What are you doing/did you do during the wait?

[strudell]

THings are moving pretty quickly for me. Its only been about a month and a half since being diagnosed with Aortic Stenosis and severe regurgitation. My OHS is scheduled for May 12 so I only have about two weeks more to wait.

Not as long as some here, but its still nerve racking. My fishing boat is stuck in the garage; it needs some work to get ready for summer and a new throttle, but that's just going to have to wait till I recover. Not being able to fish or work on my garden makes it hard.

Getting things ready at work keeps my mind occupied there, but when I get home, I try to keep my wife from worrying. She lost her mother last year, but her mom was on a ventilator before passing. I know the site of me out of surgery will be a bit much. So right now we are just trying to keep things as normal as possible.

My wife and I are busy planning post-op activites. Going to stock up on some books, and get the latest Battlestart Galactica season on DVD. I may finally have the all day Lord of the Rings marathon I've been dreaming about!

Then we are busy planning what we want to do during my final week or so of recovery. I may take an extra week so my wife and I can go to our family place on Florida to relax before I have to go back to work.

 

[distances]

Wow! This is an excellent question. Everyone will tell you the wait is the hardest part. Luckily, I had a very short wait but also found I could not just sit around and do nothing. With all the nervous energy but little ability to concentrate, I made a big deal out of preparing for the hospital like one would prepare for an exotic vacation destination. I did a lot of shopping for fun new PJ's, bought loads of bright, funky non-skid socks, and bought a couple robes and flip flops for walking the halls after surgery. Also got new sneakers and socks in preparation for at home walking during recovery. Got a treadmill, and scouted out the best places to walk near my home. The girls at the office were fabulously supportive and gave me a fun little shower including gifts of light-weight magazines, more PJ's and socks, hair scrunchies, nail polish, etc. just fun little things to lighten the mood. I also got a makeover, a new haircut/style, a massage (ok, more than one but who's counting), manacure/pedicure (bright blue polish just to shake thing up!). I also filled the freezer and cupboardswith many of my favorite foods for post-surgery times. I made a point of talking to supportive friends and family every day. Finally, I spent time online reading, communicating, and learning everything I could about the upcoming surgery. Before I knew it, the time had passed. Needless to say, the nursing staff, my friends and family, and I all enjoyed lots of laughs with all the brightly-colored, fun hospital fashions. Stay positive. Good Luck!!

 

[Donnchadh]

I am new also and I am reading the threads with a little envy.
It seems that most have known when they are going for surgery and have a time frame to get affairs in order so to speak...mentally and physically.
I am told I am having the op...my valves going in the bin and whole new ascending aorta.
Only problem is I haven't been given a time.
I am told it will be within the next month or so but also that I could be called in at 24hrs notice.
needless to say I am freaking a little. Told to get fit but not told specifics.
I work when I can....breathing permitting..and also walk when I can.
Otherwise thinking about the impact on my active hobby...still being glad they caught the aneurysm in time.
I just wish I had a date

 

[Cooker]

I spent a lot of time here which was a big comfort....But other than that I got a few papers in order and tried to continue life as normal.....but then again my normal is a bit different from most

 

[Jim47]

Angela my wife noticed I was not coping well and called our family doctor for a low dose of lorazapam to help take the edge off. After surgery I was still depressed and anxious and started paxil. It has helped. Don't be afraid to ask for anti anxiety meds.

I think I saw that your husband is a police officer so I can relate. We are not typically flexible people so when something like this develops it can be hard to deal with.

good luck jim

 

[DebbyA]

I don't advise this, but we had a remodelling project that went so badly (but don't they all?) that I had visions of racing the gurney to the OR just for escape. I was on the phone shrieking at suppliers a week before surgery (out of character, honest), racing around for plumbing supplies 2 days before, and the day before, making a 'punch list' of things they'd screwed up and would fix while I was in the hospital.

I spent a lot of time here. It was well spent, because the amount of information thrown at you about the procedure and recovery at the last minute is huge. It really helped that most of it was a review of what I'd learned here.

I DO second Mary's advice to plan something to look forward to afterwards. It's a good mental adjustment to have your horizon set beyond surgery day or recovery weeks.

 

[MNmom]

Thanks for the advice!

Thanks for the advice!

Thank you all for sharing your stories and giving me some ideas! I have been having a difficult time without the gym that I am used to going to when the kids went to bed at 815. It helped in a few ways- kept me out of the fridge, and kept me fit! Now I have to come up with something else to do in the evenings, so I have been getting into making jewelry, and searching the internet for such info! I really wish I could exercise more, I really counted on those 600 calories burned every night. It has been tough to adjust my calories consumed to reflect the lack of exercise, especially when I tend to be an emotional eater. So prozac wouldnt hurt? Maybe an anti-anxiety would help me on several levels.

 

[aussigal]

I dont know about Prozac , isnt that for depression?... I was prescribed Valium which helped ease my anxiety immensely and helped me get sleep when my mind wouldnt settle in the evening.

www.beadstylemag.com is my absolute favourite beading website, I can get lost in there for hours .