Category: Open Heart Surgery (Page 1 of 3)

I won’t be eligible for this year’s Olympics again, this time due to steroid use. I doubt that I could hit 70-home runs or break a world record in the 100-meter dash, but I sure feel better. Finally, after months of chiropractic treatment, trying to relieve a pinched sciatica nerve near my spine, I can move again. The doctor hooked me up with an accident injury specialist who prescribed a week’s worth of Methylprednisolone tablets. I’m half-way through the dosage and was able to walk comfortably, at a fast pace, last evening. Even my wife, who typically is two steps ahead, commented that I needed to slow down. 

I’m still a bit stiff and sore in the morning, sitting on an ice bag as I write this. The pain my hip and leg are not debilitating like previous days. After warming up, I feel great – full of energy – full of steroids. I honestly hope that after the 7-day period, I’m not hooked and that it continues to heal naturally. I had a little trouble working with a doctor whose card reads, Florida Injury?” but the chiropractor, who I do trust, can’t prescribe drugs. I can now comfortably continue the rehab from my open-heart surgery, six months ago without pain.

I have been going to the gym every day, but I’m limited on what I can do. I initially thought that I would simply be replacing the daily runs with long walks. However, I would get cramps and Charlie Horses. Medication changes helped some. I next tried the pool to take the pressure off my back, along with the stationary bike, rowing machine, weight machines, and treadmill where I could hold on to the side rails. Last night, with the support aid of Tally’s dog stroller we walked Fosse. For the first time, I felt like I didn’t need to hold on tight. 

My attitude and patience suddenly improved. I spent the day sorting baseball cards and could actually bend over and lift the heavy binders without pain. The question remains: Is it actually healing or just numb from the steroids? Will I be back to normal once the drugs wear off? Or, will I seek the dark back alleys in search of a steroid dealer?

I am a self-proclaimed Medical Marvel, having earned this distinction after undergoing both heart and cataract surgery, plus being treated for sciatica by my chiropractor, all within the last six-months. What else can go wrong? Combine that with my damaged vocal cords and hearing loss and I have the makings of a Buddhist proverb: Hear no Evil, speak no Evil, see no Evil. Yet, evil is all around us, just watch the news. Chaos, murder, theft, rape, fraud and so on…..I’m lucky to be alive, but I don’t necessarily like the world in which I live. At least, it hasn’t hit close to home. 

Even though I’m a pessimist, I do try to see things from a humorous perspective. It’s not always easy when I’m plagued with aches and pains. Just ask my wife, who I “barked” at first thing this morning out of frustration. Plus, the large dark sunglasses that I’m wearing take the brightness out of the day. They are so big on my face that they make me look like a giant fly, something out of a Marvel comic or film – Super Fly, Medical Marvel! 

I did another long walk last night with the support of the dog buggy after staying away from the gym after yesterday’s eye surgery for the first time since our Portland trip, weeks ago. As my vision continues to improve, it’s now just a matter of applying numerous drops during the course of the day. I slept last night with the eye shield, but other than that, there’s been little discomfort. I’m currently waiting for another repairman to take a look at our refrigerator. It seems to be a compressor issue that thankfully is covered under the warranty. Warranties have been a savior with our new home, although it’s discouraging to see new things break down after just a few years – not like the old days when appliances lasted forever. This is the second time we’ve had work done on our Kitchen Aid fridge. Similarly, air conditioning continues to be another worry in this hot Florida conditions that are hard on skin, cars, roofs, pavers, lawns, landscaping, and appliances, not to mention budgets. All these worries keep my blood pressure up.

We’re headed to dinner, and probably drinks, with our Indy friends tonight, while they vacation in the area over the next couple weeks. We’ll also see them soon on our drive through Indianapolis on the way to New York and Maine. We have reservations at a new restaurant at the Sunseeker Resort in Punta Gorda, about an hour or so away. Although I will need them for the glare on the drive down, I’ll leave my Super Fly glasses in the car while we reunite. 

Whining is never becoming, but six months ago, I ran for the last time then laid on the operating table and spent 9-days in the hospital. I quite honestly felt I should be fully recovered by now, but I’m far from it. I goes back to a statement I heard from a neighbor but didn’t necessarily believe, “the surgeon’s knife is a year long.” I felt that I was in decent shape for a 72-year-old, who had never had major surgery. My blood tests proved “perfect,” but good cholesterol has always been a concern. The doctors confirmed that there were no obstructions in my blood vessels, but I needed a new aortic valve, along with repairs to both my aortic roots and an aneurysm fix. It took two consecutive days. Beforehand, I had no related symptoms but the correlation with “time bomb” was used all too frequently. Thankfully, I’ve been diffused!

