11 months and been meaning to give a surgery update for a little while now. Am doing very well in some ways, and not so good in others.
If you have been reading I started to try and jog for part of my morning walk, and that was going very well for about a week, then things started to go badly. I already have a bad knee, from when I was hit by a car when I was 7, and it went very bad again, to the point of me wearing a brace again, which I have tried not to do for years (as it seems to make it worse over time). And now my left hip (opposite of my knee) has been killing me for a week, even making it hard to sleep (having a knee on one side and a hip on the other does not help at all). I think I just pushed it too hard too fast.
I am still walking though, followed by sit-ups some hand weights and a kettle bell (just about 15 minutes worth) and then taking the subway to work. And I am sure that is part of the problem. The stairs are great exercise, but I carry 3 big bags, backpack with lunch, big bag with 2 large water bottles, and my briefcase with ipad and kindle and pens and stuff. So a lot of stuff. Plus all that and the lurching of the train means I could have pulled something.
And it is likely the bags over my scar that have made it a bit sore of late. And it is still pretty pink, so can’t see sunlight as of yet. And yes it is sensitive but the multiple bags really can’t be helping. Still using a pillow in the car to keep it from being rubbed.
And this will likely continue for the next 3 months, as I will be working in the same building, and pulling 12+ hour days and 5+ days a week, which means I will be really really tired soon! Wish I could get a break before this next big job starts, but it seems unlikely that will happen now, even though I could really use the break.
Overall am doing well though. Walking is not so hard (other than the other problems), but I am still getting pretty tired going up the big hill, though I no longer stop (unless it is to see the voles or ground squirrels that litter the Veterans center lawn).
Am at my lowest weight yet since my high, which is 241.9 after getting up to 258.5.
Doctor said cholesterol is high, and so is uric acid, so could have gout. Am eating salads every day for lunch and dinner, though am not good on weekends, but hopefully it will go down without further meds, as it would suck to be weaning off heart meds only to go on cholesterol meds. And am trying cherry supplements to try and lower uric acid so I don’t get gout like my father and grandfather.
Are there any recessive genes I did not get?
HI There! i wanted to say how much i appreciate your blog about this! i went to my preadmission clinic today and will be going in for my heart surgery in about a month. the visit at the hospital was good, but your blog really gave me the confidence that i will survive! the first few days look scary but i have my fingers crossed! i am a bit older than you -50- and a abit heavier! but i've been eating properly and have already lost about 15lbs…anyway, thank you for the honest reports and photos – it really takes the 'scary' away!
Glad I can be of any help. That is why I did this blog. This surgery was really scary, and I felt if anyone wanted to see my experiences of getting through it and recovering, that I should get it out there. I am really so glad to be of any help to anyone!
You can always e-mail me if you have any more questions! I love to be any help I can!