Vent: Hitting the brick wall

[Luke]

Hello Everyone

It's been several weeks since I posted, but I've been reading every day. I'm glad so many people are doing well! I'm now 7 weeks out from surgery. I went back to work part time last week but have been pushing things rather hard. I hit a brick wall this morning and feel like I have no energy left. There is a tightness in my chest and labored breathing. I feel sick to my stomach, weepy and find all of this very frustrating.

Part of the time I feel like I'm on top of the world and better than before surgery and then another part of the time where I am totally depleted and weak. The ground seems like its constantly shifting and I don't know what's normal and what's not.

I have an incredible amount of responsibility in my community and at work and there are things that have been coming up that only I can handle. Of course these things are never small. I guess I'm just whining and feeling sorry for myself. I am grateful that my surgery went so well but I just want to recovery period over so I can get back to important work.

Sorry for the whining, but this is getting to me and I figured you all would understand.

Luke

 

[JimL]

Luke, I don't know how old you are; I was 46 when I had surgery, and I had no reserves left at all. Just like you, I could feel great, and then crash because I had hit bottom. All you can do is take it easy. It's nice to be so important, but your health is very important. Your recovery, your regaining your reserve, will just take longer if you don't take it slowly. One year (almost to the day) after surgery, I started a second job, which lasted nine months. By the end of that time period, I had used up most of the reserve I had built up, and was close to ready for intensive care again. Take it slowly.

 

[Bill B]

This may be just a fact of life for a while. Although I may have portrayed my recovery as uneventful, it was probably 18-24 weeks before I felt really good. I could do things and felt generally good, but there were times when I was tired and felt quite weak and didn't feel like doing much but lying in the recliner. And your situation with your responsibilities is much more demanding than my retirement status. What helped me with my recovery was cardiac rehab. You're at the time post-op when it would be beneficial. In order to get my strength and endurance back, I needed it. I'm an athletic guy and I was worried I might never feel very good considering how weak I was at times in the first few months after surgery. Cardiac rehab did it for me. Now, your chest tightness and labored breathing might be of some concern, so if that continues, I'd make sure everything is OK by having a visit with your doctor. If OK, I would consider some rehab to build your endurance, and think about some short-term alterations to your schedule and responsibilities that could take a bit of the load off until you are more fully recovered.

Anyway, take care of yourself. You're only 7 weeks out from a huge traumatic event. This surgery is done so expertly that the impact on our bodies seems remarkably small, but we might as well have been run over by a truck. You need more time, maybe a lot more, before you can tackle what you did before and not get waylaid by it.

 

[mecretired]

Bill, I totally agree with your suggestion of cardiac rehab. I am 12 wks out now and have had 8 rehab sessions (initially didn't think I needed to go). I thought I was doing well before I started them but I feel sooo much better and stronger now. It's good to know that you are being monitored while you are doing the workouts---making sure you are doing everything correctly and are not overdoing. Luke, I think you are expecting too much of yourself for 7 wks. Remember, if you don't take proper care of yourself, you won't be able to care for anyone or anything else. As someone told me a few weeks ago, "Be good to yourself."

 

[Mentu]

Luke, your experience sounds pretty normal to me. I felt great just after surgery but found when I started walking and doing more things that I got tired so easily. I'm now at 10 months and most of the time I feel good but still there are some days that I still feel wilted. I think this has less to do with the state of my heart but, rather, is caused by some of the drugs I'm still taking. Don't be too hard on yourself; you are still in the early stages of recovery. If you have not taken part in Cardiac Rehab, seven weeks is a very good time to start. I found it really beneficial as I began making that transition back to a more normal active life. Take care.

Larry

 

[Julieaka]

amen to you for posting - I am only at 5 weeks but feel the same way..... great and then CRASH

from what everyone says, we need to pace ourselves take good care

but also - don't ignore symptoms if you have them. I sat next to a guy in my surgeon's who had his stitches slowly pull out over the year and he is likely going back in now

 

[nngbwh]

You will never to be patience. You are still in recovery mode.