Six months have slowly passed, and I have to sit on an ice bag every morning to ease the pain in my spine. I’m still not sure how this is related, or it may not be, but my sciatic nerve is angry. It started in my right thigh and calf, and with chiropractic treatment, moved into my lower back. Now, it’s moved again to the side of my leg, hampering my ability to walk without discomfort. First thing in the morning, it can be painfully debilitating. I’ve tried to cut back on Advil and make the switch to Tylenol, to relieve some of the water retention that causes my feet and ankles to swell. Medication adjustments have been made for this excess fluid issue in addition to countering bouts of dizziness or unsteadiness. I’m taking over 15 pills/vitamins a day, plus eye drops for my recent cataract surgery, and have to wear funky sunglasses. Old age sucks!

I don’t seem to be getting stronger, but I keep working out every day without fail. Seemingly small tasks make me breathless, especially when I’m outdoors in the Florida heat and humidity. I began to increase my walking distances once I came home from the hospital, initially aided by my new friend, “Sky Walker.”  This continued through our Cross-Atlantic cruise, but then cramps, Charlie Horses, and lower-back pain began to seize my right leg. This comes and goes but has destroyed my walking confidence. Stretching at intervals seems to help and I’ve restarted my once-a-week Chair Yoga classes for more flexibility and balance. I go to the fitness center every day but would like to walk there and back. Instead, I rely on the treadmill where I can lean on the siderails and take pressure off my back. I do not have trouble with the stationary bike, rowing machine, or weights. 

Weight gain seems to have stabilized, but I’m still about 10-pounds heavy. Gym work makes me hungry, while daily running tended to curb my appetite. I do sit around a lot these days watching TV, writing, reading, and snacking. I wish I felt like being more active. Cataract surgery, one eye at a time, has restricted my pool usage, but at least I can do some yard work, lug my own suitcases, and bring in the UPS packages. I have discovered a hernia around the bottom of my chest incision, but it isn’t painful, and the doctor feels like we should wait to see what measures need to be taken. It is annoying when I cough or sneeze and please don’t make me laugh too hard!

The muscles in my upper chest are still stiffly sore around where my breastbone was severed, as well as in my upper arms. It may be from overworking on the rowing and weight machines. My wife stresses to keep me workouts limited to one-hour, but I’m frustrated with my recovery time and tend to push that a bit. Even a simple matter like rolling over in bed is still not easy. Tossing and turning is the norm complicated by frequent trips to the john. Oh, to have the bladder and stamina of a teenage stud once again!

One thing tends to lead to another. This year has certainly been a medical nightmare, with visits to the Neurologist and Urologist yet to come. I continue to work with my Chiropractor on what he calls “the bypass-sciatica issue.” Electrical stimulation, ice, massage, and “the stretching rack” are included in the treatments. My left knee is also sore from compensating for my right leg pain, so I occasionally wear a compression brace. All in all, I’m a mess from head to toe!

It was just another morning of letting the dogs out and cleaning up after them, when a neighbor passer-by surprised me by wishing a “Happy 4th.” Days are so routine in retirement that I often forget things like this, especially after a sleepless night. I woke up stiff and sore, having completely forgotten that we were headed to one of the neighborhood pools later this morning for sunshine, live music, and hot dogs. It will be crowded, but my wife will save me a chair while I finish my workout.  Later, we’ll catch the Englewood Fireworks down by the beach. It will be a Happy 4th!

As I was tossing and turning last night, my thoughts were on my son’s upcoming 50th birthday. Having a child that old was certainly a reminder of my own mortality. I celebrated my 50th with Eeyore at Disney World’s Crystal Palace – my son visited with a friend. My 40th was spent in Hawaii, the last hurrah of my first marriage. Soon after, I was divorced and as a result, special occasions like his birthday can be awkward because we should be honoring him together. Instead, it will probably be just another day. I don’t know yet if there is a plan to get together with the grandkids for cake and presents, but his mother will likely be miles away, back in Indiana. If she does decide to visit, I’ll keep my distance, a casualty after 27-years of marriage and a bitter parting. My son’s birthday wish will probably be that it never happened, but he can clearly see that I am much happier these days. 

I’m in the process of writing a poem for the 70th birthday party of eight former work collogues. The event in Indianapolis at a bar called the Mousetrap will be called “Indy Ad Chicks and Two Dicks.” One of them sadly just lost her husband to a heart attack. It could have been me, fortunate to have caught my heart issues and had them repaired. My doctor keeps reminding me that I was literally a “time bomb,” even though I didn’t really feel the effects. Now, I am feeling the after-effects while trying to get back in shape. For the first time, I’ll likely publicly reveal my scars at the pool today, now that it’s been nearly six months since the operation. It will take another six months to get back to “normal.”

I guess that it’s all of these things converging together, coupled with a stubborn bladder, that keeps me awake at night. I’ll also soon be seventy-three, married for another 25-years, and unable to attend my 55th high school reunion (I did buy the commemorative mug), more major reminders of my mortality. I’m indeed lucky to be alive, living in sunny Florida, and surrounded by a loving wife and three grandkids, after traveling the world.

