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Monday, March 19, 2012

15 Months After Open Heart Surgery

Time does heal wounds & open heart surgery is no different!  It has now been 15 months after open heart surgery.  I have tried to give a steady report of live after open heart surgery.  What is life like 3 months out, 6 months out, etc.  Here are some observations after 15 months:

1 - Physically I sometimes feel I had open heart surgery!  My strength is back & the incisions off my surgery are almost totally healed.  My left arm (which had an artery removed from the elbow to the wrist) is fine.  The arm & hand have no numbness are work fine.  The right leg (which had an artery removed from the groin to just below my knee cap) has regained strength.  I still have slight numbness in the lower, front of the leg, just above the ankle.  The chest plate feels good.  There is a slight numbness along the incision.  I am able to do my pushups & lift almost like I did before the operation (just a little older & not the young animal I used to be!)

2 - Cardio Workouts - Here is the biggest change.  Not able to jog for a long period yet.  The heart seems strong, but the PVC's seem to be there at a heart rate of 110 & above.  My normal workouts of walking are progressing.  I am taking it slow & not rushing into heart rates of 110 & above.  Will try to push a little more this summer.

3 - Medications.

Metoprolol - 25 mg - daily
Amlodipine - 5 mg daily
Plavix - 75 mg - daily

Before surgery I was on:
Atorvastatin (Lipitor generic) - 10 mg - now 40 mg - daily
Aspirin - 81 mg

Started one month ago:
Omega 3 - Fish Oil - 1000 mg - daily

4 - Mental.  I seem to be having no issues with depression or other issues people suffer after open heart surgery.  Since my retirement I have kept busy.  Coaching, working part time, being a stay at home husband(Sue is still working, trying to keep her happy!), volunteering at church, researching family tree & history of my home town, and other projects!  The is a correlation of healing & aging.  Part of growing older is compounded by the physical issues with age!  Keep busy & keep the blood circulating!


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