'Dem Bones

[Vicki448]

Two months ago today since my mitral valve repair surgery! Hip, Hip, Hooray! I look back and realize how far I've come...yet, perhaps I've not come as far as I'd like. Yesterday I couldn't stand the dust along the baseboards any longer. I didn't use the BIG vacuum cleaner, but the canister one instead. Using only the hand wand, I followed the dust and sucked it up and went quickly across a few rugs....well, that was it for me! I was worthless for the rest of the day. When will I be able to do more than that? or to even be able to do that without wiping myself out? Just how long does it take the sternum to heal? My surgeon told me about pushing, pulling, and lifting....but I forgot the length of time he told me. All of you out there - tell me about it! What could you do and when?

 

[gary]

Have you been to Phase II rehab??

Have you been to Phase II rehab??

Did you begin the road back to proper conditioning?

I have been told by rehab specialists that depending on your age, it can take more than one week of conditioning for every week of inertia.

I had a low-grade fever for three solid weeks, it's origin was unknown. It's taking nearly 3 weeks to get back to even a minimum of what I was able to do prior to the fever's onset.

If you haven't already done so, get your physician to prescribe Phase II Healing Hearts program, which is 36 visits 3 times a week of re-conditioning. BEST time you will ever spend if you want to get back to feeling better faster

 

[Ron K]

Patience

Patience

Hi Vicki,

I think you may see a significant improvement in about a month or so. The healing and the stamina increase takes time and occurs very gradually. It's only when you look back to where you were 6 or 8 weeks ago that you can realize how much you'e improved.

Are you doing your walking every day? Perhaps you can talk to your doctor about starting a cardio-rehab program.

Don't get too discouraged. It keeps getting better. You'll be in pretty good shape by the holidays.

Ron K

 

[Vicki448]

I can't wait to begin/continue Cardiac Rehab. I'm just waiting for my insurance company to quit being a "booger" about paying for it. I went one week of rehab and paid for it on my own (can't do that again!) and I know it's a good thing. I felt great for the 3 days that I was there and walking on the treadmill.
Hopefully everything will be cleared up soon because I do know the benefit of rehab. I have started walking on my own, but haven't been able to do that with the rain we've had - all our roads are dirt!
Thanks for the encouragement - I know it will all happen and fall into place. I'm just ready for it to have happened yesterday!!

 

[Ross]

Boy do I know the feeling. I've needed to change fuel oil filters for my furnace and put a new nozzle in it. So far, it's been "Rise, go forth, and forget about it!" Of course taking the oxygen everywhere is becoming a bummer, but I'm no good without it if I'm exercising in any way, shape, or form.

 

[Vicki448]

Ross,
You provided me with my first laugh of the day - "Rise, go forth, and forget about it." Excellent......I think that's been my husband's motto for years and he's not a heart patient - he's a guy who'd rather be on the lake fishing....and who can blame him?

 

[JimL]

I remember very clearly (a rare thing) being told that the sternum takes 2-4 months to heal -- I rejoiced on the day 4 months after surgery when I felt I was out of danger.
I have been thinking -- actually while I was trying to go to sleep last night -- that the way I feel might be compared to a penny improvement every day. But if I overdo something, like staying up too late, it costs me by the dime.
We have our own treadmill, which I use daily if I can. I think my recovery would have been much different without it.

 

[weekycat]

Hi Vicki

Hi Vicki

I just answered your email.

I was told not to lift anything over 10lbs for 3 months, but even after that, still had some "popping an clicking" in the chest area while doing certain activities.

I really felt pretty good at just over 4 months, and of course now I'm recuperating again, and have weight-lifting restrictions again. (I actually vacuumed a little yesterday too, shhhh, don't tell anyone).

But I'm really glad I waited as long as I did to have my other surgery. I have to keep reminding myself to use my arms now, not my abdominal muscles, when getting out of bed etc. After trying not to use them for so many months, old habits are hard to break. I think it is causing a little bit of stress on my sternum, as I use my arms more, I feel a little bit of soreness there sometimes.

Anyway, trust me, things will get better and better.

 

[wlaldridge]

Ross,

You probably know what I am about to say, since you seem to be pretty technical and mechanically adept.

BE VERY CAREFUL WITH OXYGEN AROUND ANYTHING FLAMABLE, ESPECIALLY IN CONFINED SPACES. FUEL OIL IN A FURNACE ROOM. A slight leak of oxygen can build up and it would not take much to start a very hot fire. Almost everything is flameable and accelerated by the oxygen.

They will not let people put vaseline on your lips if you are taking oxygen, petroleum product highly flameable in the presence of oxygen.

Gosh, this is Bill the GOOD NEWS guy, huh.

Bill

 

[Ross]

Yes Bill, I will heed those words. The filter that is clogged the worst is at the tank outside. I could probably get away with changing only that one, but I'll wait until the combustion chamber is cool in the furnace before I start on the inline filter there. Then there's the nozzle replacement. All this to save a few dollars on heating fuel Oil over what I think, will be a very cold winter here.

 

[McCln]

Vicki

Vicki

Just be sure to do rehab and also don't rush on the household chores. Just do what you feel you can do. And build yourself up. Take care and be good.

Caroline
09-13-01
Aortic valve replacement
St. Jude's valve

 

[ALCapshaw]

Hello Vicki,

The BAD NEWS is that the best way to get your strength back is to exercise EVERY DAY, starting out slowly and working your way up from a few minutes a few times a day to an hour or so each day.

I started my recovery walking my dogs 1/3 mile once or twice a day, then 2/3 mile after a few weeks.

I'm almost at the end of my 36 sessions of Cardiac Rehab and do 30 minutes on the treadmill (ramping up to 3.4 MPH at 3 or 4% incline over a 15 minute warmup period) followed by 10 to 15 minutes on a Schwinn Airdyne bike, 10 to 12 minutes on an 'arm machine' which is like a bicycle for the arms (alternating forward and back every minute) which REALLY loosens up those tight chest and shoulder muscles...it took a few sessions to work up to 15 minutes , and a few minutes on an 'eliptical stepper'. Between rehab sessions I push mow my yard for an hour or so and / or walk my dogs. I wear a chest strap heart monitor to keep my exertion level in the proper range.

At 4 months post op, I *finally* started to feel like I was beginning to enjoy being active again and that I would be able to function at a level comparable to the level before my valve problem was diagnosed.

You CAN get your energy back, but it takes time and effort.

Happy Exercising,

'AL'