Getting Prepared

[carlapv]

Hi,
As most of you know I am having my valve surgery in late December or early January. I quit smoking about a month ago. Do any of you know of any breathing exercises I can do in these next two months that would help me during and after surgery? I have asked the American Lung Association but I have not received a reply as yet. I am trying to get myself into the best physical shape I can before the surgery. I am not allowed to do much exercise but I can walk.

I decided that what I needed to do was to put as much effort into preparing for surgery and doiong positive things as I was worrying about all the bad things that could happen. It has helped tremendously. Thanks for the little push!

I would appreciate in suggestions you might have.
Thanks,
Carla

 

[Ross]

Just do a lot of deep breathing exercises. Anything you can think of that will make you huff and puff like mad. The deeper you can breath in, the better. Do you walking also, everything helps.

 

[Les]

What Ross said is about it....deep breathing to relax and expand those lungs! You'll be doing plenty of that after surgery as well. Congratulations on stopping smoking....That will pay dividends not only now, but for the rest of your life!

 

[bvdr]

I am so proud of you Carla! Don't forget to let us know when you have a date. You are going to be so well prepared.

Remember to breathe in through your nose and out through you mouth and don't hold your breath when you are exercising.

 

[Ross]

Remember to breathe in through your nose and out through you mouth and don't hold your breath when you are exercising.

I wonder what a Blue Carla would look like?

 

[carlapv]

Why....I'd look like a Carla Smurf! Thanks alot for the replies and encouragement. I am so glad I finally quit wallowing and got my head on straight!

Carla

 

[Nancy]

Hi Carla-

Many people have benefitted from the Guided Imagery tapes/cd by Diane Tusek. If you get them now, you can get pre-surgery benefit, and also post surgery benefit. Learning to relax and let things go helps tremendously. I also recommend renting some very funny movies. We have found that humor is a great release valve.

Here's a link for Diane Tusek's website.


http://www.guidedimageryinc.com/meet.html

 

[Kathy]

Wow, Carla!

I am so impressed. I quit smoking five years ago and it was extremely difficult emotionally. I was so grateful that I didn't have to cope with that at the same time I was anticipating surgery. Keep up the great work. You are one tough cookie!

I don't know what to say about the breathing, although you might call your cardio's office and ask his/her nurse for suggestions. My mother-in-law had a MV replacement and only quit smoking a few days before. She had a terrible time with coughing for months afterwards. I would guess that you will be well past the coughing phase by the time you have surgery. That will make a very big difference in your recovery.

 

[Birky]

surgery

surgery

I had cut down to 5 smokes a day and then 2 a day six weeks before the surgery. I had my last one on the day before surgery. I came off the vent really fast and didn't have any trouble. I have a friend who had emergency surgery and was a smoker. Had a bad time getting off the vent because he was told that smokers tend to fight it and not breath with it. This was my biggest fear. I was in the hospital for 11 days without patches or anything and had no desire when I got home to smoke. It has been 8 mos. now and most of the urges are gone. I hope you feel as great as I do. Good luck and I will say a prayer for you,

 

[tommy]

Carla,

Sounds like you indeed have your head screwed on straight. Way to go with stopping smoking! My wife told me before our wedding that she was not going to be married to a smoker. Had my appendix out a week later and quit cold turkey. 23 years later - no regrets about the smoking, or the marriage.

I think that the breathing excercises are a great idea. Breath deep. Expand the lungs.

You say that you are not allowed to exercise much. Is that related to the valve? You are correct that the better shape you can be in prior to surgery, the easier it all will be. Don't fret about what you can't do, and don't push too hard. Walking is terrific and will be well worth it.

Breathing and walking are major parts of your recovery. Breath, walk, nap.

 

[carlapv]

Thanks for the replies. I have been having quite a "pity party" lately and worrying myself into a real jerk. I went back and read some of my old posts and it really was a gagger. I had to do something, That's when I decided to channel all that wasted whiney energy into something productive. You know it is ironic but the button I am wearing in my avatar says "No Whining".

Tom, you are right, the reason I can't exercise is that the surgeon doesn't want to put too much stress on the valves. He says working a full time job right now is enough.

Thanks everyone for saying all the right things. You always do!

Carla

 

[Kevin M]

Carla, I'm a little late on the draw, but I have to tell you how great it is that you quit smoking.

I quit twice. Once for five years and permanently the second time.

People who never smoked cannot possibly understand how difficult it is. From one of those who do....

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

If you have cravings or problems with it, please post so we can try to talk you out of it. Quitting is the single most important thing you could have done for your heart.

I read something once that upon quitting, your body immediately starts repairing itself, but it takes something like 15 years for all the damage of smoking to be undectable.

