I am also in software industry. Pumphead is one of the major fears for me. These days i picked up category theory, which is a branch of mathematics related to functional programming. It is considered a difficult subject even without the surgery, i am afraid i won't be able to grasp it afterwards. I just pray to god that this thing is temporary.
Worried about post-op "pumphead"
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pellicle
Professional Dingbat, Guru and Merkintologist
Hi
then you are either blissfully ignorant or foolish if that is even near your major fear.
Pumphead is not permanent and like all things which can impair your capacity you can train around it. I'm a software developer too (PHP, some Java, Oracle back ends) and while soon after surgery I would make silly mistakes in maths and be confused it passes.
Now, if you fell off the gutter and smashed your head or had a car accident or a stroke ... the list is nearly endless ... you would face similar challenges. There were challenges when I went back to work, but by a few months I was really on top of it. Then I hit a real bump in the road and I just couldn't give a **** about stuff like that anymore.
well if you believe in God then you should accept the decisions of God and not beg God to change Gods plan.
Maybe Ganesha or Shiva will be different, but Jesus prayed at the last supper and still wound up on the Cross suffering despite his prayers.
If you wish to pray then pray to your God that you have the strength to live as God dictates, not as merely you desire. If you lived merely another 50 years earlier then you would not be worried about a minor side effect because you would simply be facing early death. So from another perspective God has already answered your prayers and you get a good chance of living a normal life instead of an early death. Surely that's a more significant obstacle to your cognitive powers. So maybe instead you should be giving thanks to God already?
rakesh1167;n862325 said:
then you are either blissfully ignorant or foolish if that is even near your major fear.
Pumphead is not permanent and like all things which can impair your capacity you can train around it. I'm a software developer too (PHP, some Java, Oracle back ends) and while soon after surgery I would make silly mistakes in maths and be confused it passes.
Now, if you fell off the gutter and smashed your head or had a car accident or a stroke ... the list is nearly endless ... you would face similar challenges. There were challenges when I went back to work, but by a few months I was really on top of it. Then I hit a real bump in the road and I just couldn't give a **** about stuff like that anymore.
well if you believe in God then you should accept the decisions of God and not beg God to change Gods plan.
Maybe Ganesha or Shiva will be different, but Jesus prayed at the last supper and still wound up on the Cross suffering despite his prayers.
If you wish to pray then pray to your God that you have the strength to live as God dictates, not as merely you desire. If you lived merely another 50 years earlier then you would not be worried about a minor side effect because you would simply be facing early death. So from another perspective God has already answered your prayers and you get a good chance of living a normal life instead of an early death. Surely that's a more significant obstacle to your cognitive powers. So maybe instead you should be giving thanks to God already?
AZ Don
Well-known member
No symptoms of pumphead for me though I also had some minor visual issues occasionally over the past (almost) 3 years. After OHS, generally you have to wait at least 6 weeks to be able to drive or lift over 5-10 lbs, 2-3 months to start working out and maybe 6 months to a year to get back to where you were. Maybe sooner to get back to where you were if you are in a hurry. After having OHS, I was in no hurry. I don't push as hard as I used to but feel that my condition is comparable to what it used to be. In the first few weeks/months, lot of walking is definitely recommended.
pellicle;n862326 said:
I agree that term "major fear" was not appropriate. But when your source of bread and butter(and your passion) could be at risk, little fear is justified.
Regarding praying to god, I don't believe in god as a person like Ganesha or Jesus. I am more of a spiritual person.
I don't desire or demand god for certain outcome. What has to happen will happen, no matter how much we pray, cry, whine etc. These things are of significance to only our mind and they hold no significance in absolute reality. We are as insignificant as a rock lying on the road side, it is just that our mind doesn't want to accept that
. I sit in meditation for hours and have little fear of death(fear is nothing but our state of mind, so is our love for blue sky or mountain skiing).But thing is that you can't discuss these things in a online forum, most people won't understand. You have to write what appears normal to most people and what they can understand easily.
And yes, i have done everything under my control like choosing best surgeon, best valve, getting other health issues checked etc., waiting for rest of the drama to be unfolded.
No you won't be able to, nor would you want to as your chest/sternum has been cut open and your ribs pulled. That part of your body needs time to heal and that takes several weeks. Walking, walking, walking is what you can do the first few weeks (I walked around the house too, at first when I was not well enough to go outside and later when the weather was bad), but also resting. It's so difficult to plan in advance though as everyone is different and everyone has their own recovery rate which will go in fits and starts. Listen to your body.mrichardson;n862317 said:
Warrick
Well-known member
Hi, from my own experience ( I'm 13 weeks post op, went back to work at 9 1/2 weeks) my short term memory has suffered noticeably , I'll return missed calls at work in the hours later when I've already rung them straight back and I can't remember doing so, I've "lost" my work truck when I've parked in the office carpark, gone to the office and then walked to the workshop.
