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B

bocco

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 29, 2012
Messages
183
Location
Livermore, CA. USA
Going back to see the surgeon today for my first follow up with him. Tomorrow is 4 weeks since surgery. Hope to find out if/when I can start driving, light exercise, estimated back to work date etc.

Sure hope I can start doing something besides walking and reading.

Gary
 
Hi, Gary, it sounds as though you have done well so far. By the end of the first month, I, too, found that some cabin fever had set in. Are you planning on attending Cardiac Rehab? I found it to be both a good way to get back into an exercise routine but it also builds your confidence that you can exercise without injury. It is very good to see posts such as your's, Gary.

Larry
 
I started working from home to break the monotony of my cabin fever too. It is surprising how much you give up by not driving or leaving the house much.
Good luck with your surgeon tomorrow, please provide an update on how that goes.
 
Just got home from seeing the surgeon. He says all looks good. The Temp fluctuations and high pulse rate are normal and he expects them to start settling down over the next couple of months.

I can start driving short distances. Still should wait a bit for the gym but the important thing is not stressing the sturnum. Start with cardio and legs.

He said I could actually get back to work as soon as I feel ready since I don't do any physical work. I sit in front of a computer and design circuit boards. I'm not in a big hurry to run back to work yet. I'm pretty sure an eight hour day will leave me pretty whooped. So maybe mid May.

He did not mention Cardiac rehab at all. And I'm not to concerned about it. I have spent a lot of time in the gym and I'm pretty comfortable with easing myself back into a program without over doing it.

Over all a pretty short uneventful visit.

So tomorrow for some real exitement I can drive myself to get an INR test done.
 
Sounds about right - at 4 weeks or so, my surgeon released me for normal activities "as tolerated." I did not start rehab for another 8 weeks or so (other complications, not related to surgery), but I did start working part-time to keep things going at the office. It also helped me to feel that I was still a participant in life, rather than being a spectator.
 
So driving is something I will need to ease into. I drove myself for an INR test and stopped at the grocery store for a few items. I think that's it for today.
 
I have a feeling your work will have no problems if you phase yourself back into the workflow. My first day back at my desk job (five weeks post surgery) was pretty exhausting, and I may have only lasted four hours at my desk. But I was probably pulling regular hours again two weeks later. The one routine I did change was that I made time in my workday to get out and walk, every day. I can claim that it is on doctors orders, but it is a very nice break!
 
I do have the option of going back part time if I want to. Fortunately we are not really busy right now but will be picking up in a couple of months. My 2 issues right now are my sternum still being tender and the metoprolol making me kind of slugish and not to ambitious. Hopefully both of these will rectify in the next couple of weeks.
 
Had my visit with the cadiologist today. She thought I looked great and everything was fine. She switched me from metoprolol to a low dose of atenolol wich worked well for me in the past. Over all a good doctor visit. She set me up for an echocardiogram next week just to see how everything looks. She didn't seemed concerned about me being back in the gym and thought it was great that I could do 45 mins of cardio.

I'm calling it a sccessful visit.

Gary
 
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