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Frank you made my day bouncing back. So glad to hear you home, best wishes for a speedy recovery. Take it easy, with your life experience there is still a ton you can pass on so no need to be in the shop to be able to post.
 
Frank,
Glad you're back... those of us in the curmudgeon category need every companion we can muster. Take care, listen to the PT's and follow their instructions... you'll be back full strength in no time.
 
Hi Frank,

I am REALLY glad you are back and on the mend. Now I won't have to buy another "Get Well" card or a stamp for the envelope.

The pain and the restrictions are lousy. But please be a good kid and do what the brains tell you to do.

Enjoy, and I do mean Enjoy your new life...Especially as the pain recedes and the lifting improves.
JimB
 
Welcome home, Frank. It's a lucky thing you had such good care available and got it when you needed it. Grit your teeth and do what the physical terrorists tell you. Getting back on your feet is what it's all about for you now.
 
Pete Simmons said:
Not sure of the exact time frame but I had similar surgery many years ago.
I went into rehab unable to open the door and it was an easy door to open.
Something like 8 or 10 weeks later I was using the rowing machine.

Hang in there Frank. Do the exercises and your strength will come back.

You know the real job of a Physical Therapist?? To push you a little further than you would go on your own because it hurts to much.
Click to expand...

A PT guy is coming later today to evaluate me.
 
Thanks, Bart. Today is my second full day at home. I got fully dressed today, including shoes. That is a milestone as I had some serious edema in legs and feet. I plan to take a short walk outside later. Little at a time.
 
Frank,

It's good to see you posting again. My second day home I tried to walk up the driveway to the street. It's about a 4' rise in 200', and I only got about a third of the way. Ten minutes later I was able to make it back to the house. I think it was over two weeks before I could make it all the way to the street. I wasn't convinced that I was going to live much longer, but each day I was able to do just a little bit more. Three months after the surgery I begai to realize how much better I was doing than in the last few years before my surgery. I was also beginning to feel about 20 years younger than I had too. That was back in 2000 and I did very well for years without any heart problems. This last few years, and just a month ago I've had to go back to have some stents put in. That surgery back in 2000 gave me a significant number of additional quality life that I wouldn't have had otherwise. I had 3 bypasses and a valve repair back then. Hopefully, the stents will buy me a few more years. One of my biggest problems was my loose ribs from where they pried me apart. They banged together like a broken shell on a hard boiled egg. I assume that they gave you that heart shaped pillow. Keep it very close so you can hang onto it when you cough or sneeze. It helps alot.

Do what they tell you and you will be fine in a few months. The exercises are tough, but they get easier to do as you get stronger. Many of us seem to have been through what you have experienced. Don't hesitate to ask if you have concerns or questions. I'm certain that we can answer them.


Charley
 
Frank,

Keep that pillow within reach for the next few months. It looks funny to walk into a restaurant with it, but keeping it close to you is more important than other's opinions. A cough or sneeze (especially a sneeze) without it to hang onto is a whole new experience in pain, something like a small A- Bomb going off inside you. If you should ever have to cough or sneeze without it, wrap your arms around your chest as tight as you can. It's not as good, but very worth doing.

At the time of my bypass surgery I was doing field service, a one man electrical department (factory rep) for a printing press importer. My territory was all 50 States, the Caribbean, and I sometimes had to help my Canadian counterpart. My absence just about brought the US office of the company to it's knees. So much so that they asked if I could just do telephone support from home, when I felt good enough, 8 days after my surgery. With my surgeon's permission I did this, helping the mechanical techs and the customers as much as I could by phone. When I was finally allowed to go back to work, I couldn't carry my suitcase or my tool box, so they sent a lesser experienced mechanical tech with me on calls, to carry my bags. Fortunately, I was quite good at telephone service, so only a few trips were necessary during this period, but it was about 6 months before I could lift the tool box out of a car trunk and put it on a luggage carrier without help (it was 1.5 lb below the airline 50 lb weight limit). I made a few trips alone with a reduced weight tool box (only the electrical tools) when I would be meeting up with a mechanical tech and used his wrenches when I occasionally needed them. I also made frequent use of skycaps and the company paid for them without question (cheaper than sending the mechanical tech with me)

In 6-8 months you are going to feel 20 years younger. Keep looking for that day. Probably about now you are beginning to appreciate this new extension on life that they gave you. I certainly was at about that time.

