I thought I might just mention some of the "after surgery and home again" things that people might come across because when I left the hospital, no one told me what to expect in the line of pain, 'funny feelings' or whatever. Not everyone will have the same pain or funny feelings and some might have some and not others. This is just to tell you what I've had and that they're normal.
PAIN: Yes, it's still there but not the same anymore. For the first 3 weeks, I really couldn't lie on either side very comfortably because of the incisions. Once they took the staples out, however, it got much easier and today, 24 days after the surgery, I can lie, gently at first, on either side without that hurt. It does still hurt a bit when I press on them.
HOWEVER, my skin hurts! It's not an unbearable 'quick, grab the pain meds' pain...but I know it's there...from one side to the other, front only, and just the vertical area between my breasts and belly button. Really weird but the PA said that's because the nerve endings are in our skin and they're the last to heal...and it can take several months to go completely away. Since it's not that bad, I can live with that.
FUNNY FEELINGS: I've had no problem lying on my back to sleep. In fact, I've had no problem lying on my right side most of the time. However, when I go to lie on my left side, I feel like somone punched me in the stomach...not the pain of it but the feeling you get inside...like a gasping feeling right below your sternum. The feeling goes away if I lean back slightly or have the patience to wait it out (a couple of minutes). I don't know what causes this feeling but they said it's natural and will go away in time. I have noticed it, too, when I lie on my back for the floor exercises at rehab (but not when I lie on my back when I go to bed). Strange.
May 6, 2008
Well, here it is...about 5 weeks after the surgery....and I FEEL GREAT!! The Advil is a thing of the past; I can now lie on my left side to sleep; I can walk all day without getting sob (although I do have to watch my sats; they tend to drop to 88% if I walk too fast). I still go to rehab and still use O2 when walking the track, doing the recumbent bike and for sleeping but only at 1 lpm.
About 2 weekends ago, we took a 5 1/2 hour trip down to GA to see a friend and I drove all the way down and all the way back with no O2. Walked the beach of one of the low lakes; visited with Larry for several hours; went out for dinner one night; did some shopping...all with NO O2 and NO SOB!!
I still get an occasional strange twinge here and there but I guess it's all part of healing and it isn't anything scarey anymore. I did have trouble with both legs, ankles and feet swelling for about 4 weeks after surgery but, as soon as I made an appointment with my NC pcp to have him look at it, it started to go away. It's still there a tiny bit but since it makes my ankles look better (they're normally very thin), I'm not going to complain! He took some blood to make sure it's not a lack of (or is it too much) protein. Since there's no pain, and since I do so much walking at rehab and here in the park, he's not worried about circulation or a clot.
I called to make an appointment with my regular Pennsylvania pulmo doc. I can't wait 'til he sees me with no O2 and no sob!
Oh, how can I stress it enough for all of you who read this blog....if you're on O2 24/7 and you continue to get sob with the slightest activity and if you've had any heart problems ruled out, at least get tested to see if you qualify for LVRS. It's a whole new life.
PAIN: Yes, it's still there but not the same anymore. For the first 3 weeks, I really couldn't lie on either side very comfortably because of the incisions. Once they took the staples out, however, it got much easier and today, 24 days after the surgery, I can lie, gently at first, on either side without that hurt. It does still hurt a bit when I press on them.
HOWEVER, my skin hurts! It's not an unbearable 'quick, grab the pain meds' pain...but I know it's there...from one side to the other, front only, and just the vertical area between my breasts and belly button. Really weird but the PA said that's because the nerve endings are in our skin and they're the last to heal...and it can take several months to go completely away. Since it's not that bad, I can live with that.
FUNNY FEELINGS: I've had no problem lying on my back to sleep. In fact, I've had no problem lying on my right side most of the time. However, when I go to lie on my left side, I feel like somone punched me in the stomach...not the pain of it but the feeling you get inside...like a gasping feeling right below your sternum. The feeling goes away if I lean back slightly or have the patience to wait it out (a couple of minutes). I don't know what causes this feeling but they said it's natural and will go away in time. I have noticed it, too, when I lie on my back for the floor exercises at rehab (but not when I lie on my back when I go to bed). Strange.
May 6, 2008
Well, here it is...about 5 weeks after the surgery....and I FEEL GREAT!! The Advil is a thing of the past; I can now lie on my left side to sleep; I can walk all day without getting sob (although I do have to watch my sats; they tend to drop to 88% if I walk too fast). I still go to rehab and still use O2 when walking the track, doing the recumbent bike and for sleeping but only at 1 lpm.
About 2 weekends ago, we took a 5 1/2 hour trip down to GA to see a friend and I drove all the way down and all the way back with no O2. Walked the beach of one of the low lakes; visited with Larry for several hours; went out for dinner one night; did some shopping...all with NO O2 and NO SOB!!
I still get an occasional strange twinge here and there but I guess it's all part of healing and it isn't anything scarey anymore. I did have trouble with both legs, ankles and feet swelling for about 4 weeks after surgery but, as soon as I made an appointment with my NC pcp to have him look at it, it started to go away. It's still there a tiny bit but since it makes my ankles look better (they're normally very thin), I'm not going to complain! He took some blood to make sure it's not a lack of (or is it too much) protein. Since there's no pain, and since I do so much walking at rehab and here in the park, he's not worried about circulation or a clot.
I called to make an appointment with my regular Pennsylvania pulmo doc. I can't wait 'til he sees me with no O2 and no sob!
Oh, how can I stress it enough for all of you who read this blog....if you're on O2 24/7 and you continue to get sob with the slightest activity and if you've had any heart problems ruled out, at least get tested to see if you qualify for LVRS. It's a whole new life.
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