a “bollocking “ when I told her what I’d done the previous day. With hindsight I can see I was slightly cocky, arrogant and foolish to even attempt two large walks in the same day I think I just got carried away by the weather the scenery and my own foolish competitive streak . During Tuesday the pain in my shoulder and my rib got worse and even though I was back on strong painkillers I needed two heat pads throughout the day to try to calm the discomfort.
Please please if your pre op now don’t be foolish or cocky like me when you are post op and do far too much in one day as your body will just shut down like mine did and give you a damn good reminder that your progress needs to be done gradually and sensibly. To be honest your body is an amazing machine but it has to be nurtured and treated with respect to get it and you to where you would like to be . My family just said take it easy over the next few few days and I’m sure you’ll be ok . I suppose they were just being diplomatic . Then I told my best mate and boy did he give it me I got both barrels and then some he called me all the usual non complementary names with expletives mingled in . Let’s just say I got the message and he was right so what I’m saying is please be more sensible than I was and be happy with any progress it doesn’t have to be massive.
Confidence in your new new valve is something that doesn’t come automatically as I found out yesterday what a dilemma it can be, ....... this is not the most subtle of examples but one that we may all face . I felt like I wanted to go to the loo for a “poo” and sat on the toilet as we all do and found I was a little constipated and under normal circumstances you would just push a little bit to help it along and my natural reaction was to push but I stopped myself as I was worried it would put a strain on my new heart valve so I was sat there for about 30 minutes with this dilemma do I push do I not push will it affect my new valve if I did should I have more confidence in it ............oh it was doing my sodding head in and to be honest I didn’t have the confidence to do a full blown push and just did a lot of little pushes untill I managed to go that’s why I was sat there for such a long time. I hope I haven’t put you all off with my example but it’s funny what your head does after such a short time post op. I’m sure as time goes by my confidence levels will increase and eventually I won’t overthink things but at the moment I am.
I hope the storms aren’t affecting you all too much stay safe keep warm and just enjoy being with your loved ones
Hugs and kisses
Pete ❤️❤️
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Oh I do look forward to your posts they are brilliant keep them coming I am learning so much from your journey....I have been called for Angiogram on 29th October as I had been to the Doctor with symptoms and rather than my specialist sending me an earlier appointment to see him I have been called straight to have an Angiogram...getting worried my op will be sooner than I thought.
Well don’t worry that it could happen sooner as the sooner it dies happen the sooner your on the road to recovery like me and you’ll be great as I’m sure you won’t be as foolish as I’ve been
Take care sweetheart and if every you need to talk direct when you get a date just hit the chat button at the top of the page and I’m there to help if I can
Having had huge delays before surgery I think it is better to have it sooner than later. Delay affects you in curious ways! You can overthink and worry endlessly some days and put it right in the back of your mind the next. At one stage I became so laid back a cardiologist commented on it. I think I was both tired of waiting and angina attacks (just post the Beast), and could hardly be bothered at the time. Not a particularly good place in reality!
I did tell you, you twit! Right back on my first post to you I said it all takes longer than you think. However, in your defence, here is a short resume of my exploits yesterday......
I drove down to the station, took the one hour train trip to London. I trailed around for a couple of hours as my daughter enjoyed some retail therapy. Then we had lunch. Then I took the train journey home again. Result?? Well today I'm knackered! In less than two hours I'm due at the rehab class and I'm doubting my ability to do all the exercises.
I'm not going to make excuses, I'll tell them when I get there that I might not do as well as the last session.
So, I can't even follow my own advice and I'm more than 3 months post op now! Repeat after me "Take it easy sonshine!"
Glad it’s not just me then. I thought I was the only fool on the planet. I wish I’d not dne it but I can’t turn the clock back I’ve just got to be more sensible and yes you did tell me and more than once so thanks and I wish I’d listened mate
It's not just you! I was on a scheme at the gym. When my performances deteriorated the instructor asked me what I had been up to. I told her about my increased exercise program (due to feeling better) and she bollocked me and told me that I need to rest more.
Good point about overdoing it. One day I pushed myself to hit 5,000 - next day so shattered I only managed 1,100! It really is a case of using common sense and listening to your body! No half marathons for either of us any time soon!
I do enjoy reading your posts Pete and they are a real tonic to me at the moment. You certainly have a way with words and writing. Just make sure you don't overdo it again. The weather here in Wales today is pretty awful so I'm just sitting indoors waiting for my Tesco delivery and can smell my chicken casserole cooking, I think I'm in the best place. Enjoy being looked after as I am sure you deserve it.
