recovering from heart surgery
- Thread starter KewlJ
- Start date
Have not received all the bills yet. I don't get the bills until after the insurance has paid whatever they are paying, so it takes a little while. But I will add it up and let you know. But really whatever that number is, isn't that an artificially inflated number? I mean the numbers they submit to insurance companies are not the amounts a person paying cash would pay. But I will share what the total number (inflated) is when I get everything.
I also had a bit of a complication in that I was released from the hospital on a Thursday afternoon. By Saturday, I had developed an infection and fever and Saturday night was admitted to a cardiac rehab facility for a few days. Do you want that included or are you only interested in the hospital/surgical costs?
I also had a bit of a complication in that I was released from the hospital on a Thursday afternoon. By Saturday, I had developed an infection and fever and Saturday night was admitted to a cardiac rehab facility for a few days. Do you want that included or are you only interested in the hospital/surgical costs?
Thank you Morphy. Six weeks today and really feeling much better. I dare say "almost" back to my normal self. Just still a little less energy than usual. No or very little pain or discomfort now. But since the sternum really takes 10-12 weeks to heal completely, you just have to be careful not to do anything too strenuous or too physical that would put too much stress on that healing breast bone. So, while I am feeling pretty good, better everyday, I have to remember no tackle football for the next six weeks. Shouldn't be too hard since I haven't played tackle football in years. lol
The first month is really a bi*ch, but is really amazing that once you start to improve, how quickly things go. You see and feel improvement almost every day until you feel back to normal which is just about where I am.
When I stop and think about it....really think about this procedure....it is truly amazing. They open up a human body completely and make repairs or replacement parts to the human heart of all organs. And while yes there are a few pretty bad weeks, six weeks later you are good to go, and get on with your life that has been extended. Wow!
Six weeks ago today was that day I described in my first post, waking up with your arms strapped to your sides and tubes in your nose, chest, arms and penis. And a machine breathing for you. And yesterday, I attended the Eagles football game and felt great. Six weeks....amazing. Makes you grateful to be living in these times of such medical advancements and possibilities.
The first month is really a bi*ch, but is really amazing that once you start to improve, how quickly things go. You see and feel improvement almost every day until you feel back to normal which is just about where I am.
When I stop and think about it....really think about this procedure....it is truly amazing. They open up a human body completely and make repairs or replacement parts to the human heart of all organs. And while yes there are a few pretty bad weeks, six weeks later you are good to go, and get on with your life that has been extended. Wow!
Six weeks ago today was that day I described in my first post, waking up with your arms strapped to your sides and tubes in your nose, chest, arms and penis. And a machine breathing for you.
And yesterday, I attended the Eagles football game and felt great. Six weeks....amazing. Makes you grateful to be living in these times of such medical advancements and possibilities.
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I hope it is ok that I bump this non-blackjack related thread to comment on Arnold Schwarzenegger's recent open heart surgery to replace a heart valve.
Arnold has never been one of my favorite actors. I am not really a sci-fi kind of guy and his comedy attempts seemed to miss the mark for me. But of course still wishing him well after his surgery to replace a heart valve on Friday. Arnold is about twice my age at 70, but I am sure he has top notch doctors and hope for a speedy recovery.
There were some similarities to my own heart surgery last October. Like myself, this was Arnold's second replacement. He got 21 years from his first replaced valve, where I only got 6. 20 years is about average, although they think and hope the newer models will be lasting longer.
My surgery, this second time around was scheduled rather quickly. I found out on Saturday that I would be having surgery 2 days later. First thing my doctor did was tell me that I wasn't a candidate for newer less invasive robotic or catheter type surgery, of which I knew nothing about. Reason given was too much scar tissue from original surgery. I never figured out why the doctor would tell me there is a new less invasive procedure, but you are not a candidate. That was not helpful.
So Arnold was originally scheduled for one of these newer less invasive procedures. However during the procedure, something happened (as yet unexplained) and they had to switch back to emergency open heart surgery. I'll be interested to find out more details if they are ever released.
So while neither Arnold, nor myself benefited from these newer less invasive procedures this time, it is encouraging to know they are progressing in this area. In my mid 30's and with these things normally lasting 20-25 years, I face a reasonable good possibility of needing yet another replacement at some point in my life. But with any luck it won't be the open heart, break the ribs open, painful/long recovery procedure both Arnold and myself have had to endure a second time.
Here's hoping for a speedy and minimally discomfort recovery to Arnold.
Arnold has never been one of my favorite actors. I am not really a sci-fi kind of guy and his comedy attempts seemed to miss the mark for me. But of course still wishing him well after his surgery to replace a heart valve on Friday. Arnold is about twice my age at 70, but I am sure he has top notch doctors and hope for a speedy recovery.
There were some similarities to my own heart surgery last October. Like myself, this was Arnold's second replacement. He got 21 years from his first replaced valve, where I only got 6. 20 years is about average, although they think and hope the newer models will be lasting longer.
My surgery, this second time around was scheduled rather quickly. I found out on Saturday that I would be having surgery 2 days later. First thing my doctor did was tell me that I wasn't a candidate for newer less invasive robotic or catheter type surgery, of which I knew nothing about. Reason given was too much scar tissue from original surgery. I never figured out why the doctor would tell me there is a new less invasive procedure, but you are not a candidate. That was not helpful.
So Arnold was originally scheduled for one of these newer less invasive procedures. However during the procedure, something happened (as yet unexplained) and they had to switch back to emergency open heart surgery. I'll be interested to find out more details if they are ever released.
So while neither Arnold, nor myself benefited from these newer less invasive procedures this time, it is encouraging to know they are progressing in this area. In my mid 30's and with these things normally lasting 20-25 years, I face a reasonable good possibility of needing yet another replacement at some point in my life. But with any luck it won't be the open heart, break the ribs open, painful/long recovery procedure both Arnold and myself have had to endure a second time.
Here's hoping for a speedy and minimally discomfort recovery to Arnold.
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