There are many questions people have about Open Heart Surgery. One of the biggest questions is getting in there to do the work - that means opening the chest! Wooo! And of course, the most important part is closing it up & healing!
In 9 days I will be 6 months out from my surgery December 13th. Almost everything that I have read says the bone should be healed in about 6-8 weeks. As far as healing, I think my sternum seems solid - I have played golf, used a chainsaw, pushed my lawn mower, shoveled in the garden, and even done regular push-ups!
There are times I do feel pain around the incision. It usually happens after a workout. I still have numbness around the incision. At times, if I grab something using a bad angle - like shutting a sliding glass door - I feel pain. The first time golfing, I took one big divot - Pain!
I still need to watch my total weight that I lift and the angles that I lift, push or pull objects.
The steel wire, Sternal Closing Wire, will at times "tweak" areas where it was used. Take a look st the Sternal Wire Website by clicking this link.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Friday, June 3, 2011
Running After Open Heart Bypass Surgery
I have been researching articles about running after open heart bypass surgery. I found a lot of stories of success! One article discussed how to strat back to running. Here was their suggestions:
Well, I'm almost at the 6 month time period. I will wait till after my check-up on June 20th and the discussion on my PVC issues. Here are the key points that I think I will try:
1 - first walk comfortably for 45-60 minutes.
2 - sprinkle in a little running (30-60) seconds
3 - slowly increase the running minutes
Sounds like a plan!
I've seen some get back to running in 6-8 months, while others needed a little longer. Once you graduate from cardiac rehab (and get the go ahead from your doctor) and are able to walk comfortably for 45-60 minutes, you'll be at the point where you can incorporate running into your program again. Start slowly with mostly walking and sprinkle in a little bit of running. For example, warm up walking 5 minutes, then run for 30-60 seconds, followed by walking for 3-4 minutes (or until you catch your breath). Repeat this for 20 minutes and cool down with 5 minutes of walking. Repeat this workout three times per week on alternate days for at least 2-3 weeks. Then, if things go well progress to 25-30 minutes. Continue to progress as your body allows first by building up to walking a lot and running a little for 30 minutes and then, increasing the number of running minutes.
Well, I'm almost at the 6 month time period. I will wait till after my check-up on June 20th and the discussion on my PVC issues. Here are the key points that I think I will try:
1 - first walk comfortably for 45-60 minutes.
2 - sprinkle in a little running (30-60) seconds
3 - slowly increase the running minutes
Sounds like a plan!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
24 Weeks and Counting!
Back to work, coaching, getting ready for retirement - these are the things that make keeping a blog very difficult! I think I will try to continue with 2-3 posts per week & when retirement starts, I will focus more on recovery & what the next 6 months will be like!
Observations:
1 - Today I noticed that as I closed the sliding glass door to the deck, the incision still is painful. The awkward position of closing the door with one arm, still "pulled" on the incision. I still need to do some things with two hands and be mindful of the angle that my arms are lifting, pushing & pulling.
2 - The meds seem to be having no real side effects. I am tired at time & sleep well. The Metoprolol that I am taking to lower my blood pressure is making me tired, but not to the point that I am falling asleep during the day.
3 - I still feel issues walking at a brisk rate & walking up hills. I am sure with my June 20th cardiologist appointment we will discuss. My next stress test is in September, so I will just need to be on top of those extra heart beats.
4 - Daily chores. I am mowing the grass (push mower), using a chain saw and cutting tree limbs, trimming bushes, and feel pretty good. I do get tired & need to take more breaks, but at age 58 that may be part of the new reality!
5 - Coaching was more physical this year. Coaching the pole vault, I was always carrying poles, spotting kids that fly the wrong direction, and on my feet for long periods of time. I must admit, there were days when I was very tired & felt exhausted when I got home. Not many things got accomplished around the house after 6 PM! But it was worth it! The boy team won another State Title! It was great to get back & be a part of another State Championship!
Observations:
1 - Today I noticed that as I closed the sliding glass door to the deck, the incision still is painful. The awkward position of closing the door with one arm, still "pulled" on the incision. I still need to do some things with two hands and be mindful of the angle that my arms are lifting, pushing & pulling.
2 - The meds seem to be having no real side effects. I am tired at time & sleep well. The Metoprolol that I am taking to lower my blood pressure is making me tired, but not to the point that I am falling asleep during the day.
3 - I still feel issues walking at a brisk rate & walking up hills. I am sure with my June 20th cardiologist appointment we will discuss. My next stress test is in September, so I will just need to be on top of those extra heart beats.
4 - Daily chores. I am mowing the grass (push mower), using a chain saw and cutting tree limbs, trimming bushes, and feel pretty good. I do get tired & need to take more breaks, but at age 58 that may be part of the new reality!
5 - Coaching was more physical this year. Coaching the pole vault, I was always carrying poles, spotting kids that fly the wrong direction, and on my feet for long periods of time. I must admit, there were days when I was very tired & felt exhausted when I got home. Not many things got accomplished around the house after 6 PM! But it was worth it! The boy team won another State Title! It was great to get back & be a part of another State Championship!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
There are Many Ways to Heal a Heart!
