PROGRESS REPORT, WEEK FOUR

It has been four weeks since my open heart surgery, and I am just now beginning to feel like things are eventually going to be all right. I would never have anticipated all the various little aches and pangs that would have come along with the recovery, and I am not entirely sure what is the precise cause of many of the many hurts I have experienced.

Of course, the main source of much of my soreness is the result of having my chest opened for the three bypasses. That alone requires a lot of stress on the ribcage and the healing process is slow, taking about six weeks to mend itself and six months to return to near normal. I can’t imagine what other skeletal and musculature trauma just the operation causes.

After an uncomfortable week in recovery, I was still in quite a lot of discomfort, especially when trying to lie prone in bed to rest or sleep. This let to a most uncomfortable week and eventually to a visit with my primary doctor. What I had not figured out until a week or ten days after surgery was that the pain in my back had been caused by the rear-end collision I was in a couple of days before the surgery on my heart. Prescriptions for pain medications and a muscle relaxant gave quick relief for sleeping at night, but because the daytime effect also caused deep sleepiness (grogginess) I have elected to only take those meds at bedtime. Consequently, during the second half of each day the pain in my back grows increasingly hard to endure.

I am into a simple routine of rising to make my bed and (usually) shower. Then comes “weigh-in”, taking my blood pressure, a blood sugar reading, and the recording all those indicators. Morning medications come along with breakfast: either a hot or cold cereal, a healthy “smoothie” which includes yogurt and protein powder and a bit of “breakfast” mix, or a poached egg on a piece of toast. Sometimes I’ll add a bit of fruit also. It’s a good start, and I’m slowly getting used to eating early in the day. If there is any advantage so far, it may be that I am less hungry later in the day. Anyway, I am under 200 lbs on my home scale as of this morning, for the first time perhaps since we moved south from Alaska.

I have been all over the house with “projects” in mind, but I have not really tackled many of them. I did work on pruning and untangling the grape vines (red = canadace; white = interlaken; blue = concord). That took place over several days to make it easier on me and to work around the rain showers. I have begun updating my book inventory, starting with the paperback sets. These are kept in about fifteen banker’s boxes and require checking titles on hand with an on-line reference of titles available so I can list and record the books I have and discover any issues I am missing. That puts my shopping list in place too.

As I go from room to room I suppose I should be making a list of all the tasks and chores I would like to take on as my recovery allows. I have twenty-five years of filing to sort through, and although I have culled much of this material a couple of times in years past, it is still not really organized and minimized. Also during those twenty-five years in this house, quite a lot of odds and ends have accumulated and claimed storage space that might be put to better use. Some of you know that I have been on a gradual program of reducing clutter and unneeded or unwanted items. I actually made nearly two grand by selling the cream of these castoffs on eBay; perhaps another effort like that would realize a few more dollars for that “sugar-bowl” account.

By resting frequently and adding a nap to most afternoons, I am getting better and stronger. I am making a serious effort to eat wisely and have discouraged friends, family, and my weekly Bible group from leaving their leftovers here in my refrigerator. Today, my brother Marty comes for a couple of weeks to help out and be around for Betty’s memorial on the 28th. We will try to continue steady progress on several fronts and get out a little when possible.

THE MEMORIAL: All of our friends are reminded of the memorial on Saturday the 28th at the Vancouver Church of Christ. It will be at 1:00 PM and will be followed at 2:00 by an ice cream social (at Betty’s request). Ice cream, according to her was the perfect food and surely a gift from above. Bring your favorite flavor and any topping you especially prefer and we will enjoy swapping stories of my favorite lady. Feel free to pass along this announcement and encourage anyone who would to join in the hour of tribute and thanksgiving to attend.

PS If you are coming from out of town, please drop us a note or give us a call so we can anticipate seeing you at the service. We don’t want to miss anyone, but especially if you are traveling a ways to be here.