 

[Bill B]

Bill, I totally agree with your suggestion of cardiac rehab. I am 12 wks out now and have had 8 rehab sessions (initially didn't think I needed to go). I thought I was doing well before I started them but I feel sooo much better and stronger now. It's good to know that you are being monitored while you are doing the workouts---making sure you are doing everything correctly and are not overdoing. Luke, I think you are expecting too much of yourself for 7 wks. Remember, if you don't take proper care of yourself, you won't be able to care for anyone or anything else. As someone told me a few weeks ago, "Be good to yourself."

If you got that much benefit from the inital 8 sessions, you are going to be flying high by the time you finish the entire program. It took me probably 6 of the 12 weeks of rehab to really get going, then I started to improve dramatically. I think because most of the patients are CABG or post-MI, the rehab staff are very cautious, and I had to tell them I didn't think the work level was doing me much good. They stepped it up from then on and my progress just took off. The monitoring, coaching and health information they provided was invaluable. Although many people have the impression thay can get themselves back in shape with walking and maybe some gym work, cardiac rehab, if done in a well-run center like yours and mine, can make a BIG difference.

 

[tobagotwo]

Luke,

There is very little that's very critical. There is extremely little in life that only you can handle. I assure you, if you become ill due to pushing yourself too hard and are bedridden for six months, your community and your workplace will simply go ahead and find other people to do it. Don't harm yourself in the belief that you are irreplaceable.

You need to go to your cardiologist and get a note. Take it to to the health services people at your work or to HR and explain that you need to break back into work at a more reasonable pace, maybe even work half-days for a couple of weeks.

Not many people realize how much stress they have on the job, and often go back and try to pick up where they left off. However, you're more apt to do yourself damage than do them good in that mode. It takes a good while to redevelop that second (and third) wind you're used to.

Best wishes,

 

[Ross]

Seriously Luke, most people can't even begin to function anywhere near normal for 6 months. This is why we tell people to expect to be in recovery mode for 6 to 12 full months. Listen to Tobagotwo and do what needs to be done for your health and sake.

 

[Freddie]

Relax and take it easy Luke - one step at a time, recovery takes time.
You might feel that only you can handle or do the responsibilities in your community and at work, I used to feel the same way. The answer to this is to delegate to others on what and how you want things done. It's hard I know but your health comes first.

Take a time out and enjoy the day

 

[Luke]

At the ER now. Getting things checked out. It's been a long day. I just want them to tell me everything is ok. Please keep me in your prayers!

Luke

 

[Bill B]

Good idea. Hope the bill of health is clean and you can move on, but if not, hope it's an easy fix!

 

[Luana]

Luke, you are in my prayers, and I'm hoping you'll get good results from being at the hospital. Take care!

 

[Glenda]

Luke please take it easy. It is so overwhelming and it sounds like you have been pushing yourelf way to hard. Hugs & prayers are comimg your way. Slow down, breathe and please take time to smell the roses!

 

[Penny]

sending prayers your way Luke.. slow down and take your time.. superman cape can be hung up for a few more weeks. hugs

 

[ottagal]

Just echoing what others have said, Luke. I hope everything turned out OK at the hospital. You need to look out for yourself and take care of your health as no one else will. I, too agree with Tobago's recommendation.

Thinking of you.

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Luke -

Your description sounds Very Normal to me. Your body can feel full of energy but when it's gone, IT's GONE !

Listen to your Body, Push when you have the Energy, and REST when your body tells you it's time.

Glad to see you are getting checked out. Little Bumps in the Road are not uncommon.
Fluid Retention and Fluid Management can make Big Differences in Energy and Breathing Issues.

Recovery NEVER goes a Fast as we would like. Learning to pace yourself goes a long way in 'smoothing the road'.

Best Wishes,

'AL Capshaw'

 

[Luke]

Just got home

Just got home

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers!

I just got home from 20 hours in the ER. The doctors say that I have inflammation in one of the lungs that causes the pain. They are also concerned that this could become pneumonia and want me to come back if more symptoms develop. They said this is more common for younger people post op than older. Oh well... it's bed rest for the next few days.

Luke

 

[Bill B]

it's bed rest for the next few days.

That sounds good!