4 Weeks post-op and I'm back to work.

[gageyk]

I'm now 4 weeks post op so I celebrated by going to work and driving. My work is not stressful and I work from home. I'm in outside sales so I spend a lot of time talking on the phone and visiting customers. I can take a nap in the car if I need to . I've actually felt good enough to work for the past week or so but I was being a good boy and not driving.

Recovery has been amazing. Using reports from others on the board as motivation , I started walking about 2 miles per day in weeks 1 and 2 then bumped up to 2-4 miles per day for week 3 and for the past 7-10 days I was averaging 4-6 miles per day. I did my walks in the mornings and evenings so mileage was not all at once. Now that I'm working again I'll probably manage about 4 miles in the evenings. I'm looking forward to the weekends when I can drive to the mountains and do some actual hiking .

I hope to hike to the summit of Mt Rose at 10, 776 feet by the end of September. It's a 10 mile round trip with 2000 feet of elevation gain. I will stay off my mountain bike till at least week 6, probably a little longer. I'm going to stick with walking/hiking until the sternum feels good.

My sternum is definitely still sore and I've been good about following the rules. I still haven't seen a surgeon or cardio since my release from the hospital although I'm supposed to see the cardio on Friday. I feel great. It's hard to believe that 4 weeks has already passed.

 

[Karlynn]

I'm glad you're feeling so well. The mother hen in me wants to remind you that there is some healing that just takes time regardless of how good we feel, so please be cautious. You have a lifetime to live your dreams.

 

[Phyllis]

A great report- don't push it, but enjoy your new good health!

 

[Freddie]

I too went back to work after 4wks. My Doctor thought it was premature, but I reassured her that it was less work than what I was doing at home. Which was the truth.

But I sure wasn't walking no 2 miles a day during MY first two weeks of recovery. HATS off to you.

Please be careful !!!!

 

[Bina]

Sounds amazing, good for you. Try not to overdo things too much

 

[67walkon]

Sounds like you would be very hard pressed to "overdo it". You're doing too well.

If you take good care of your sternum, you should be back on the mountain bike at 8 weeks. They told me 8 weeks, and at 8 weeks and 1 day, I was on my road bike. It felt weird, but the only real discomfort I felt was in my shoulders. Since I had really babied my sternum and upper body for 8 weeks, although I did do some curls at the gym after 6 weeks, leaning on the bars was rough on my shoulders. After 3 or 4 rides, that is starting to get back to normal.

Your recovery will not be "normal". You are in better shape going in than most OHS patients, so you will do better coming out of surgery.

Keep it up and good luck!

John

 

[Philip B]

Recovery

Recovery

It sounds like you're on the mend and have a good plan as you do the exercise rehab stuff. My recovery and rehab progressed at a fairly rapid pace; it sounds like you're on a similar pace. You've probably noticed that your body will let you know if you're working within its limits. Just make sure to listen to what it's telling you.

-Philip

 

[dot4toto]

Wow

Wow

That's so great!
I know what you mean, I wish I could go back to work.

I think it's great that you are able to and have a job that allows you to go back to work.
I was just saying today that if I didn't have a job where I stand all day I'd be back to work next week. I feel so good right now.

How lucky are we! It's not something I take lightly, this whole deal was intense and I just feel blessed to be so healthy after major surgery.
You Know?

Anyway congrates to you and keep on feeling good!!!

 

[WayneGM]

Good for you! Just remember to pace yourself. At 4 weeks, setting yourself back by overdoing it can still happen. Best wishes.

 

[PeggyM]

I hope to hike to the summit of Mt Rose at 10, 776 feet by the end of September. It's a 10 mile round trip with 2000 feet of elevation gain.

Congrats on being back to normal again! The elevation thing on this hike though would concern me. 4 weeks post op and by the end of the month even better, but still, 10,000 plus feet is going to push that heart and your lungs. Hell, at 6000 feet I'm out of breath. LOL. What does your cardiologist say about it?

 

[jimbo]

Neighbor

Neighbor

Wow, 4 weeks and it sounds like your doing great. Where is the mountain your hiking? I have a place right up the road in the Graeagle area. There are some beautiful trails up here in the Lakes basin area. I too had my aorta valve replaced at the end of April and have yet to do any serious hiking/backpacking. I was in great shape before but I'm slowly getting better. I can't wait to get some Tahoe snow for skiing this winter.

 

[CathyK.]

Your recovery sounds familiar!! I also had the exact same valve put in and recovered at an amazing rate. I am now 7 months post-op and still doing great. Keep up the good work and do what your body feels like doing!

 

[gageyk]

Wow, 4 weeks and it sounds like your doing great. Where is the mountain your hiking? I have a place right up the road in the Graeagle area. There are some beautiful trails up here in the Lakes basin area. I too had my aorta valve replaced at the end of April and have yet to do any serious hiking/backpacking. I was in great shape before but I'm slowly getting better. I can't wait to get some Tahoe snow for skiing this winter.

Jimbo,

Ironically enough I grew up in the San Fernando Valley, Chastworth. I left 27 years ago. Great hiking in Lakes Basin, unfortunately very smoky right now due to a fire by Taylorsville or I would have seriously considered the Sierra Buttes from Packer Saddle this weekend. One of the surgeons said I could probably backpack at the end of September, I won't be testing that theory though.

Mt. Rose is between Reno and Lake Tahoe, about 30 minutes to the trailhead from home.

PeggyM,

I live at 5000 feet and prior to surgery spent most weekends at 8000 feet or above. I also spend every winter weekend at 8000 feet or above. I will do a few 4-6 mile hikes at elevation before attempting anything major.

Cardio visit today and they told me to do what my body says I can do.

To all others thanks for the feedback. I really do feel as though I'm not over doing it and I do not want any setbacks. No walking today as a matter of fact.