Nothing better than sitting in looking out on a blustery day especially as you’ve got the smell of a home made chicken casserole in the background sounds like heaven to me
Interestingly when I did my rehab sessions they asked everyone before starting the class whether they had done any exercise before attending one guy said he had walked for a couple of miles and he wasn’t allowed to participate that morning. So onwards and onwards. Another great post Pete and some vital information for those pre op. Sorry you have suffered but hopefully lessons learned. Take care. Rest and recuperate. Listen to your body as others have said relax take it easy and look after yourself. (It’s called convalescence for a reason!)Zena x
I know I’m too impatient at times and think I’m still 21 which I am in my head but my body really showed me what I’d done so it’s one walk a day from here on in
Hmmmm, pretty sure we told you not to overdo things as you recover and that it’s easy to do it. I doubt there are any of us who haven’t done something we know we shouldn’t and then regretted it. I lifted my big fat cat up and regretted that later, was alright with the smaller ones 😺.
Take it easy and gradually build the walking up again and I’m sure you’ll be fine. Just make the most of being waited on, won’t be the same once you’re home!!! 😜
Ha ha the poo thing brought back memories of maternity hospital. Back in the day you weren't allowed to go home until you pooed. I remember sitting in that cubicle for 4 hrs. Staff kept coming in to see if I'd flushed myself away but I wasn't moving till gravity kicked in. Sorry😂. Anyway what did I tell you about pacing last wk. You men! Glad to hear your getting back on track though. Anymore misbehaving and we'll organise a day trip and come pester you all day. Ha ha. Take care my friend. Shiona
I probably need my backside slapping when will I ever learn I’m giving out advice to others and not listening myself I think I’ve finally got the message so one walk a day it is from now just need to stop pushing so hard I hope your all learning from my mistakes
From what i've read (since sunday!) the heart takes a minimum of 8 weeks to heal alone. Therefore if you had a serious injury to another part of your body (e.g. hip replacement, knee rebuild) , you wouldn't push it. Its easy to take your heart function for granted, an easy mistake to make; I did!- so for me its going to be a measured approach.
Stupidity is a familiar bed fellow of mine, so you are not alone. And for the most part, it's not stupidity its habit. Our brains take a while to adapt.
I'm 10 months post op now but I remember in the early days of my recovery thinking that if I didn't get moving every day something awful would happen. In reality a day of rest and relaxation when you feel you need it is equally valuable.
I too had a couple of weeks of convalescence, and realised I was getting back to my old self when I started appreciating the delights of one of the nurses!!
Won't be long before you're looking back on this as a distant memory.
Silly you - but thanks for the good advice! You’re giving lots of us who are still pre-op a good laugh as well as something to think about - Chris and Amanda will be proud of you! (Though I’m sure Amanda would Give you a telling off about overdoing it!) did you get the Edwards valve?
I like your style Pete, just take care. Once I got out of intensive care 48 hours after my op, I was feeling great and raring to go. The Surgeon on his rounds asked ( as if I wasn't there) is he mobile? I replied for myself and said yes I am fully mobile three times a night to the toilet and on the way there and back I go pole dancing with my saline drip and medication bags! He did not ask again!
What a great attitude I can’t stand it when the doctors talk about you as though your not there it’s so bloody ignorant I bet he got the message
Well done
Pete ❤️
Thats why when on any strong pain killers, you have to take laxatives. But even then it sometimes is very difficult and I can empathise the pain and anguish you had for I was the same in the first month at home after a triple heart bypass. So I guess its just a passing phase - or should I say a difficult passing phase. I am now in my 15th week since the operation and even now, still feel the twinges in my sternum. I tried to straighten up the washing machine last night and got a huge reminder not to be stupid. Thats what your bodies done, but also given you perhaps more than you deserve - perhaps you will remember in the future and do as your told and not what you think! Anyway, enjoy the sunshine at a slower pace or go with someone who is in the same position as you.
Great to hear from you again been a cock up 10th Oct is for an Angiogram not my valve op but heh oh just have to take it day on day had my betablockers reduced to 1,25 because pulse dropped to 53.
And dizzy spells ensued and not even had a lager lol
Don’t be put off by it being the Angiogram in the 10th the op follows quite quickly about 4-6 weeks later so it won’t be long now mate keep that positive attitude going it works wonders
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