Less than two weeks to go

[canon4me]

My surgery is now less than two weeks away (6/6/13). The one question that I keep getting asked at work that bugs the heck out of me is "Are you nervous?" I am not nervous that I can tell. I think the only time I will be nervous is when I am laying on the gurney under all the bright lights with all the masked and gowned aliens standing around me. At least that's what I remember from my kidney cancer surgery. I am expecting the predictable - I will feel pretty good right before surgery and will wake up feeling like a car ran over me. But this will rapidly change as they get me up to walk so i don't get pneumonia. I will "want" to feel better so I will want to do everything to "get" better. I've got a great wife/caregiver so I am blessed in that respect. We live in a rural area that has a little development so,I am glad there won't be a lot of doorbell ringers. I've been doing a lot of last minute stuff like laying out exactly what I'm taking to Cleveland. I asked the nurse if I should bring pajamas because of the catheter and the obvious mile long incision and she told me pajamas would be appropriate because they try to get the cath out like one day after surgery (thank God!). We are going to go around and unplug all the appliances to minimize fire hazard. We have a security system which gives me peace of mind and also the smoke alarms are tied into the security system as well. Appts are made for the doggie place for two goldens. Getting a little pressure from work to get as much done as I can before I leave which pisses me royally and can't wait until retirement in 4 years. I've got tons of reading material on my iPad and just purchased a new ham radio which I'm excited to try after convalescence. I've got faith in my surgeon and leaving everything in God's hands. I did something stupid last night....I carried a 40# box of meat up the basement stairs and it took about an hour for me to feel I could catch my wind so to speak. I plan on walking on the treadmill everyday for about 45 minutes until surgery. How briskly should I be walking? The one thing that upsets me the most is 5 or 10 years ago I was weighting lifting heavy poundages and now if I try to lift reduced poundages I get erratic heart beats and I am not stupid and don't do that, but still it's disappointing to watch my valve progression and how it has affected me. Oh we'll, this too, shall pass. I've thought about loosing five pounds in the next two weeks so i will look better on the gurney after they knock me out

 

[epstns]

A new ham radio? I thought I was the only ham on here! I've been licensed since high school, and I also bought a new radio just before my surgery. I chose the Kenwood TS-590S - an HF radio known for its prowess on CW (my favorite mode).

What bands do you operate? Modes? Maybe we can schedule a QSO when you're up to it.

 

[canon4me]

My wife and I both passed our General and during my time off work I will be studying for my amateur extra. Currently, we have a pair of Yaesu handheld VHF/UHF FT-60R radios. My Elecraft K3 HF will be delivered on Friday. Pretty excited. I still have to either buy/install a dipole or some guy in my ham group is trying to talk me into building my own. I probably won't get into CW for awhile at least until I can get up to a respectable rate per minute.

Eventually, probably later this year I want to get an Elecraft KX3 with a buddipole for SHTF emergencies. I have some solar panels that will recharge AA batteries.

 

[Heather Anne]

That whole conversation was utter gibberish to me, gentlemen! But yay for convalescent hobbies! I'll be finishing a novel, myself.

canon4me, your attitude sounds great. And don't sweat the irregular heart beats. It'll all be over soon, and do what I do until then: when anything heavy needs moving, I waive my invisible "medical waiver card" and make somebody else do it!

 

[Duffey]

For what it's worth, I did not experience laying on the gurney under bright lights. I was given an injection prior to being wheeled into the OR and the only thing I remember is the doors opening to the operating theater. Hopefully that's all you will deal with to.
Try not to overthink what lies ahead. As most everyone will tell you, the anticipation is worse than the surgery. The surgery's no walk in the park, but I never felt like a truck ran over me.
Best wishes,
Mary

 

[kimcdougc]

Ok Cannon...I have literally less than 36 hours till my surgery. Didn't have time today to think about it. Going out with my sister tomorrow and doing a few last minute things in the house...clean my bathroom. Cleaned the whole house except the bathroom I will be using when I get home...go figure. I am a little nervous but really just ready to get it over and done with. Good luck with your surgery. I will let all of you know how it goes when I can post in the "post surgery" forum! Yipee. Kim

 

[canon4me]

Good luck with your surgery kimc! I plan on getting another short haircut right before I leave for Cleveland so I won't have a bad hair day while I'm there. I wanted to garden this summer and cut firewood, but there's always next year. See you in the post-surgery forum!!!!!

 

[epstns]

canon - The K3 was on my list of radios to look into, but since I rarely enter contests, some of its features would be wasted on me. I'm 99% CW, with an occasional visit into the phone bands. When I do visit the phone portion of the bands it is either for a brief contest bit or to chat with friends.

The TS-590 hit the market a couple of years ago and all the CW nuts loved it. I tried one at AES in Milwaukee and had to take it home with me. They say that the 590 receiver is a very close competitor to the main receiver of the K3, but the two radios have different extra's built in. I felt the Kenwood would be a better value for the buck for me.

I'm not sure what part of the midwest you're in, so I can't suggest a band that would work for a phone QSO to Chicago. I am able to operate on 40, 20, 15 and 10 meters, phone and CW. If you need to build a quick antenna, look up the formula for a dipole. The length is just 468/f where f=frequency in MHz. Cut the wire into two equal pieces and use each piece for one leg of the antenna. Solder the center conductor of your coax to one leg and the shield to the other. I've built very functional dipoles with 16 or 18 gauge insulated house wire and used PVC pipe fittings for insulators. Nothing is highly critical. If you're off a bit on length it probably won't matter. Most built-in tuners can handle a wide enough impedance range to match a dipole that is slightly too long or short. Just hang it up as high as you can, and be sure that the coax does not run parallel to either leg of the antenna. Most coax-fed dipoles only work on one band, but if you cut one for the 40-meter band, it will also work on 15 meters.

Let me know when you're on the air. Maybe we can try to QSO.

If you want to carry on the discussion in more detail (callsigns, locations, etc.) - just send me a PM.

 

[canon4me]

Thanks for the info epstns, I learned more from your post than I've learned in half a dozen local ham meetings!

 

[SuzanneSLO]

Canon: Looks like my surgery for AVR will be the same day as yours. You will probably go first, however, because I will be several tiem zones behind you in the scenic SF Bay area.

Best of luck to you -- Suzanne

 

[canon4me]

Suzanne, from what I have learned, my surgeon performs two valve replacements per day when he operates. I don't know if I am first or second. I can definitely tell mine is coming up. I am a little more owly than I would typically be. My wife can tell when I get close to my cancer checkup every fall because I get what cancer patients call "scanxiety." At this point I would just like to get it over with. I think your heart is beating the fastest right before the moment they inject the anesthetic in your IV lock. That's the way it was when they removed half of one kidney with me. You know you are going under for a split second or do and know you will feel different when you wake up. Strangely enough, I feel I am no closer to settling on a valve type. Wishing you good luck with your surgery!

 

[tom in MO]

You don't need to take pajamas, they can provide you with scrubs for pjs. They will provide you with everything (even slippers) but a robe and clothes to go home in.

I would suggest a robe. You may get hot or the chills and a robe is a lot more fashionable than a blanket when sitting in a chair or walking around the halls for exercise.

If you're like me, you won't be doing much of anything for the first two weeks. Too racked out due to the surgery and pain killers. I didn't read anything but the paper and didn't even listen to the music or watch the DVDs I brought. Just dozed, watched TV, ate and walked around the ward every 2-3 hours.