slipkid
Well-known member
Maybe I'll just paint STARBUCK on the undersides (or tops) or my wings (referencing something from an episode of the Battlestar Gallactica reboot series)....
New member in a club I didn't really want to join!
- Thread starter SD Surfer
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SD Surfer
Well-known member
So roughly 3 1/2 months post-op, (and possibly the longest I've been dry-docked since 1975) I got back in the water!! 
On Saturday I took my soft foam surfboard down and just paddled along the shore in Mission Bay... nice flat water, no current or waves to contend with.
I paddled about 8/10ths of a mile total (2 different legs with a break in between) Paddling muscles felt better than I expected for over 3 months off.
Sternum was a little sore laying on the board but it loosened up some, not too bad.
Sunday I went and jumped in the ocean!! Water was freezing, waves were terrible, and it was GLORIOUS!
Waves were choppy and blown out, just a jumbled mess, but it didn't matter... I just need to put feet to wax.
Surprisingly, my very first wave held up and let me connect some sections on open face all the way in.
Felt like flying
I think that first one was Mother Ocean saying "Welcome back" cuz I didn't see anymore waves holding up after that.
I made sure to walk around cleaning up for awhile after to say "Thank you".
Felt really good to be back in my element, my happy place. Some Dolphins came by to say hi while I was sitting out there waiting.
Man, life is good.
On Saturday I took my soft foam surfboard down and just paddled along the shore in Mission Bay... nice flat water, no current or waves to contend with.
I paddled about 8/10ths of a mile total (2 different legs with a break in between) Paddling muscles felt better than I expected for over 3 months off.
Sternum was a little sore laying on the board but it loosened up some, not too bad.
Sunday I went and jumped in the ocean!! Water was freezing, waves were terrible, and it was GLORIOUS!
Waves were choppy and blown out, just a jumbled mess, but it didn't matter... I just need to put feet to wax.
Surprisingly, my very first wave held up and let me connect some sections on open face all the way in.
Felt like flying
I think that first one was Mother Ocean saying "Welcome back" cuz I didn't see anymore waves holding up after that.
I made sure to walk around cleaning up for awhile after to say "Thank you".
Felt really good to be back in my element, my happy place. Some Dolphins came by to say hi while I was sitting out there waiting.
Man, life is good.
pellicle
Professional Dingbat, Guru and Merkintologist
excellent newsSo roughly 3 1/2 months post-op, (and possibly the longest I've been dry-docked since 1975) I got back in the water!!
This makes me happy; to see people getting back to the things they love and doing it without any real issues. Awesome brother. That’s rad.
SD Surfer
Well-known member
Right?! It kinda' helps put that whole ordeal where it belongs, as just a little bumpy stretch of road in the rearview mirror... and not a thing that defines your life.
This weekend I'm going on an annual men's retreat campout at the beach with 15 or 20 of my surfing buddies that we look forward to all year.
Being ready and able to surf with the boys this weekend was my timeline goal so I'm pretty psyched.
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- Dec 5, 2020
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Absolutely! You have a great attitude!
Having that perspective and being positive about the recovery process makes all the difference in the world.
SD Surfer
Well-known member
It really does! I think having a positive mindset, some sort of spiritual peace, and a goal of wanting to get back to something you love plays as much or more a part as the actual nuts n' bolts medical side of it.
I remember wondering why I wasn't really getting that nervous in the time leading up to my surgery date. There were moments sure, but not really worrying like I expected to be.
I figured "Well, as it gets closer to the day it'll get real and I'll probably freak out." but I really wasn't ever that scared.... and it's not because I'm some super brave action hero. I fully expected to be falling apart, it just never happened. Part of it was not wanting my wife to be scared.
I knew worrying about "What-ifs" wouldn't help, and would put me in a negative headspace, I knew I was in good hands with a rockstar surgeon at a prestigious teaching hospital, I have amazing people in my life pulling for me, and I was just ready to get it done and get on the other side of it.
Just be careful. Truly. There are those of us that rush things too quickly and have major setbacks. Some people get back to things 100%. Some of us do not. If I could give one piece of advice it would be to take a year off and focus on recovery, walking, walking, walking, and light light weights. Let your body adjust for a year. Then start increasing the physical stuff more … slowly.
