just curious

[jax]

haven't been on here much lately as i am still having some bad days and on the good days am only on the computer long enough to email my family. i had a real rough night the other night with no matter how i tried to lay in bed whether it was on my side or back or anything i just could not get comfortable. thankfully the day before i had a follow-up with my pcp and she had no problem giving me more pain meds which that night didn't even help. i finally fell asleep around 4 then was up at 8:30 then fell asleep in the recliner for about 3 hours. yesterday was a good day thankfully and so far today too. i went to bed at 10 which is my norm any more. and i slept 5 hours before waking up. which is good for me. woke up for a few minutes and went back to sleep but although my sleep is still broke up atleast i feel more rested for a change. my work called today to see where i was at and they knew it would be middle of july at the earliest and instead of making me take my vacation now as shut down is the first week of july and they require everyone to use their vacation at that time they are allowing me to keep mine so that it doesn't mess up my short-term disability which is great because my fmla will most likely be all used up by the time i get back to work and will need someway to be able to take time off if there is a doctor's appointment so i will have my one week vacation that i will be able to use one day at a time to cover those which will be great. i'll be able to get paid for the days i may need off and if i don't need any then i will use it over christmas shutdown so i won't have any days without pay. i am pleasantly surprised that they are doing that for me as normally they do whatever best suits them and it changes on a daily basis. any way that is the latest update. so far today is a good day and it will be two in a row which i don't know whether i have had two good days in a row yet since i've been home. i am hoping and praying that everyone's surgery that has taken place while i have not been online has been a success with no bumps along the way. I would love to reply to each and every thread in here but as i am not online much these days there are just too many new ones to catch up on when i am online. i would just like to thank everyone for their support and wish all of the people waiting or going through surgery the best of luck.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Why are you NOT sleeping in your Recliner?

MANY patients report that is most comfortable for the first few weeks following surgery.

 

[kschul]

Jax,

You are being too hard on yourself. If you only need your pain meds to go to bed you are doing great. I have been doing the same week and I'm four weeks post op I only take a pain med before going to bed so I get some sleep (sleep is also part of recovery) If you have them you can take them. They won't refill your script if they are concerned it is taking too long and then have you take something else like Tylenol PM. Communicate with your doctor and you'll do fine I'm sure you are not a "drug seeker" you just had heart surgery.

kris

 

[Superbob]

I slept in my recliner for more than 2 months after surgery. Was by far the most comfortable situation. Could not lie flat in a bed comfortably. You might want to just go with the recliner for a while.

 

[jax]

i sleep in the recliner when i can't sleep in bed because i can't get comfortable. for the most part though as long as i don't try to sleep on my right side i can sleep in bed. and i sleep better when i am in bed than in the recliner atleast for the time i do sleep. it is a deeper sleep than i would get in my recliner. thankfully it has started to get a little easier than when i first got home but i do think that i need to ask the doc for a prescription for massage therapy as my biggest problem still is my right shoulder. that hurts worse than my chest does most days. and i definitely have to do something about that because if i don't when i get cleared to go back to work and if it is still bothering me then it is only going to get worse with the type of job i have to do. So when i go back for my follow up i am going to see if i can have them give me a prescription for massage therapy or will make an appointment with my family doc to get one.

 

[escargome]

Hi jax,
Wow really bummed that you can't find relief for your shoulder. Yes I would ask doc for massage therapy. But if that's a no go, then maybe you could buy one of those back massagers things by Homedics that you just put into the recliner then sit there and let the darn thing do it's job. I did that at least 6 - 8 times a day for about 30 minutes each time. The one I have has the function that you can choose, back, shoulder, lower back or any combination of those three. Hope you can get some rest before you are forced back to work.