Yesterday we had our day filled with doctor appointments and tests which was a very exhausting day for me. My first appointment was with the Nephrology doctor at Froedtert who told us that even though my kidneys are abnormal, they are fully functional and doesn?t see the kidneys as the source of the problem for my recurrent UTI?s. It might be a problem with my actual bladder itself. After I am all healed I will go to the Urologist, but right now I?m just focused on getting better and will deal with this other issue later. They drew some blood and sent me on my merry way.
I then went to Children?s Hospital to their lab to have more blood work done. After that we wheeled on over to Radiology for my usual chest xray. Matt wheeled me a little too close to the wall in there. After the pain subsided, we chuckled about it. After Radiology, we headed over to the Herma Heart Center to see my wonderful Cardiologist, Dr. Michael Earing. He looked at the xray and saw that most of the fluid was off of my lungs. I was soooooooooo happy to hear this. The last thing I wanted was for them to have to drain it. My wires that closed my sternum are looking good and are still all tied tightly. My diaphragm is still sitting pretty high and he is hoping in about 3-6 months for that to be back into place. I have a bulge on the top of my sternum that clicks sometimes so I did ask about that. That will hopefully go away in about 3-6 months as well. She did feel with her hands that when I moved or coughed or something like that the sternum was rubbing together and that is what is causing the clicking noise. Dr. Earing would like me to start Cardiac Rehab next week, so today I called and set all that up. My first ?workout? is next Friday. We did change my pain meds due to the amount of pain I was having in my back. My back is hurting more than my chest does. He said it was from all the muscles that were strained from the surgery also go all the way around to the back. According to him, it?s the biggest complaint of open heart patients. So last night I took the new pain med ?Morphine?. I was able to get up the stairs last night were I wasn?t the night before because of the pain. I actually got about 6 hrs of sleep last night. It was great. So all in all things look good. I have to go back to see him in 3 weeks.
My appetite is slowly returning. I am having some really weird cravings though. Things I never ate before, I like now. I even ate frozen pizza today. It?s really weird. It?s like being pregnant all over again without an actual baby. Matt is looking forward to going back to work and getting away from all these weird cravings I think.
I am continuing taking my walks in the house and outside. Today I walked outside without holding on to Matt. I only made one mistake? I forgot my heart pillow that I hold over my chest in the house. Matt ran back in for it for one split second and the dog jumped right up on my chest. OH MY GOD? I didn?t think pain could get any worse. I calmed down and let the pain subside a bit and went for my walk anyway.
I?m happy with my recovery thus far and I look forward to the day when I can do things on my own without needing help or depending on others to do it. I know it will take time; I?m just a little impatient.
I again want to thank you for all of your prayers and well wishes throughout these last few months. All of you are truly inspirational to me.
I then went to Children?s Hospital to their lab to have more blood work done. After that we wheeled on over to Radiology for my usual chest xray. Matt wheeled me a little too close to the wall in there. After the pain subsided, we chuckled about it. After Radiology, we headed over to the Herma Heart Center to see my wonderful Cardiologist, Dr. Michael Earing. He looked at the xray and saw that most of the fluid was off of my lungs. I was soooooooooo happy to hear this. The last thing I wanted was for them to have to drain it. My wires that closed my sternum are looking good and are still all tied tightly. My diaphragm is still sitting pretty high and he is hoping in about 3-6 months for that to be back into place. I have a bulge on the top of my sternum that clicks sometimes so I did ask about that. That will hopefully go away in about 3-6 months as well. She did feel with her hands that when I moved or coughed or something like that the sternum was rubbing together and that is what is causing the clicking noise. Dr. Earing would like me to start Cardiac Rehab next week, so today I called and set all that up. My first ?workout? is next Friday. We did change my pain meds due to the amount of pain I was having in my back. My back is hurting more than my chest does. He said it was from all the muscles that were strained from the surgery also go all the way around to the back. According to him, it?s the biggest complaint of open heart patients. So last night I took the new pain med ?Morphine?. I was able to get up the stairs last night were I wasn?t the night before because of the pain. I actually got about 6 hrs of sleep last night. It was great. So all in all things look good. I have to go back to see him in 3 weeks.
My appetite is slowly returning. I am having some really weird cravings though. Things I never ate before, I like now. I even ate frozen pizza today. It?s really weird. It?s like being pregnant all over again without an actual baby. Matt is looking forward to going back to work and getting away from all these weird cravings I think.
I am continuing taking my walks in the house and outside. Today I walked outside without holding on to Matt. I only made one mistake? I forgot my heart pillow that I hold over my chest in the house. Matt ran back in for it for one split second and the dog jumped right up on my chest. OH MY GOD? I didn?t think pain could get any worse. I calmed down and let the pain subside a bit and went for my walk anyway.
I?m happy with my recovery thus far and I look forward to the day when I can do things on my own without needing help or depending on others to do it. I know it will take time; I?m just a little impatient.
I again want to thank you for all of your prayers and well wishes throughout these last few months. All of you are truly inspirational to me.
