Back From Outerspace

Hi Everyone,

Well I am back finally from outer space. I would have wrote earlier but the general anesthesia they gave me well lets just say is was not a pretty site and I forgot how to speak English and be nice .

My hospital stay was a true nightmare, never again there, was the first time at that crazy place, The surgery went well I have a wonderful doctor. That being said.

I have quite a bit of pain, ( I know Don :-) allot more than I thought, have just been taking advil all day as I am still really loopy from the drugs.

I can not get in a good position in bed i feel like I have a 10 pound weight that is going to fall out of my chest. My mouth is cut on the inside and my throat hurts .. waaaaaaaa.. I am feeling sorry for myself.

But I have soooooo much energy... OMG, I could go a 10k run right now if I was not in so much pain.

I almost hit the trifeta, He did the EP study first but fell short this time finding the fast beat to ablate. They took out the loop monitor and it showed HR in 35 ,40,32, 150 ,180

They put in the Medtronics MRI safe and did std settings 72 low 150 high. Dule chamber. I did have the Medtronics guy as you requested :-) , give me a full print out of my new friend which I have yet to name. I am not sure of the settings but boy and I going fast.
I am so use to feeling my heart pounding I do not feel anything now, kinda freaking me out.

I am already having a issue with my left arm its like scrunched up I am trying to move it all over gently to keep it mobile , and my shoulder and top of the back feels like I got hit with a hammer.

Just before I went under I looked and was talking to my Dr's team, they all looked like rugby players, big guys and I thought I am in trouble lol.. They were not gentle that is sure ..

But I feel sooo much better, I can think better, I can breath better, I do not need a nap, wow it like I dont belong to me anymore. Its kind of strange. But in a good way.

I will read more if I can find the link on the settings, he has it on when needed now, most of the stuff is turned off. I am not sure if 72 is to high after being at 55 most of the time.

I am so glad I found all of you before I went in , It made me much calmer when I woke up and got home . So again I THANK YOU ALL .. I will post to you on my wonderful hospital say its quite funny or scary under the proper post.
all of you will get a kick out of it ..

Oh and my hands are actually warm for the first time in 15 years my hubby is sooo happy ...

Going to pop some advill and figure out what not to do and what to do today i am still freaked out about the ARM.. do not move the arm....


I hope all of you are well .. talk soon I posted this in the wrong place earlier sorry for the double.

Cynthia

6 Comments

Glad for you

by Theknotguy - 2013-12-19 03:12:35

Glad everything is going good for you. Keep doing mild exercise so your arm doesn't get stiff. Keep thinking about the future so you don't get anchored in the past. Drink plenty of water - I did three liters a day - it really seemed to help. Take Tylenol when it gets too bad.

Hang in there. Life gets better!

Theknotguy

Sounds pretty good

by KAG - 2013-12-19 06:12:07

Sounds like overall it went well and you're doing the right things. Take it easy at first and give yourself time to heal. I wouldn't worry to much about the settings until you can start doing more normal activities. Your body needs time to adjust to its new buddy. Though feel free to ask some questions about modes etc... if you want.

Glad you're feeling better energy wise, the rest will come in time.

Take Care
Kathy

Getting Better

by cindyredd - 2013-12-20 09:12:00

Hi everyone

Well today is day 4, feeling better.still hurting quite a bit .Advil is my new best friend and my ice pack.I did not realize the trauma I was going to go through. I am such a HYPER person always running..finding it very hard to relax especially now that I do not feel like the dead all the time I really feel mentally like doing a ten k run lol. Boy I just did not realize how crummy I have been feeling especially the past two years. I mean I knew but I just kept running all day anyway napping every time I could get a chance. I am no where recovered and I feel so alert and energetic.
I am on my tablet again so sorry for the spelling.
I am taking all your advise!!!!! Rest, ice,water,moving the arm a little,shoulder a tad to keep mobile.