Charley
 
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Ed,

I worked for Adast, a Czech Republic Company. They made sheet fed offset presses in 3 sizes and from 1-6 colors. They also had a press with on-the-press digital imaging of the plates. A 5 color press with digital imaging could be imaged, registered, and ready to print a new job in 14 minutes. Unfortunately, changes in upper management, and distribution policies put them out of business in 2002. Digital printing has taken over most printing and the offset printing process is rapidly becoming a thing of the past. The North American distributor for Adast was Omnitrade Industrial (where my office was). They had sales / service offices in the US and Canada, with dealers in many parts of Canada and the US. I mostly helped the dealer service people when they needed help. I worked for them until they closed. I still help a few of my better customers whenever they need electrical help, but most have moved on to other brands and newer technology since then, and I'm getting too old to be climbing around on the presses any more.

When Adast closed, I was offered positions with several companies in the printing industry, but decided that I had enough of the printing presses and went to work as an Automation Consultant (EE) for SEDAB, Inc in Boca Raton, FL. The name SEDAB stands for Special Engineering Design and Build. They design and build new high speed manufacturing machinery for other companies. Most of my career was spent designing electrical controls for new large scale high speed manufacturing machinery and I liked doing it better than working in the printing industry. I've retired 4 times, and gone back to work each time when I was offered something "too good to refuse".

I haven't worked full time in about 10 years, but I am designing and building exhibits for the NC Science Museums, as a volunteer, whenever asked. I do everything; design, cabinet making, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, programming, etc. everything except for the graphic arts. They have departments for that. I do the smaller projects and sub assemblies in my own shop and work in their shops on the larger projects or when installing the sub assemblies.

I'm coming out of retirement again. I just took a "Fun job". I'm working part time in the Village Park, operating the train ride and the carousel. The pay isn't great, but the fun factor, and getting to make the kids and adults happy makes up for it. I do the volunteer work for the science museums for the same reason.

Charley
 
Little update: I am still home recovering. Coming along but tire easily. Today I did have the opportunity to get together with my friends from my Shrine Club for a breakfast meeting. My wife had to drive me but seeing my friends was one of the best things possible to lift my spirits and help restore my health.

All that said: Since coming home I have learned there is a scanning machine that can early detect coronary heart artery blockage like I had. There is one of these in Little Rock, Arkansas at the Heart Hospital there. Of course, not all of you could conveniently go to Little Rock for this scan. It is a non-invasive procedure that takes only seven minutes. I encourage everyone to contact your area hospitals see if one of them has this machine. If it is available to you, do use. The seven minutes could save your life. This link for info on the scan.
http://www.arheart.com/services/heartsaver-ct/
 
Keep on the mend Frank.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to post them. I, or others, will be glad to help. I was back in my shop and still carrying the pillow around to keep it within reach about 3 months after my surgery. I think I may have carried it another month after that. When the loose chest bones stop banging together and fuse back together you probably don't need it any more, but don't try to pick up anything heavy for at least 6 months from that surgery date.

Charley
 
Charles Lent said:
Keep on the mend Frank.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to post them. I, or others, will be glad to help. I was back in my shop and still carrying the pillow around to keep it within reach about 3 months after my surgery. I think I may have carried it another month after that. When the loose chest bones stop banging together and fuse back together you probably don't need it any more, but don't try to pick up anything heavy for at least 6 months from that surgery date.

Charley
Click to expand...


Charles, I may have had a different close-up technique than you. I have no looseness of the bones. The Drs said my sternum was wired back together with titanimum wires. Those will stay. And titanitum does not alarm the TSA guys at airports. So, I have given up the pillow and, fortunately, feel good in that area. Modern medicine is a miracle. I'm not lifting anything but looking forward to when I can do, at least, ten pounds.
 
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