OK. True confessions! There are only a couple TV shows that my wife (Sue) and I enjoy together & one is American Idol! YES- I LIKE WATCHING AMERICAN IDOL! True confessions! AND I VOTE! For the past 9 of 10 years we have been American Idol fans!
We watched the Reuben vs. Clay battle! I thought Carrie Underwood would be a star!(And she's cute!) Even though Daughtry did not win, I new he was good! And yes, I almost gave up on American Idol when Sanjaiya(or what ever his name was) was on the show!
This year I thought had great talent! The final two seem to be great all-American kids (16 & 17 years old). Tonight I voted for Scotty. James was great, Casey was strange, but talented, Haley's voice was different & great (another Stevie Nix) and Lauren could be the next Carrie Underwood!
And I even thought the judges were better! Jennifer Lopez is gorgeous (and sounds like Einstein instead of Paula!) Steven Tyler, even though he cursed ($&&%&*^@*%&$&*@*), was considerate & helpful, and Randy did a nice job in Simon's seat (BUT, can stop saying, (They are IN IT TO WIN IT any time!)
So, for the past 3 months, as the show progressed, so did my heart! It it makes my heart feel good that we still live in a country where you can still chase your dream and sometimes even catch it! But, the most important part is the chase! And having a country that will allow us to dream BIG!
We watched the Reuben vs. Clay battle! I thought Carrie Underwood would be a star!(And she's cute!) Even though Daughtry did not win, I new he was good! And yes, I almost gave up on American Idol when Sanjaiya(or what ever his name was) was on the show!
This year I thought had great talent! The final two seem to be great all-American kids (16 & 17 years old). Tonight I voted for Scotty. James was great, Casey was strange, but talented, Haley's voice was different & great (another Stevie Nix) and Lauren could be the next Carrie Underwood!
And I even thought the judges were better! Jennifer Lopez is gorgeous (and sounds like Einstein instead of Paula!) Steven Tyler, even though he cursed ($&&%&*^@*%&$&*@*), was considerate & helpful, and Randy did a nice job in Simon's seat (BUT, can stop saying, (They are IN IT TO WIN IT any time!)
So, for the past 3 months, as the show progressed, so did my heart! It it makes my heart feel good that we still live in a country where you can still chase your dream and sometimes even catch it! But, the most important part is the chase! And having a country that will allow us to dream BIG!
Monday, May 23, 2011
23 Weeks & Counting
I am now 23 weeks out from open heart bypass surgery! Today I again was using the chain saw and caring logs to the back yard! Still has a little numbness in the chest area, but I seem to be able to do yard work without any issues. Also, trimmed bushed in the yard & mowed the lawn again.
My walking seems to be improving. The uphill pushes are not as sluggish, but still feel a few PVC's but, not quite as many! Will try jogging for about 30 seconds this weekend & see how that feels. I will try to add about 10-15 seconds each day.
I am down to 14 days of school and 24 days till I have new blood work & wear a 24 hour monitor. After these tests, I have an appointment with the cardiologist on June 20 - that will be my 6 month check-up!
My walking seems to be improving. The uphill pushes are not as sluggish, but still feel a few PVC's but, not quite as many! Will try jogging for about 30 seconds this weekend & see how that feels. I will try to add about 10-15 seconds each day.
I am down to 14 days of school and 24 days till I have new blood work & wear a 24 hour monitor. After these tests, I have an appointment with the cardiologist on June 20 - that will be my 6 month check-up!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Five Months and Counting
Five months out from surgery and things are close to normal. (whatever normal is) I'm still one month out from my next doctor visits, but here are my observations.
Medicines
Heart Meds:
1 - 81 mg aspirin daily
1 - 40 mg tablet of lipitor daily
1 - 5 mg tablet of Amlodipine daily
1 - 75 mg tablet of Plavix daily
1 - 100 mg tablet of Metoprolol daily
Other Meds
1 - 20 mg tablet of Aciphex
1 - 10 mg tablet of Singulair
Meds have not changed for some time (4-6 weeks) I seem to have not side effects, the only one could be the feeling of being tired, but that could be because I am in my heavy school & coaching schedule! I could easily fall asleep around 3 PM after school, but coaching 3 more hours keeps me going!
Diet
I'm still being fairly discipline. Constant breakfast & dinner. Eating good stuff, oatmeal, cheerioes, & OJ for breakfast, using an apple & tuna sandwich for lunch, & plenty of fish & chicken & veggies for dinner. Have stayed away from junk - chocolate bars (oh, but I do miss my Reeses Peanut Butter Cups), tastycakes (any kind) and an occasional cookie (lot's of them in the old days!)
Exercise
This has been the difficult one now that I'm back at school and coaching! But, the dogs & I are taking laps, cutting grass, using the chain saw and doing yard work! (With all the rain this spring the grass is going crazy!)