What I learned was that the younger guys here recover much more quickly. The super duper physically fit guys appear to recover more quickly. I thought I was one of the more physically fit dudes but just because I ran 3X a week and worked out with weights 3X a week didn’t mean that I was an athlete like some of the guys here. I mean yea - I was more physically fit than a TON of people here. But that doesn’t make me an athlete.
I think I rushed my recovery too quickly and then “paid for it” at the 6 month mark. I’ve already taken the time to tell my close friends that if they ever have to have OHS with SAVR that my main recommendation would be to take the first year off with a lot of walking, hiking, and extremely light weight usage. Give your body time … no matter what you THINK it’s telling you.
What I learned was that the younger guys here recover much more quickly. The super duper physically fit guys appear to recover more quickly. I thought I was one of the more physically fit dudes but just because I ran 3X a week and worked out with weights 3X a week didn’t mean that I was an athlete like some of the guys here. I mean yea - I was more physically fit than a TON of people here. But that doesn’t make me an athlete.
I think I rushed my recovery too quickly and then “paid for it” at the 6 month mark. I’ve already taken the time to tell my close friends that if they ever have to have OHS with SAVR that my main recommendation would be to take the first year off with a lot of walking, hiking, and extremely light weight usage. Give your body time … no matter what you THINK it’s telling you.
SD Surfer
Well-known member
DARN YOU AND YOUR VOICE OF REASON!! 
Yeah, I'm trying to be patient and smart (neither of these are my normal state of being) about the whole thing.
I had one little setback already, was doing some repairs on my RV, nothing strenuous but it involved some sorta' awkward reaching/twisting. May have strained some muscles, and the top part of my incision swelled and got pretty tender.
Surgeon looked at it, did some labs and CT scan. It's all better now.
Funny story... My wife is the coordinator for the Cardiology Fellowship program so she knows all the doctors on at least a professional level and socializes with some of them.
As such she, and in turn I, have a little juice in the Cardiology department. When they would call me to schedule my pre-op tests like 3 months out, I'd say "Okay, thanks" and then tell her the date... she'd say "Oh no no." then walk down to so and so's desk then call me back with an appointment in a few days.
When the incision swelled up my surgeon saw me on a day when he wasn't even seeing patients, and then for a follow up he came to see me when I was at Cardiac Rehab.
The nurses were like "Was that your surgeon? He comes to you?! I've never seen that before."
Yeah, I'm trying to be patient and smart (neither of these are my normal state of being) about the whole thing.
I had one little setback already, was doing some repairs on my RV, nothing strenuous but it involved some sorta' awkward reaching/twisting. May have strained some muscles, and the top part of my incision swelled and got pretty tender.
Surgeon looked at it, did some labs and CT scan. It's all better now.
Funny story... My wife is the coordinator for the Cardiology Fellowship program so she knows all the doctors on at least a professional level and socializes with some of them.
As such she, and in turn I, have a little juice in the Cardiology department. When they would call me to schedule my pre-op tests like 3 months out, I'd say "Okay, thanks" and then tell her the date... she'd say "Oh no no." then walk down to so and so's desk then call me back with an appointment in a few days.
When the incision swelled up my surgeon saw me on a day when he wasn't even seeing patients, and then for a follow up he came to see me when I was at Cardiac Rehab.
The nurses were like "Was that your surgeon? He comes to you?! I've never seen that before."
pellicle
Professional Dingbat, Guru and Merkintologist
I'd listen to that voice of reason if I was you ... sometimes you don't want to find out.
Just sayin
DARN YOU AND YOUR VOICE OF REASON!!
Sad but true. When it comes to getting back to my daily routine, I was pretty headstrong about it. I’m active. Running, working out, working on our house, working on our vehicles. I’m always busy. A few months after working out I was on ladders and under cars. My biggest target was to get back to my weight routine. Back to a perfect form, slow bench press of my body weight 10 times. My workout routine would be 300 reps of 10 exercises in about 30 minutes (if that).
Something changed at 6 months. Maybe it was from me pushing it too hard for a couple months. I don’t know. Please note that my body and my mind told me that I was good to go. I felt great. But was I? Hmmmm. Doubtful at this point. Now almost 2 years later I have accepted that there is a new normal and I need to let a lot of things go. For me - I won’t get back to 100%. Maybe my fault. Maybe not. Docs can’t find anything wrong (but clearly there is).
Just take your time. With determined and motivated people, our minds and bodies can lie to us. IMHO.
And, as with everything, your mileage may vary (and hopefully will). Cheers to getting back to your 100%.
