T
Traveler
Hi all,
This is the third installment in the what my experience is like following aneurysm replacement and aortic valve repair. Week three was a lot like week two. I had about the same energy level and did about the same things. The only difference was that I didn't take as many naps and so by the end of the week I was sleeping 12-13 hours a day rather than 15. I felt well all week but would get tired by 4 or 5 pm each day and I was exhausted by 8 pm a couple of days. Most days I walked 3 miles, worked 4-6 hours, and slept 12+ hours.
The weather was a big issue this week. We started out with a big snowstorm on Saturday evening/Sunday morning. Had big ice storm on Tuesday and then more snow on Thursday. As a consequence it was too cold, slick, and windy to walk outside and I had a hard time finding anyone who was willing to drive me to the gym to walk and cardiac rehab was cancelled on Wednesday and Friday (as were many other things) due to the slick roads. I'm hoping things warm up to above 40 F next week so I can start walking more. I'd like to be back to walking 10 miles a day by the end of next week but we'll see.
I still can't pull on my socks but I can do a lot of other things. It seemed to me that my chest hurt more this week, than during week 2. This could be because I cut back on the Tramadol from 5 tablets a day to 4 tablets a day. It could be because I'm trying to do more things (my wife's theory). It isn't enormously painful, but it is uncomfortable and if a reach too quickly or try to use my arms to stand up, the pain quickly reminds me that using my arms and hands is not a good idea.
Day-by-day
Saturday - slept 12 hours, napped 1 hour, worked at the office for about 3 hours, too cold and windy to go walkng outdoors.
Sunday - slept 12 hours, big snowstormup skipped church, worked at home for about 4 hours, finally talked someone into takng me to the gym late afternoon. Walked 4 miles, tired in the evening but not sick, just tired.
Monday - Slept 12 hours, Cardiac rehab, walked 2.5 miles, worked 5 hours, went shopping for 2 hours, ate lunch and dinner out.
Tuesday - Slept 12 hours, walked 3 miles, got my hair cut, worked 5 hours, and went shopping for 1 hour. Hair stylist was amazed at how good I looked and everything I was doing.
Wednesday - Cardiac rehab concelled, 12 hours of sleep, walked 1 mile, worked 8 hours, and went to a party for 2 hours. Very tired at the end of the day. I was so tired I forgot to remove my contacts before going to bed (first time in 20+ years) and woke up in the morning with dry and unhappy eyes.
Thursday - 12 hours of sleep, walked 3 miles, everything cancelled in the afternoon due to the snowstorm, I worked 2 hours and watched TV (star trek) and slept the rest of the day (probably 3 hours). Went to bed at 8 pm.
Friday - slept 12 hours, cardiac rehab cancelled due to snow, walked 3 miles, worked 8 hours, very tired in the evening.
I should note that I didn't plan to work 8 hours on Wedneday and Friday (I planned to worked about 5-6 hours) but just got caught up in things at the end of the day that required attention and rather than letting others do it, some how I found myself doing it. The reward for Friday's work was that I was very dizzy and light headed most of Saturday (following 9 hours of sleep), heart rate 45-48, and I never did feel quite right all day Saturday. So I think that I need to be more careful about how much work I can do and how much sleep I get.
This upcoming week it's an echo on Monday and back to the cardiologist on Wednesday. I'll ask again about reducing the dosage of Toprol XL, I'm getting tired of being dizzy everytime I stand up - it takes too much planning.
Mark
This is the third installment in the what my experience is like following aneurysm replacement and aortic valve repair. Week three was a lot like week two. I had about the same energy level and did about the same things. The only difference was that I didn't take as many naps and so by the end of the week I was sleeping 12-13 hours a day rather than 15. I felt well all week but would get tired by 4 or 5 pm each day and I was exhausted by 8 pm a couple of days. Most days I walked 3 miles, worked 4-6 hours, and slept 12+ hours.
The weather was a big issue this week. We started out with a big snowstorm on Saturday evening/Sunday morning. Had big ice storm on Tuesday and then more snow on Thursday. As a consequence it was too cold, slick, and windy to walk outside and I had a hard time finding anyone who was willing to drive me to the gym to walk and cardiac rehab was cancelled on Wednesday and Friday (as were many other things) due to the slick roads. I'm hoping things warm up to above 40 F next week so I can start walking more. I'd like to be back to walking 10 miles a day by the end of next week but we'll see.
I still can't pull on my socks but I can do a lot of other things. It seemed to me that my chest hurt more this week, than during week 2. This could be because I cut back on the Tramadol from 5 tablets a day to 4 tablets a day. It could be because I'm trying to do more things (my wife's theory). It isn't enormously painful, but it is uncomfortable and if a reach too quickly or try to use my arms to stand up, the pain quickly reminds me that using my arms and hands is not a good idea.
Day-by-day
Saturday - slept 12 hours, napped 1 hour, worked at the office for about 3 hours, too cold and windy to go walkng outdoors.
Sunday - slept 12 hours, big snowstormup skipped church, worked at home for about 4 hours, finally talked someone into takng me to the gym late afternoon. Walked 4 miles, tired in the evening but not sick, just tired.
Monday - Slept 12 hours, Cardiac rehab, walked 2.5 miles, worked 5 hours, went shopping for 2 hours, ate lunch and dinner out.
Tuesday - Slept 12 hours, walked 3 miles, got my hair cut, worked 5 hours, and went shopping for 1 hour. Hair stylist was amazed at how good I looked and everything I was doing.
Wednesday - Cardiac rehab concelled, 12 hours of sleep, walked 1 mile, worked 8 hours, and went to a party for 2 hours. Very tired at the end of the day. I was so tired I forgot to remove my contacts before going to bed (first time in 20+ years) and woke up in the morning with dry and unhappy eyes.
Thursday - 12 hours of sleep, walked 3 miles, everything cancelled in the afternoon due to the snowstorm, I worked 2 hours and watched TV (star trek) and slept the rest of the day (probably 3 hours). Went to bed at 8 pm.
Friday - slept 12 hours, cardiac rehab cancelled due to snow, walked 3 miles, worked 8 hours, very tired in the evening.
I should note that I didn't plan to work 8 hours on Wedneday and Friday (I planned to worked about 5-6 hours) but just got caught up in things at the end of the day that required attention and rather than letting others do it, some how I found myself doing it. The reward for Friday's work was that I was very dizzy and light headed most of Saturday (following 9 hours of sleep), heart rate 45-48, and I never did feel quite right all day Saturday. So I think that I need to be more careful about how much work I can do and how much sleep I get.
This upcoming week it's an echo on Monday and back to the cardiologist on Wednesday. I'll ask again about reducing the dosage of Toprol XL, I'm getting tired of being dizzy everytime I stand up - it takes too much planning.
Mark