Only problem that I am having other than pain, I had allot done removal of the loop,ep,pm. Is
I can't find a good position to sleep when I finally do I can't get up,lol getting a stabing pain in the back of my shoulder I assume its a nerve form the linebackers that worked on me they looked just like they all came out not the sons of anchary movie, mine of my favorite shows.

I am a bit short of breath kinda of like I took a brisk walk once and a while.

I can feel the pm working here and there a bit freely at first.

I feel these are so minor compared to some of you who are such a inspiration and have gone through much worse than me.

I am a bit bummed hoping that I will be able to cross train in six weeks right now I have a hard time with my mastiffs dog bowl lol...

The best to all of you!!!

Cynthia

pillows

by ohiolaura - 2013-12-20 10:12:12

I found putting an extra pillow inbetween my left arm and side helped,it kept the left arm,pm side up some,taking any pressure off of it being down more.I used to be a stomach sleeper,before the pm,had to adjust for awhile.
Im back to sleeping however I want,and its all good.
I agree,my mind can focus on my HR and feel each beat now,I do my best at thinking of something else,and do fall asleep then,without freaking out.
In the beginning,be patient,it can take time,it did for me,so don't be too hard on yourself.
Im sure you will get the green light from your Dr,you have tons of time ahead of you to work out,be smart now,it will pay off.
I know what you mean about being beat up,I was pounded also,but by a little Asian Dr,with a tough hand,all I know is it felt like she was kneading bread on my chest,beating me to a pulp!
Rest,read,and be patient,and congrats on the warm hands,thats a good thing!
Laura

You're adjusting

by KAG - 2013-12-20 11:12:51

to your new little buddy. It can take a little time. I recall that finding a comfortable sleeping position was a challenge. I like to sleep on my side, right or left, and with my PM on the left side that was out for a while. I found that using pillows to support back, legs, arms helped a bit. Mostly it was time. I can now sleep on my left side but as donr pointed out in a post (good read if you find yourself focused on your heart beats), your heart is suspended and laying on your left side puts it in a place where often you can feel the beats. Especially lying in bed with your mind focused on it. Guess I'm now a primarily right sider. LOL

Have a Happy Holiday
Kathy

2.5 weeks out : Doing great : Need Sleep

by cindyredd - 2014-01-03 10:01:37

Hi Everyone..

First of all a Wonderful happy New Year to all of you. I dont know about you but I am pooped out! Nothing like getting a PM 10 days before the holidays and saying you cant do anything. " Right" :-)

Well I did have my adjustment, again, Took HR from 60 to 70 and adjusted the RR to 6, I must say I feel pretty good.

Scar is healing nice, I still Hurt ? ouch..
New Issue: I cant sleep all night. And I love my 8 Hours.
Two things are happening. Well actually three.
1) I really fall asleep fast :-) which I never did before
2) I wake up every night at 2.10 AM Like i just had a coffee. I really could vacuum the house if I did not force myself to go back to bed.
3) Then I wake again at 4.15 like clock work.

Finally I wake at 5.55 am and thats it I am UP!.

Pre PM I was always tired and everyday at 3pm I took a good two hour nap. Well those days are gone. But I am not getting quality sleep.

Now I have searched your site and read allot. I do have a night mode on my PM, However I did find out that if you put the " sleep mode on " then automatically the RR is turned off until you awake.

My Issue is two fold with my HR, I go Brady and Vaso sometimes very fast at night when I lay down to 45/35 hence I also from this get Possible at times Tachy/Afib from the sudden drop.

Yes I am getting to the Point? lol..
Will turning on the sleep mode affect these drops I get? I do not want to have them change it and then have to go back in and change it again.However I Need some sleep.

I have read that many of you have had this issue and that is also takes time to adjust to the higher HR and be able to sleep. Like I said I am falling asleep just not staying there.

Best to all of you .....

Cynthia

You know you're wired when...

Your electric tooth brush interferes with your device.

Member Quotes

Your anxiety is normal. It takes some of us a little time to adjust to the new friend. As much as they love you, family and friends without a device just cannot understand the adjustment we go through. That is why this site is so valuable.