sternum

[Birky]

Went to see the Surgeon yesterday on my sore sternum. Something popped when I was getting my Mom up. He said that it was a muscle thing not a bone thing. He wants me not to lift for a while and it should heal itself. Couldn't see another fracture. Has anyone else had something like this? It feels like something is rubbing and not quite right but nothing showed up on the xray.

 

[Susan BAV]

Hi Marcia -

Glad it is not your sternum!!!

I'm six months post-op (today!!!) and I still have all of my wires. But, I have a pain just right of the bottom of my sternum which the doctor said is a dislocation (or something like that) of the cartilage and the rib. It's been bothering me since the surgery, but mildly, and then several weeks ago I was pruning a tree with a saw, reaching above my head, and I really hurt it. But at the time, I thought I'd just pulled a muscle in that area. I've been taking it easy on that side, since then, and holding it when I cough or sneeze and trying not to lean over on that side and it's getting better bit by bit. The doctor suggested I think about a rib belt but that sounded too cumbersome. Lifting heavy things still makes me feel kind of a sick ache around my sternum and collar bone so I've been trying to not do that either.

I hope you feel better soon, ~Susan W

 

[Granbonny]

Just another reminder

Just another reminder

That it takes a year to heal from VR. surgery..All those bones, cells, muscles have to have a chance to get back into place. That's what we have Hubbies for..all that heavy, lifting, sawing, ect.. Bonnie

 

[Bryan B]

I'm only 3 weeks out of surgery, but have bad pain in my right side when I breathe deep, yawn, burp, sneeze, etc. It was definitely keeping me from advancing on my spirometer readings. I called my surgeon and they had me come in to get another chest x-ray. Everything looked good there so he squeezed me from front to back and asked me if it hurt...it didn't. Then he squeezed me from the sides and asked me if that hurt...it did...very much so, right where it hurts to to do all of the things I mentioned above. He said that more than likely I received some cartiledge damage during the surgery, which basically makes you feel like you have a broken or bruised ribs. He gave me some Vioxx and I'm waiting to see if that works better on the pain than the pain meds I have.

 

[Susan BAV]

Hi Bonnie -

I reread my post; it sounds like I really did something. But it wasn't really much because it is really a small scraggly tree, a scrub oak in the middle of our orange grove that my husband wanted to cut down. But I insisted he let me groom it a bit first to see if I could make it look better. It still looks awful and I sawed off every branch from about seven feet and down. I usually let him do all the heavy stuff but I was trying to get my way and make a point. Rats, it didn't work! But the tree is still there at this point.

Marcia, do you have someone to help lift your mother?

Best wishes, ~Susan W

 

[Birky]

sternum

She is doing so much better. This happened when she was still in the hospital and couldn't get out of the chair. She can get up now but a little slowly. She still lives on her own and she sure is a stubborn one. I just went on a 2 day trip with her to an Indian reservation to gamble. She did great. Forgets things at times but she is 85. I am not going to lift anything for a couple of weeks to see what happens. Another question, when you run your fingers along the sternum does it feel like it has holes in it and really bumpy? I am over 1 year post op and some areas feel like that along with being really sore. Thanks for your replies,

 

[Susan BAV]

Hi again -

I think my scar is healing up pretty well but it is a bit lumpy and bumpy. Itchy too. And still a deep pink color. And a bit keloid-looking at the top.

~Susan W

 

[Granbonny]

Susan

Susan

I have always loved to trim shrubs with the long handle nipper. I live on top of a mountain and our 3 acres are all Mountain Laurel. Blooms in May..Looks like I live on top of a big PINK cloud....For years..I nipped and tucked the branches that were keeping the sun from our plants...Today, I was walking around and thought about..hummm should I get the nippers out.. I may try again tomorrow. I am 2 years post-op..Have not had any pain for a year in my sternum.. I am completly healed and scar is not hardly visible. I am all for VR. Members to do what they feel like doing...but remember..If you are going to dance..you have to pay the Fiddler. Bonnie

 

[Kathy]

it takes a year to heal from VR. surgery..

Thanks for the reminder, Bonnie. I was looking at forsythia and lilacs and thinking about pruning. I guess I'd better stick to weeding. The gardens weren't really cleaned out last fall, so there will be plenty to keep me busy.