The first month is the hardest - so you are on your way girl!
Kev

 

[ccrawford]

Carla - Way to go lady. I quit the cancer sticks on Jan 3rd of this year and have not been sorry. Its a really tough battle to quit for some of us, but well worth it. Please keep up your walking. My cardio wants as a minimum, an exercise three times a week that keeps the heart rate elevated for at least 30 minutes. I walk at least 2 miles every day, and try to get in some brief periods of jogging to get the heart rate up for some short time periods. You know you are successful when you start to feel bad the days you do NOT get in your exercise program. Keep up the good work - Chris

 

[Birky]

smoking

smoking

How did you quit smoking? Did you just go cold turkey or have some help? How much weight if any did you gain?

 

[tommy]

I had my appendix removedin 1979. The guy in the bed next to me was chain smoking. He was in the hospital because he kept spiking a high fever to no appparent reason. He smoked too much and worked too hard. He was running his business from the hospital room. He was on the phione all day and into the evening every day, smoking up a storm. He was pretty animated all the time. I bummed one cigarette off him the second day after the appendectomy. It was my last.

I gained 20 lbs. pretty quickly after quitting smoking and gained more over time. Mostly I rationalized that a few lbs was a good trade for quitting smoking. But gradually I gain more and more, despite the bad valve.

Please don't trade one bad habit for another. I did it. It's a bad deal.

Metabolism slows with age coumpounding the issue.
I had also developed a pretty strong caffeine habit. I quit Caffein just before the AVR. After the AVR, I stayed off the caffeine and reduced fat in my diet.

This year I finally started watching the calories and exercizing. I'm here to tell you it works.

 

[ccrawford]

Birky - Don't know who your question was aimed at - if its me, then the answer is: I (with help from my psychologist daughter) found a bunch of web sites that helped with the education. I talked to my family doc about ":the plan" and he agreed to prescribe Welbutrin to assist. I picked up a supply of the patch and the gum. I set a quit date only when I felt I was ready to tackle this project. I built a list of reasons to quit and positive outcomes. On the back side of this list, I built a list of those bad things that might occur if I didn't quit. After going through all the educational stuff and the motivation, I felt I was ready. I set the date, and started Welbutrin about a month before (it takes time to kick in) by the time the date came, the cigarettes tasted bad anyway, and so did the bourbon. I quit pretty easily, but the mix of drugs I was taking at the time made me pretty sick for awhile. I toughed it out, and spent about a month in my lazy boy while all this was going on. I finally got depressed at the prospects of spending the rest of my life if a lazy boy; I quit the Welbutrin, and have been smoke free since Jan 3rd. The urges are still there and probaby always will be - but they are controlable. My ultimate defense is an attitude that says : I'll be damned If I'll smoke again ! It helps to couple all of this with an exercise program. If you want some help with some educational web sites, let me know. By the way, Welbutrin, and the absence of nicotine can produce some very interesting dreams and fantasies - crazy stuff ! Chris

 

[pillarpaul]

Carla,

I used the deep breathing techniques/easy meditation techniques of Dr. Andrew Weil (available on book too - can't remember the title but has breathing in it). Got it on tape so I could listen to it the morning of the surgery. I did deep breathing extensively in the weeks before the surgery and it was very helpful every time I got a little nervous. I think it would also help in your stopping of smoking (congrats on that!).

Paul

 

[Granbonny]

Carla

Carla

Remember that my son is on call in Lawrenceville from 6 a.m. until 4 P.M. Tuesday-Friday..If you need anything during your recovery..You know..that all you have to do is call him...He may even drive you around in his Patrol Car. Bonnie

 

[carlapv]

Well...to tell the truth, It was a choice of what I wanted the most - to have an easier time getting off the vent and not coughing as much after surgery OR keep smoking. Sometimes being afraid is the best motivator. I haven't gained but about 2 pounds so far, however, I have been really stressed out. Now that I am more relaxed and calm I will probably put on alot. Hope Not!! I am on wellbutrin and the patch so I seem to be able to focus better.

Bonnie, would love to take a ride with one of Lawrenceville's finest!


Thanks everyone,

Carla

 

[MelissaM]

The Pain Principle

The Pain Principle

Ahh. . .the ol' Pain Principle in effect again: You will keep doing what you are doing until the pain of stopping what you are doing is greater than the pain of continuing. . ..

current pain < (less than) perceived future pain of change = status quo
current pain > (greater than) perceived future pain of change = change

Congratulations on quitting smoking - a decision that will reap dividends in the months and years ahead!

As for breathing - walk, walk, walk!

Melissa