On the road to recovery | Matters of the Heart – WFMZ Allentown

It has been nearly 8 weeks since I had open heart surgery, and I recently realized what a huge difference just a few weeks make. I'm finally feeling more normal. It's something that just kind of happens, without really realizing it at first. So here are a few aspects of life and how they've changed over these last two months.

PHYSICALLY

When I came home from the hospital in early December, I was still very fragile and frail, with a sternum that was being held together just by wires at that point. Physically, I couldn't do much and spent lots of time in a recliner. I was still in pain and took acetaminophen around the clock, but after the first few days, I adjusted and only took the pain reliever at night. Soon, I stopped taking it altogether and found myself able to tolerate being a little sore. Then--I'm not even sure when it happened-- I was no longer sore. Every once in a while, I'll still make a movement or do something for the first time that is a clear reminder of what I've been through, but overall, I'm not in pain which is wonderful!

EMOTIONALLY

Coming home from the hospital is both exciting and scary. On one hand, you get to sleep in your own bed and not be awakened in the middle of the night for a nurse to get your vital signs or the lovely 5:00am daily blood draw. On the other hand, WAIT, no one is taking my vital signs in the middle of the night?? Amazing how that can be both a bother and a comfort. Leaving the hospital and the security of the 24/7 monitoring and immediate access to highly trained aid is frightening. I had a lot of anxiety in the first couple weeks home. Is this feeling normal? What is that pain there? Am I supposed to be this sore? You would think I'd be less anxious because I've been through it before, but for some reason, I was on edge much more this time, acutely aware of every sensation. I also came to realize two things: I blocked out many feelings from last time, and since I was an emergency case last time , Id done no research and had no idea about any of the things that could go wrong. This time, I knew of so many complications and tended to play hypochondriac, but as I started to feel more normal, the Googling of symptoms subsided and I learned to trust my body again.

EXERCISE

When I first came home from the hospital, I was going on two 5-minute walks per day. I would barely make it to the corner of our street in 5 minutes. Slowly, I got faster and 5 minutes would take me farther. Then I got to add time to each walk, and eventually just go on one longer walk per day. Now I'm up to about 2 miles! I've also started a Cardiac Rehabilitation program- the same one I went through last time. Many of the same ladies still work there and are wonderful. I go three days a week and do a variety of things: treadmill, stationary bike, elliptical, dumbbells (very light weights, as I still have lifting restrictions), and an arm bike. After my very first session, I napped for 2 hours. Haha! Now, my body is getting used to it. I no longer need to nap for 2 hours afterwards, and my heart rate is settling down.

KIDS

The first question everyone asks me is if I can lift the baby. The answer is not yet, but soon! I'm very close to the point where I can. I'm waiting for an x-ray to see how things are healing and a follow up with the surgeon in order to feel comfortable lifting Charlie. Luckily, he's the most patient 14-month old and hasn't missed a beat. Colin, my 4 year-old, has also been super patient. The first few weeks after surgery, he would come sit next to me in our recliner, always asking if how he was sitting was okay for me. It was so sweet! Now, I'm able to sit on the floor and play with both boys, and sometimes (on the warm days), Colin will come on my walks with me, riding his bike alongside me (more like ahead of me, with me yelling at him to slow down and stop at the corners.)

AROUND THE HOUSE

Before I left the hospital, one of the physical therapists who worked with me gave me a reality check. "For the last 8 days, you haven't even had to reach into a cupboard for a plate," she said as she cautioned me about all the 'new' things I'd be doing at home. It's true. Before surgery, you take things like that for granted, and when you're in the hospital, nurses bring you drinks and you have meals delivered to your bedside. There are a lot of restrictions on reaching and carrying the first few weeks after open-heart surgery, and I tried to be diligent in following those, as to not set myself back. There were times where it was hard--I admit I'm a little type-A and like things done a certain way--but I tried to relax and realize dishes can wait and laundry will get done eventually. Shout out to my mom who stayed with us the first few weeks and helped with the boys and cleaning! And of course, a shout out to my rockstar husband who has been doing so much extra, all while still working!

Since I'm not back to work yet, I've really focused on health and family. I'm enjoying the time to exercise, cook healthy meals, and spend quality time with my family. I feel blessed to have the time to heal and bond, even if it came with the cost of having had open-heart surgery. There is a positive in everything; you just have to find it! I'm also working on some exciting things with the American Heart Association and can't wait to share more on that soon.

This was a long one, thanks for sticking with me and I'll be back to work in a few weeks!

Excerpt from:
On the road to recovery | Matters of the Heart - WFMZ Allentown