My Pillows for Driving

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Mentu

Premium Level User
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Joined
Nov 9, 2008
Messages
1,309
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My surgery was performed at Oklahoma Heart Institu
Greetings, for those of you who don't know me, my valve replacement took place 4 and a half years ago. Everything went wonderfully well and by the time I completed Cardiac Rehab, my life had pretty much returned to normal. The one persistent problem I had to deal with, however, was that I had developed Costochondritis. This is an inflammation of the intercostal cartilage which often troubles football players after getting repeatedly thumped int he chest. Heart surgery can in someways be comparable. Basically, the inflammation causes the cartilage alongside the sternum to ache. Very shortly, I realized the thing that irritated the inflammed cartilage most was the shoulder harness in my car.

When I mentioned this to a friend, she promptly made me a pillow that would fit my chest without getting in the way while I was driving. It worked wonderfully well and continued to do so for 4 and a half years until last week when, somehow, I lost it. As an interim measure, I borrowed one of my dog's stuffed toys. Surprisingly, it has worked better than the old blue pillow. Its shape and resilience are just what I need to fend off the shoulder harness and its "nose" keeps it from slipping which was always a problem with the blue pillow. I thought that, perhaps, it didn't have enough padding but it is just about perfect. So, here they are:

Heart Pillows.jpg

I thought at first I would use Bede's toy for a few days while I found a replacement pillow but after a week, I've come to realize that I don't need to replace it. It works well, it was cheap and Bede has so many toys that he will never miss it, actually, it was never one of his favorites. At any rate, for anyone in need of a little fender beneath the shoulder harness, I can recommend the stuffed toy. It does, of course, send my young nieces and nephews into giggles and laughter but it works and it works well.

Larry
 
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The one persistent problem I had to deal with, however, was that I had developed Costochondritis.
Hi Larry,

How is costochondritis diagnosed ? I think the nurse who I saw for cario rehab mentioned that word, or smething similar, when I expereinced particular pain on the right of my sternum when I did one of the exercises. I have constant pain in the lower half of my sternum but there appears to be a rib a bit out of place, lower right.

I love Bede's toy/protector :)
 
It's rare for a post on this forum to make me grin, but this is certainly one that does. Thanks for the early morning smile.
 
Larry, your dog is stunningly gorgeous !! ......and it looks like I will be shopping for a similar dog toy. My sternum wires are protruding and the seat belt is annoying.
Have you ever tried the sheepskin seat belt harness covers? We got some for after Justin's surgeries, and they seemed to work well. He liked it better than his small pillows since it was attached and didnt have to place it between his chest and seat belt every time. his isnt where we got them , but just the first quick link to show what im taking about
https://www.sheepskingifts.com/seat-belt-protector

Larry sorry to hear the seat belt is annoying this far out, but really like your solution, the fact it makes people smile is even better
.unless of course bede decides to take it back when she goes for car rides :) he reminds me of the loofa dog toys my dogs like to fight over ad play tug with even tho they each have their own
 
Thanks, Lyn. Yes, i do have a seatbelt cover but i find them to be cumbersome and hot in summer. It's not like I go in the car that much anyway so I think a cute little stuffed animal toy
will just do the trick :)
 
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