Getting on (with life)

Checked in with my cardiologist yesterday. Reports from Medtronic have shown no afib for over a year. No other "incidents" either. This, along with pulmonary tests in January that showed no change, leads me to believe that I may actually live a while yet! However, as I've been telling my doctors, it sure seems like I ought to feel a lot better than I do. I still have slight shortness of breath with exertion--dr says I should lose the extra weight I put on during lockdown. I am very sleepy a lot of the time--dr says I really need to give CPAP another try. I can't walk for as long as I'd like without pain--dr says my hip is now to bone-on-bone. In other words, I'm not 20 years old anymore, as much as I sometimes think I am (usually before I get out of bed & face reality). 

I am 60+ & have a body that has taken some lumps. I have come out pretty OK though--I can't walk for miles, but I can still walk. I get tired, but when I do, I rest. I have pain, but sometime soon, thanks to medical science, a shiny new hip may be coming my way. Time marching on has allowed me to see my children start their own lives. My age & experience has shown me that I can get through just about anything, so I worry less & relax more. 

This is written slightly tongue-in-cheek, but after an "interesting" couple of years, I think it is time to just live. But just now I may take a nap!  ;) 

4 Comments

What a positive message

by Gemita - 2022-03-13 06:42:13

TLee,

No AFib for over a year;  that is some achievement considering how much you were suffering when you started your pacemaker journey.  A pacemaker, medication, determination and listening to your body is clearly working well for you.  

Yes you should be feeling better with a zero AFib episode report but on this occasion I agree with your doctors - you have other conditions going on too that cannot be helped by a pacemaker like sleep apnea, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, ? extra weight, a bad hip and having to take medication like Tikosyn and antidepressants that may cause fatigue and other unwanted symptoms.  In fact I am surprised you are feeling as well as you are!   

You sound extremely positive, focussing on what you can do.  I still try to push myself beyond my limits sometimes and it is exhausting.  I also take naps and this lifts my spirits, clears my head and helps me to do things more effectively afterwards.  

Please keep returning with your positive messages.  We need more of them to lift our spirits in these difficult times xx

Life

by Selwyn - 2022-03-13 09:11:09

Another year older and no change.

Celebrate!

"Gather ye rose buds while you may, arthritis may set in any day"!

Whatever you are on, we should all have a dose.

 

Keep on Livin'

by MinimeJer05 - 2022-03-14 09:32:10

TLEE,

First off, thank YOU for the inspiration. I know your post is full of things that you have had to overcome and must make things very difficult for you at times, but let me be the first to tell you that I read it as inspiring and powerful.

You are a STRONG person that isn't taking no for an answer. I respect and appreciate the fact that you have lived a good life and have had some life experience and yet are still moving forward, despite the occasional pain, tiredness and general "not feeling great".

It can be very difficult recovering from any sort of surgery or change to the body and it looks like you are doing a great job, all things considered.

As you said -- you are not 20 anymore, but time to spend less time worrying and more time living.

I applaud your positive attitude and your constant ability to keep pushing forward, despite the obstacles that were placed in front of you.

Please, keep on living your life and enjoying everything that you can!

Jer

Getting on

by TAC - 2022-03-15 13:00:50

At the of 60, you should be in better physical shape. Try to lose weight, use the C-Pap machine and keep on walking despite the pain. Those three things wil save your life and you will live many more decades. People with sleep apnea, feel sleepy all the time. Overweight people have low tolerance to physical excertion. Your heart is still in good shape.

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This is my second Christmas with my pacemaker and I am so happy to be with my family.