And then there's the 30 second goldfish syndrome where I stop and I just don't know what I'm doing.
A bit unnerving but at least I know why. Can laugh about it afterwards.
I also think your emotional state afterwards (I'm still working on depression issues) is part of it as well as after there's a lot going on upstairs as well as in your chest.
Someone took over my role at work while I was off and for the most part I've left that in place as we are in pea harvest ,our busiest part of the year.
It is small steps as others here have said ,and just because medical people tell you what you are feeling is "normal" it doesn't make it feel any less real.
And then there's the 30 second goldfish syndrome where I stop and I just don't know what I'm doing.
A bit unnerving but at least I know why. Can laugh about it afterwards.
I also think your emotional state afterwards (I'm still working on depression issues) is part of it as well as after there's a lot going on upstairs as well as in your chest.
Someone took over my role at work while I was off and for the most part I've left that in place as we are in pea harvest ,our busiest part of the year.
It is small steps as others here have said ,and just because medical people tell you what you are feeling is "normal" it doesn't make it feel any less real.
pellicle
Professional Dingbat, Guru and Merkintologist
Hi
I agree with you that discussion of these topics is (in the main) fraught. But I can say that I'm happy to discuss these things in a rational way
concern is justified, but fear is a bit more extended. Remember you're not taking to someone who has not undergone this, who has no idea what it means to have a 20 year career in IT, and who really has no other source of income aside from being an IT serf.
that's fine. I was not arguing my own fixations but just extending the topic logically.
agreed ... its seldom that people really confront that and accept it. Its nice to chat with one who does.
agreed ... but you and I seem to, and so we seem to be covering ground. I think its important ground too, as one of the things which I feel is important in preparation of surgery is to "let go" of the many things which constrain you. Seldom do people do that.
When I went into my surgery at 28 I was at peace with what ever happened ... I think that such peace is important - for without it there is only anxiety and frustration (and fear).
As I also said above people do recover cognition from brain injuries. The brain is a highly adaptable organ and even if there is some slight damage during the surgery (the so called pump head) it does retrain. You may need some months to "recover" but recover you will (if you try). The studies seem to bear out that the more elderly you are the less likely you will recover. I suspect that is a reasonable summary of the average case with elderly. Mostly they do not try to improve and develop. You are already outside that for you are picking up functional programming concepts. Most people stall after imperative and few really do well at object oriented. Functional is yet another more complex expression style. That you are mastering that bodes well for your re-mastery during recovery.
Best Wishes
I agree with you that discussion of these topics is (in the main) fraught. But I can say that I'm happy to discuss these things in a rational way
rakesh1167;n862328 said:
concern is justified, but fear is a bit more extended. Remember you're not taking to someone who has not undergone this, who has no idea what it means to have a 20 year career in IT, and who really has no other source of income aside from being an IT serf.
that's fine. I was not arguing my own fixations but just extending the topic logically.
I don't desire or demand god for certain outcome. What has to happen will happen, no matter how much we pray, cry, whine etc. These things are of significance to only our mind and they hold no significance in absolute reality. We are as insignificant as a rock lying on the road side, it is just that our mind doesn't want to accept that
agreed ... its seldom that people really confront that and accept it. Its nice to chat with one who does.
agreed ... but you and I seem to, and so we seem to be covering ground. I think its important ground too, as one of the things which I feel is important in preparation of surgery is to "let go" of the many things which constrain you. Seldom do people do that.
When I went into my surgery at 28 I was at peace with what ever happened ... I think that such peace is important - for without it there is only anxiety and frustration (and fear).
As I also said above people do recover cognition from brain injuries. The brain is a highly adaptable organ and even if there is some slight damage during the surgery (the so called pump head) it does retrain. You may need some months to "recover" but recover you will (if you try). The studies seem to bear out that the more elderly you are the less likely you will recover. I suspect that is a reasonable summary of the average case with elderly. Mostly they do not try to improve and develop. You are already outside that for you are picking up functional programming concepts. Most people stall after imperative and few really do well at object oriented. Functional is yet another more complex expression style. That you are mastering that bodes well for your re-mastery during recovery.
Best Wishes
cldlhd
Well-known member
I can understand your fear of pumphead and the desire to ask others their experiences relating to it but you seem to accept the fact that it will either happen or it won't. If it does it may be minor and very temporary, who knows? However if you need the surgery or you'll die then the way I see it you don't have much of a choice as death is a bit more serious and permanent compared to pumphead.
As for the workout routine I wouldn't push it until you're properly healed. As far as I know the bone will heal at it's own rate pretty much regardless of how good shape you're in.
As for the workout routine I wouldn't push it until you're properly healed. As far as I know the bone will heal at it's own rate pretty much regardless of how good shape you're in.