I had a son relatively early in life, giving me freedom from parental responsibilities at age 50. On the other hand, he still has two teenagers and a six-year-old living with him, and a wife in medical school. Needless to say, they won’t be traveling to Hawaii to blow out his candles, although we all did get together a few weeks ago at Disney World. Happy Birthday, dear son, I hope you enjoy the next twenty-some years of freedom as I have! Thanks to those who served and gave their lives to make it possible!

Here’s to wishing you all a Happy 4th!

Twenty weeks have now passed since my surgery, and I’m still struggling. Now that the ultrasound has shown no blockages in my lower extremities, the chiropractor feels that I may have a pinched nerve near my spine. Yes, the surgery has proven that I’m not “heartless” or “spineless,” as some may have accused. However, the pain that radiates through my legs have made walking very uncomfortable, a key exercise component in my recovery. The doctor put me on a stretching table, more like the rack used for torture, to relieve some of the pressure on my back and applied electrical massage to the area through a TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) device. The soreness was unbearable when he then applied direct pressure with his fingers to the inside of my left thigh. This was not the case on the right side. 

It was obvious that Dr. Frankenstein “had gotten on my nerve” and that more treatments would be needed. The next two days my lower back has been stiff and sore. I’ve continued to go to the gym to use the stationary bike and rowing machine but have had to cut the treadmill time back, with cramping sensations in my left thigh and calf. I’ve tried to make up for it by walking and running in the shallow end of the pool and trying to swim the breaststroke. I’m not yet strong enough to do the laps I once swam, and there’s still some discomfort in my healing chest incisions. I’ve also had a little bit of swelling in that area. 

I’ll go back to the chiropractor next Monday and Wednesday for more treatments and will use the weekend to work out the soreness in my lower back. Sitting and lying down are comfortable, but being on my feet can be painful. It’s hard to believe that I used to run every single day before this surgery. However, the anesthesia, bed rest, medication adjustments, and slow recovery time have changed the game. Admittedly, it’s been much harder than I thought, as I struggle to even put down in words what it’s like to go through all of this. The initial intent of this blog was to be humorous, but please wait!

Nineteen weeks ago, I woke up in my hospital bed following two days of heart surgery. The running streak was over, and I was trying to sort out the names of people around me. It was beginning of a recovery that has been difficult, frustrating, and tougher than expected. The initial ride home from Tampa was painfully jarring, as was coughing, sneezing, and sometimes even moving. Sleeping was uncomfortable since I couldn’t adjust from being on my side. Everything was fuzzy from the pain medication, so focusing on reading, writing, or watching TV was impossible. Thankfully, times have changed.

I’ve since been through occupational & physical therapy, follow-up visits, medication adjustments, relying on a walker, a trans-Atlantic cruise, cardio rehab, dizziness, nausea, leg cramps, and have finally made it to the gym. Tomorrow, I go in for an ultrasound to find out why I’m having difficulty walking. There seems to be no problem with the stationary bike, rowing machine, swimming, or weightlifting, but the Charlie Horses in my left leg are debilitating after about 10-minutes on a treadmill. Walking was my first course of action, a little further each day, up to 3-miles, but that has become a set-back. Workouts in the pool have helped bolster my endurance. I even returned to chair yoga yesterday and followed up with an hour in the gym.

A simple adjustment of Lisinopril to half-a-tab-twice-a-day seems to have quelled the dizziness and light-headed feelings. My normal routine has returned, but to be able to walk without pain is the final “step” in this healing process. Losing a few more pounds would be helpful, however, my appetite has returned. I’m no longer restricted from lifting heavy options or doing some projects around the house. This is actually the bad news – no more excuses. 

Eighteen weeks have passed since my open-heart surgery. I spent two weeks going to Cardio rehab to get a program set up. The past two weeks I’ve been on my own with a daily gym routine that includes about 30-minutes on the stationary bike, 20-minutes of the rowing machine, 15-minutes on the treadmill, and some light weightlifting to conclude the workout. The good news is that I no longer double-up in pain from a simple sneeze, although still a bit uncomfortable. I would like to walk more but my left leg is still reacting with painful cramps and Charlie Horses. Oddly, the other exercises don’t seem to affect it. Next week, I get an Ultrasound that should indicate the problem. 

I try to follow-up this workout with a late afternoon session in our swimming pool. I wear a cut-off tee-shirt to prevent any darkening of the scar tissue on my chest. This will probably have to continue through this summer. For about a half-hour, I will run in place, do some laps using both my arms and legs, step-ups, push-ups off the side of the pool, and stretching. Last night, after the gym, my legs were just too tired for the pool. My wife is concerned that I’m over-doing it, so I’ll make some compromises going forward. 

I’m beginning to feel a lot stronger but still frustrated with my progress. I continue to struggle with some balance issues, dating back to long before surgery, and will return to chair yoga next week to work on this. Some medication adjustments have helped, and I still carefully monitor my blood pressure as advised by the cardiologist. There’s a little more tone to the muscles that were dormant for many weeks. It’s tough for a former active runner to get back in shape and lose weight. As a former boss liked to say, “onward and upward.”