Good days/ bad days

[SHIRL73]

I am just 2 mths post op and since the middle of July have had recurring pnuemonia. I am now on my second round of antibiotics. I have these great days where I feel so good, I cut the lawn or vacuumn the rug, then boom I am flat on my back again. I am getting leary of making any social commitments because I am never sure how I will feel. I am booked for a trip the end of August and I am almost ready to cancel for fear of having a bad day when I fly.
Is this up and down of energy levels normal. When I look at all the stuff I was given to read, at 8 weeks I could be going back to work. I am retired fortunately, but I could not be working a full day.

Am I expecting too much of myself. The Dr's always say I am doing great, my friends say they would never know I had been operation.

Do others feel as I do.

 

[Karlynn]

2 months is still pretty "young" as far as recovery goes. Yes, people can go back to work at 6 or 8 weeks some times, but this does not mean they are fully healed and are cautioned to take it easy still. When did you start cutting the grass and vacuuming the rug? I'm wondering if you haven't been rushing your recovery some. Being laid flat on some days can be a sign from your heart that you are making it do too much right now. Throw in the recurring pneumonia and I'm sure you are running on a low tank. Get someone to do the heavy physical work like grass cutting and vacuuming right now. Use your energy to walk and do light house work. Some people half your age are doing less than you at 2 months! Depending on what type of trip you have scheduled and how long a flight you have, your travel plans may have to wait. I know I was not ready to do any major traveling at 3 months out.

 

[Karen7]

I am just 2 mths post op and since the middle of July have had recurring pnuemonia. I am now on my second round of antibiotics. I have these great days where I feel so good, I cut the lawn or vacuumn the rug, then boom I am flat on my back again. I am getting leary of making any social commitments because I am never sure how I will feel. I am booked for a trip the end of August and I am almost ready to cancel for fear of having a bad day when I fly.
Is this up and down of energy levels normal. When I look at all the stuff I was given to read, at 8 weeks I could be going back to work. I am retired fortunately, but I could not be working a full day.

Am I expecting too much of myself. The Dr's always say I am doing great, my friends say they would never know I had been operation.

Do others feel as I do.

Wow -- you're a real go-getter aren't you?! You had OHS only 8 weeks ago and you're mowing the lawn (!) with recurrent pneumonia?! I think the pneumonia would be a great reason to give yourself a little extra time to recover. I haven't had my surgery yet, but if I were you, the next time I felt great, I would go get a manicure or a massage or something. Let the grass grow .

 

[Ross]

pnemonia alone will knock the stuffing out of you and sap your energy for weeks. I'd certainly factor that in when deciding how I felt because it's likely responsible for how your feeling now.

 

[Phyllis]

You need to be better to yourself and do a little less heavy work- that along with the pneumonia could be setting you back. Hope you are feeling better soon!

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Hello Shirl,

I can identify with being envious of those (usually younger) surgery survivors who returned to an active lifestyle only months (or weeks) after their surgery.

I returned to work 8 weeks post op from bypass surgery (half time for two weeks) and remember tiring VERY EASILY for some time. "A mild case of "walking pneumonia" 3 weeks post-op definitely set my recovery back!

Following my AVR a few years later, I distinctly recall that I had FINALLY reached what I felt was my "full surgical benefit" at 18 MONTHS post op when I was able to push mow 2 acres and hand saw trees / branches.

Bottom Line: FULL recovery takes TIME with lots of ups and downs along the way. As long as you can see progress on a WEEKLY basis, you are probably on track to a good recovery. Just take it easy on those 'bad days' and push a little more on your good days. When your body tells you "ENOUGH", stop and rest. 'Slowly but surely wins this race.'

'AL Capshaw'

 

[Mary]

There are alot of allergens stirred up when you mow a lawn. That might trigger a respiratory response that could make you more suseptible to the pneumonia. The same might hold true for vacuuming.
I'd quit doing both for awhile and see if you don't feel better.