3-Week Post-Op Update - Andy

[Debbrn]

Glad everything is going so well.

Debbie

 

[Luckyguy17]

Andy,

you were probably tensing those abs to get the nurses worked up (grin)

nurse did tell me to not tense stomach, for the shots, but then again i gots nostomach muscles to tense (bigger grin)

Gil

 

[ARGreenMN]

Speaking of getting the nurses worked up (or more likely, getting worked up by nurses), I had one of 'em shave me today at cardio re-hab. Told her those sticky pads have been hurting when I take 'em off and I'd meant to shave my chest before I came in but forgot. She did it for me, right there in the rehab area Doubt if she enjoyed it as much as I did, but it helped take my mind off the boring bike for the next 1/2 hr

 

[Luckyguy17]

Wow Andy, you have access to cardio rehab...nice, no such thing up here?

Nurses shave us for the stress tests, but there are a few prerequisites: it must be a dry shave, no water or cream and the razor has to be really dul, so that patient gets no enjoyment

Gill

 

[Ross]

Ah yes, a good old fashioned field shaving. Everyone should do it!

 

[pat45750]

Thanks for the detailed post about your hospital experince. It is nice to know what to expect.

I had to give myself heprin shots in the stomach for 14 days after hip surgery. I was told to push the plunger slowly and that really seemed to help it not sting. I might not have been taking as much as what is required for valve replacement. I did find it more and more diffiuclt to poke myself in the stomach as time went on. I had to do it in the restroom at the airport before taking a 8 1/2 hour flight home from Belgium. Thought I would have trouble carring syringes thru the airport - but no problem. My stomach looked like one big bruise by the time I stopped taking the shots. Also started to get an itchy rash. Doctor said I was getting allergic to the heprin.

Good Luck. I look forward to more updates as you get back to a normal life.

Pat

 

[ARGreenMN]

Wow Gil, I thought they all did the cardio rehab deal. It started before I left the hospital (day 2 if not day 1 after surgery). Started with walking around the hall, then that plus a little work on a bike, then that plus a treadmill for 5 or 10 min and finally climbing up some steps. Then when I left the hospital they set me up with cardio rehab 3 times a week. It's an hour of work, 20-25 min. on a treadmill and 20-25 min. on a bike (with 5 min. warmup and 5 min. rest between treadmill & bike) while they monitor you on one of those portable ekg things, and take your blood pressure a few times while resting and while working. And they "guilt" you into walking every day when you're no there 'cause they ask when you get back - so what did you do yesterday... I suppose you can pretty much get the same thing accomplished on your own (except for the monitoring of vitals) but I like the program because they're progressively got me working harder each time, very slowly, building up from 3 "mets", where I started, to 6 mets by them time I'll be done. Plus the girls that work there aren't hard to look at

 

[Ross]

Andy your so lucky. I'd have physical rehab therapist Murch to deal with. I never get lucky.

The one I had at CCF I think came straight from Camp Lejeune. I even referred to her as Gunnery Sgt.

 

[malibu82]

haha you guys are funny! i was surprised how young and attractive my female nurses in the hospital were. i EVEN had young attractive male nurses too. it was a pleasant surpriseeee. except for when one of the guys took out my catheter. that was a little akward because he asked everyone to leave the room. my husband was a little crabby about that one.

 

[Ross]

haha you guys are funny! i was surprised how young and attractive my female nurses in the hospital were. i EVEN had young attractive male nurses too. it was a pleasant surpriseeee. except for when one of the guys took out my catheter. that was a little akward because he asked everyone to leave the room. my husband was a little crabby about that one.

Hey, they have no right telling your husband to leave the room. If they told my wife that, they'd have a big fight on their hands.

 

[ARGreenMN]

Unfortunately I had a male nurse take out my catheter too... Would have much preferred the girl who was on duty

 

[nngbwh]

I had a female nurse that took out my catheter. She slipped her hand slowly into my hospital gown. I sensed her hand approaching to the destination. She knew exactly where and how to do this. She slowly yank it out.

Feels nice ? she winked and left the room.