Recovering from Heart Surgery Sucks

mlsa3 · 03-25-2014, 08:35 AM

After having double by-pass surgery on February 20, I'm healing but not nearly fast enough. It's really hard walking into the garage and seeing our new Rockwood camper and not being able to even set it up and sitting inside. I suppose I could get a neighbor to set it up and move it in and out of the garage, but I hate bothering neighbors.

I'm healing well....start heart therapy today. Started driving late last week even though dr. said not to for another couple of weeks. I had to fire my driver last week. She scared the crap out of me every time she took me anywhere. If I'm going to have another heart attack, it's not going to be because of her driving. They still won't let me pick up over 5 lbs but at least I'm able to walk and get out. Suppose to take the portable defibulator off in a couple of weeks thank goodness. That's a pain to have to wear.

Looks like it might be late summer before I get to use the camper but I don't want to push my healing. Trying to do what the doctors say as much as possible.

So this spring and summer I'm living through all of your camping stories so bring them on.

David

DaveandSue · 03-25-2014, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Recovering from Heart Surgery Sucks

Well it would really suck NOT to recover.LOL.Glad you are on the mend.BIL had bypasses last year and it took him most of the summer to get back in shape.

mark0224 · 03-25-2014, 09:02 AM

Any adult, children near by? Maybe you could get them to hook you up and move your trailer for you. I know I would do it for my parents under these circumstances. Or maybe a friend that can get you out. Hope it's a speedy recovery I know I hate relying on others.

Wiscampsin · 03-25-2014, 10:41 AM

Glad you're recovering but just take your time and do things slowly. Just curious, your driver wasn't your DW was it

.

**Terier** · 03-25-2014, 11:07 AM

Having heart surgery is not easy to deal with especially when you are wanting to get out and mess around the camper. Nothing wrong with asking for assistance from others. It can also mean that you might need to accept their way might be a bit different from your way. As for firing your "driver" I can relate but unless she was in danger why not let her drive the camper to a local campground? There's little that we cannot recover from or be fixed. It might be easier to arrive after the camper is at the campground.

My dad had 6-way bypass heart surgery and he painted the entire outside of the house sooner that I would had expected. Be sure to take proper care of yourself. Please keep us updated.

Take care!

mlsa3 · 03-25-2014, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wiscampsin

Glad you're recovering but just take your time and do things slowly. Just curious, your driver wasn't your DW was it

.

Yep it was...and I'm sure she'll talk to me again before camping season opens for us.

BamaBob · 03-25-2014, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlsa3

After having double by-pass surgery on February 20, I'm healing but not nearly fast enough. I suppose I could get a neighbor to set it up and move it in and out of the garage, but I hate bothering neighbors.

So this spring and summer I'm living through all of your camping stories so bring them on.

David,

Happy to hear you are on the mend!! Had surgery recently myself (not quite that serious!) but still took a couple weeks to recover. The lesson to pass on to you is you will recover - just not as fast as you want

Ya know, it might not be a bad idea if you could get some folks to set up your rig - if nothing else so you can go out there and set a spell, maybe do some Dr. directed heart exercises, and just putter about your RV - therapy in itself (I know, I did that when I was recovering

)

Take care, get better, and live vicariously through the "no ***** there I was" camping posts this summer. Who knows, maybe you will recover quickly enough to consider coming to Goshen - hey it's a therapy goal man!

F and E Damp · 03-25-2014, 09:19 PM

I feel for you, David. I was luckier than most. I started having minor chest pains which developed over a few days to where I needed to sit down to get my breath back on a 20-minute level-ground walk with the dogs.

I called my GP, got the first appointment at 08:20 the next morning and was on the operating table at St. Joseph's hospital in Bellingham (70 miles away) that same afternoon. An angioplasty op, 4 stents, two nights in hospital and it's like it never happened.

Bottom line - if you feel any chest pains, no matter how minor, particularly if accompanied by shortness of breath, get thee to a doctor ASAP. An angioplasty beats open heart surgery hands down.

