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Sat around useless anxious and waiting for anything to happen

GardeningFlowers profile image
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Hi everybody out there. Not been on here for a week or more. As you can tell from my title I seem to be on an absolute downer. I feel like I am in limbo. I am awaiting open heart surgery on my aortic valve and I have severe regurgitation but I have had echo cardiogram and breathing tests still awaiting angiogram and I feel helpless and so frustrating to deal with myself like this.

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GardeningFlowers
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8 Replies
Sar77 profile image
Sar77

Hi,My other half is in the same boat,and feels the same you are not alone Same age as yourself its feels like waiting for ever,but not for a nice event Thinking of you Regards

ChoochSiesta profile image
ChoochSiesta

Yes, been there. Mentally, it's like your normal life is on hold. Scared of catching the C word or indeed any other virus, because the op can't happen then. It is what it is, it sucks!

Hi GardeningFlowers

Stay 💪 strong !

The waiting is the hard part. It drives you round the bend!

I had my wait in lockdown so everyone was in the same boat as me.

Even so, it’s a very difficult time.

Reading, doing jigsaws, puzzles, tapestry, sewing, painting, drawing, planning things, making lists, reorganizing, walking, and gentle gardening, cooking, baking, freezing batches of meals. I did them all and some of them several times a day.

I also started a daily notebook. Not a diary but a note of how I felt and what happened every day. You can refer back to it when you get those questions that flummox you such as, when did you start these tablets? 🤷🏻‍♀️Write everything down.

You can tidy up the notes later. I rewrote mine after a few weeks in recovery. It helped me realize what I’d been through and how I coped or didn’t!! We are allowed a wobble! It’s only human.

I found that time didn’t mean much and it’s either flew by or dragged depending on what I was doing.

I hope you get your angiogram appointment soon.

Thinking of you.

Regards

Maisie

Cliff_G profile image
Cliff_G

I've just seen these sessions advertised on a Facebook group (hope this link works). St Thomas's Waiting for Surgery sessions, Cardiac on 20th April m.facebook.com/story.php?st...

Dear GardeningFlowers.

Almost without a doubt, with all my body has gone through, the waiting was one of the worst parts.

My next step is having a form of pacemaker fitted and again its a waiting game.

This is just me, but during the waiting time I personally find out everything I can about what is going to happen.

Now I know that this doesn’t suit everyone but for me it works, just make sure that you have reliable sources for that information, you would find it hard to find a better place for the basics than here.

Take care, our turn will come, there maybe sicker people in front of us to be dealt with first.

GardeningFlowers profile image
GardeningFlowers in reply to

Hi. Think just feeling a bit down at the moment. I am feeling so tired now and my energy has dropped to zero. Feeling like everything is hard work. I have been reading everything I can. But that is just me. I have always done this. I am going to make myself have a walk round outside. Thanks for your reply. 😊Knew that I would get right support here

Ageingfast profile image
Ageingfast

Once you get in to the hospital, all is really good. Expert staff. Fantastic surgeons. Dedicated ward and rooms. It is all good. If you can change a bit of your apprehension in to longing for the op, maybe it will ease your fears.Waiting is by far the worst bit.

Try to give yourself some relaxation.

I am now off to sow a few more seeds for my garden

Colin

Hello :-)

I think the waiting can be the worse but once there and in the capable hands of the staff and surgeon you won't feel frustrated

You are not helpless it just feels that way and I think most of us that have been waiting for tests and open heart surgery have felt that way

Once we have had ours done it seems easy to reply to those waiting and yet we do know how you feel it also seems easy to say take one day at a time but at this stage it is all we can do we

You could phone your Consultants Secretary and ask for any updates I know I did that but they will get things moving

Enjoy everyday and tell yourself this will get done they will get to me and there are so many of us waiting all in the same boat but before long I will be changing boats as we say and in the recovery boat instead :-)

You will get there and I am looking forward to you posting when you have :-) x

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