Stress
I think when retirement hits this will be better and I can schedule myself. When the school year is over I hope to come up with a better exercise & diet routine for the summer! And school has not been too bad. I am lucky to have great people to work with and they are not making the old guy jump through a lot of hoops. (Good because I lost my vertical jump a few years back!)
Notice I did not mention my PVC issues. I'm basically trying to ignore them to my best ability. If I pace myself, I seem to be able to do almost anything I want. I will tackle the PVC's in June!
I did notice the other day, that my right leg does fall asleep real fast when I have my legs crossed. I feel asleep on the sofa & went to get up. I new my leg was asleep, but still tried to stand. I promptly feel on the family room floor! I never had my legs to that before! I guess with the missing vein I need to stand up a little slower! I'm glad Sue wasn't there, she my have thought I was hitting the bottle!
Medicines
Heart Meds:
1 - 81 mg aspirin daily
1 - 40 mg tablet of lipitor daily
1 - 5 mg tablet of Amlodipine daily
1 - 75 mg tablet of Plavix daily
1 - 100 mg tablet of Metoprolol daily
Other Meds
1 - 20 mg tablet of Aciphex
1 - 10 mg tablet of Singulair
Meds have not changed for some time (4-6 weeks) I seem to have not side effects, the only one could be the feeling of being tired, but that could be because I am in my heavy school & coaching schedule! I could easily fall asleep around 3 PM after school, but coaching 3 more hours keeps me going!
Diet
I'm still being fairly discipline. Constant breakfast & dinner. Eating good stuff, oatmeal, cheerioes, & OJ for breakfast, using an apple & tuna sandwich for lunch, & plenty of fish & chicken & veggies for dinner. Have stayed away from junk - chocolate bars (oh, but I do miss my Reeses Peanut Butter Cups), tastycakes (any kind) and an occasional cookie (lot's of them in the old days!)
Exercise
This has been the difficult one now that I'm back at school and coaching! But, the dogs & I are taking laps, cutting grass, using the chain saw and doing yard work! (With all the rain this spring the grass is going crazy!)
Stress
I think when retirement hits this will be better and I can schedule myself. When the school year is over I hope to come up with a better exercise & diet routine for the summer! And school has not been too bad. I am lucky to have great people to work with and they are not making the old guy jump through a lot of hoops. (Good because I lost my vertical jump a few years back!)
Notice I did not mention my PVC issues. I'm basically trying to ignore them to my best ability. If I pace myself, I seem to be able to do almost anything I want. I will tackle the PVC's in June!
I did notice the other day, that my right leg does fall asleep real fast when I have my legs crossed. I feel asleep on the sofa & went to get up. I new my leg was asleep, but still tried to stand. I promptly feel on the family room floor! I never had my legs to that before! I guess with the missing vein I need to stand up a little slower! I'm glad Sue wasn't there, she my have thought I was hitting the bottle!
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Celebrated Birthday in Typical Fashion - 5 Months after Surgery!
This time of the year, the normal pattern of school, track practice, and big weekend track meets, is the normal way I celebrate birthday week. This year was no exception, the only difference was my new birthday of December 13th - open heart surgery! So, the 5 month anniversary was also this week!
At the 5 month date, my recovery is headed in the right direction. The healing process & strength are coming back. I took a personal day Friday & spent the morning with the chainsaw cutting up tree limbs & carrying the limbs to my wood stack. This activity went well, the only thing I noticed was some lack of strength & cardio conditioning - that should get better.
After my tree fun, I prepared for the Lancaster-Lebanon Track meet at our track. That usually means making sure the pole vault area is reading to go. More physical activity! Then preparing for the competition & the "fun stress" of competition! The girls pole vault was Fridat night and the young ladies were awesome - Kaya 2nd at 10'6, Dani 5th at 10', and Heather with a double PR at 9'! The three young ladies had an outstanding day & the day ended on a great note!
Today, the boys go! A 7 AM breakfast with the coaches, 10 AM boys pole vault, & a chance for the boys & girls team to win their fourth title in a row!
So, after 5 months, golfing, chain sawing, mowing grass, coaching, & back to school!
At the 5 month date, my recovery is headed in the right direction. The healing process & strength are coming back. I took a personal day Friday & spent the morning with the chainsaw cutting up tree limbs & carrying the limbs to my wood stack. This activity went well, the only thing I noticed was some lack of strength & cardio conditioning - that should get better.
After my tree fun, I prepared for the Lancaster-Lebanon Track meet at our track. That usually means making sure the pole vault area is reading to go. More physical activity! Then preparing for the competition & the "fun stress" of competition! The girls pole vault was Fridat night and the young ladies were awesome - Kaya 2nd at 10'6, Dani 5th at 10', and Heather with a double PR at 9'! The three young ladies had an outstanding day & the day ended on a great note!
Today, the boys go! A 7 AM breakfast with the coaches, 10 AM boys pole vault, & a chance for the boys & girls team to win their fourth title in a row!
So, after 5 months, golfing, chain sawing, mowing grass, coaching, & back to school!
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