OldCoot · 03-25-2014, 09:28 PM

The 5th time of feeling like someone was choking me (2 in St. Louis, 1 on an airplane, 2 @ home), after the 2nd @ home, off to the emergency room, 1hr 15 minutes later, in my room with a stint in. Next day went home. No problems since.

asquared · 03-25-2014, 10:24 PM

I understand your DW driving scares you, so does my DH but driving is not good.... if that portable defibrillator goes off while driving that might not be a very pretty sight as those things can literally knock you from a standing position to the floor. Also a sudden twist/jerk could destabilize the wires holding your sternum together while it heals requiring another surgery to repair that. remember they cut your sternum in half to do the surgery, it protects your heart and broken bones take time to heal.

sorry I'm not closer to you or I would be glad to set your rig up for you. maybe now is a good time to teach your DW. it is really good to have both of you knowledgeable in this task. this way if, god forbid, your ticker acts up again, she can manage the rig. hope you are better soon

Oakman · 03-26-2014, 04:55 AM

I hope your recovery is complete and speedy. Do what they tell you to do during your heart rehab. I was lucky, I only needed to have a stent put in my left coronary artery this past December. My rehab and recovery was relatively fast. I completely understand about the “other” driver. It’s tough giving up control of the machine to someone who has different driving techniques.

mgtann · 03-26-2014, 08:52 AM

Glad to hear your recovery is going ok. the important thing is to take your time follow your Dr's instructions for a full recovery and the camping will follow. take care and don't over do it

F and E Damp · 03-26-2014, 09:14 PM

It's lucky that your DW's can physically fit the driving position. We didn't discover until after we'd bought our Georgetown that there was no vertical adjustment on the driver's seat and no telescopic adjustment of the steering column.

At close to 5' 10", I have no problem, but DW is under 5' and is short in the leg. She cannot get a seat position where she can reach the pedals and not be too close to the steering wheel.

I drove transit for a couple of years after retiring from Boeing, and the agency had Gillig coaches. They had Recaro drivers' seats with more adjustments you can imagine and steering columns with a universal joint near the floor and another one about 18" from the wheel with a telescopic section. You could adjust the driving position to suit anyone from 4'6" to 7'. If I were to start over, a Gillig chassis (or one from another transit coach builder) would be an unwavering requirement.

Rupkin2 · 03-26-2014, 09:47 PM

I had a triple by-pass or cabbage as they seem to call it here on June 21, 2011.

July 9th I walked my daughter down the aisle (that was close)
Mid August I'm golfing, well light swings. Lets not be silly here......

Seems the doctor didn't think that was such a good idea, theres a possibility the fibers in the bone might separate and not heal properly...........hmph........oops.

Anyway,........ what I really wanted to say or ask was.......for all of you out there........... that had a coranary by-pass.............when you finally came too........ did anyone of you manage to get the license plate of that bus that ran you over!

They don't tell you that part! Oh ya then they scream at you to breath,
I have 2 pancakes they call lungs, I'll get right on that breathing thing.....

I laugh now, but the memory is still there, the bus that is.

John

Glad you made it MLSA3

mlsa3 · 03-27-2014, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rupkin2

I had a triple by-pass or cabbage as they seem to call it here on June 21, 2011.

Anyway,........ what I really wanted to say or ask was.......for all of you out there........... that had a coranary by-pass.............when you finally came too........ did anyone of you manage to get the license plate of that bus that ran you over!

They don't tell you that part! Oh ya then they scream at you to breath,
I have 2 pancakes they call lungs, I'll get right on that breathing thing.....

I laugh now, but the memory is still there, the bus that is.

John

Glad you made it MLSA3

Maybe I'm one of the odd ones or just have a high pain tolerance but I've had little pain after my surgery. I AM sore in the chest and arm where they cut me but as far as actual pain there is none. Now, I was in pain while I was having the heart attack. I still get out of breath pretty easily but hopefully the heart therapy will help with that.

wfmdfm · 03-27-2014, 09:43 AM

Recovery is good!! At 30 I had open heart surgery. Been very active since with zero restrictions. I am 53 now and just had my 3rd pacemake installed in July. Skiied 2 days last week and 2 days the week before. I feel the key is to stay active and not fall into a do nothing rut. Camping will help but ask for help. I think you will find every one is eager to help your recovery. Good Luck.
Wally

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