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vifferman

Wrapping up the saga: Apparently, I'm now "Really very well".

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vifferman
, 4th December 2010 at 13:42 (3959 Views)
At least, that's what the farmer/part-time cardiac surgeon said. He has now "discharged me from his care". I have had all the followup tests (plus a few extra), and so that is basically it. My heart is now as normal as it's going to be (permanent arrhythmia and a plastic ring around the valve notwithstanding). Shame my shoulder/arm is still a bit fookt, and I now have dizzy spells my GP and cardiologist (and apparently the renowned dairy farmer/ hobby surgeon) are stumped by.
I guess you can't have everything.
I also guess I really should have asked, "What did you do to my arm while I was unconscious?" but his "Yeah, well that happens sometimes" sort of precluded much discussion about it. I reckon it had something to do with "the power tools". Or maybe not...
After...hmmm.... 5 months of physiotherapy and exercises, my left arm can now move almost as freely as my right, but is a bit weaker, and I currently have more pain than I have had for a long time, and much more often. Sometime it feels like someone is stabbing me through my shoulder with an icy cold stilletto (a very interesting and sometimes not unpleasant sensation). Mostly it just feels very tight and stiff, like the muscles have turned into wood, and very sore.

I'm not complaining. I've had an interesting experience, my life expectancy's 'normal', and all in all, I'm better off than I was. I may need some plastic surgery, if the lower couple of inches of my 'zipper' doesn't settle down and stop forming kelloidal tissue, but I'm hoping the expensive and smelly restorative cream I'm applying to it will convince it to behave. If not, well.... apparently the plastic surgery's "minor" and I feel my experiences have made me pretty well equipped to handle such trivia.
Oh and despite some determined beer drinking, most of the weight I lost during 13 days in hospital has stayed off. Bonus!

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  1. pritch's Avatar
    At a long gone Cold Kiwi I heard a guy intone, "There's a lot of roads to ride." At the time that struck me as somewhat trite.

    Years later it has eventually dawned on me that, really, he was right.

    May you still have a lot of roads to ride.

    Be well.
  2. Grumph's Avatar
    Wouldn't surprise me if they've left you on a staten drug to keep cholesterol levels low - these bloody statens can cause the dizzy spells you report. I got off them as soon as I could.

    My old man had a pacemaker installed to cure the irregular heartbeat - these seem to have gone out of fashion now,but were a very good thing at the time.

    The nerve damage from the invasive surgery and heavy power tool use will eventually pass believe it or not....

    Carry on, chin up, back on the bike soon, cheers mate.
  3. vifferman's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Grumph
    Wouldn't surprise me if they've left you on a staten drug to keep cholesterol levels low - these bloody statens can cause the dizzy spells you report. I got off them as soon as I could.
    Good thinking, but no - I was only on a low dose for a couple of weeks (simvastatin). My doctor reckoned that the benefits weren't worth the potential risks, especially given the risk profile he did said my slightly elevated cholesterol wasn't an issue. A good diet and exercise would fix that, he reckoned. Luckily too I was only on warfarin and the other drugs a very short term. Now I'm only taking one small aspirin per day.

    Quote Originally Posted by Grumph
    My old man had a pacemaker installed to cure the irregular heartbeat - these seem to have gone out of fashion now,but were a very good thing at the time.
    No, they're still doing them. The old guy in my room in the cardio ward was on his third.

    Quote Originally Posted by Grumph
    The nerve damage from the invasive surgery and heavy power tool use will eventually pass believe it or not....

    Carry on, chin up, back on the bike soon, cheers mate.
    It IS getting better - I have very close to full mobility, and just the pain to get rid of. I'm riding most days, but haven't done any fun jaunts yet. I'm keen to try out this Michelin PR2 CT, and wear out the front Storm on some twisties so I can replace that with maybe a Pilot Power or summat.

    Found out some interesting stuff today when I googled "shoulder injury due to open heart surgery". So much for it being "not a normal or forseen consequence of surgery", according to ACC. Thank goodness they thought that, or I'd be out even more money than I am, and the physio wouldn't be covered. Today's was a bitch: it was all I could do to not scream. Had acupuncture for the first time, and the physion complained I had tough skin. The prick of it going in was OK, but I thought I was going to flake when she pushed it in - felt like a knitting needle (not that I've ever been stabbed with one...)
    It's all good, and heading in the right direction.