Sharing my journey as I continue my recovery from a quadruple heart bypass.
It has been an interesting few weeks.
My father, who lives back in England, messaged me to say he had been to hospital for tests which eventually had identified that he ...
Well it's been three weeks now since I went back to work following my heart surgery and time away to recover and it's going okay...
The "welcome back" reception that I have had from friends and colleagues has been amazing. I don't think I truly ...
I am writing this on my last weekend before I return to work after three months off recovering from a quadruple heart bypass.
I can actually say that for the most part I have no pain at the moment. I am able to move freely and without restriction and ...
It’s the morning on New Year’s Eve 2020 as I share these thoughts. It has been a challenging year for everyone with the pandemic. A year that has tested our resilience in our families and communities.
For me, 2020 has been the hardest year in my life, from the loss of ...
At this time of year we are all reminded about what’s really important - a time for family and friends.
For me, I have never been so grateful for reaching Christmas this year and feel so lucky that I am able to spend it with my wife and ...
The last few days have been rough...
An endless pattern of four hours of disturbed sleep for the last week together with the return of chronic chest and back pain have hit me hard.
Don’t get me wrong, this is nothing like the pain before my bypass surgery ...
I realized that I haven’t shared some of the supports that I have been given or provided with to help my recuperation after major heart surgery.
In trying to help others understand what they could face in their own journey with heart disease and surgery, I think it ...
The days continue with the enforced routine of my current mobility and the pandemic restrictions. We are largely house bound with only an occasional medical appointment on the horizon to break up the weeks.
But I only ...
As the days pass by and the visible signs of my heart bypass operation start to heal, I want to do more for myself and to help around the house. Add to that the fact that I have never had so much time off work before and that my brain is starting ...
I was able to FaceTime my kids today, the first time since before I went to hospital. It was wonderful to speak again, although a little tearful at times for me in any case. We were all relieved that the critical stuff was over as the last time we ...
Five days from being admitted for surgery I am now at home on the long path to recovery from a quadruple heart bypass operation.
The simple fact is there. How amazing is it that I can go for major surgery and be back at home in under a week. ...
It was around 6am on the Wednesday when I had a visit from the Doctor. He told me that the plan that day was to remove the tubes from my side that were draining the air pocket from around my lung.
It’s going to sting a little
Isn’t ...
It seems strange, looking back that I went for surgery on the Friday and my posts since surgery only take me to the Sunday morning, where I pick this up again.
The new pain from yesterday’s procedure on my lung was under control now albeit that ...
The medical team, while doing their usual checks, found a build up of fluid in my right lung. I was told this was quite common after major surgery and one of the ways to clear it is to simply cough it up.
So with bypass surgery ...
After five hours in surgery they moved me to the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit.
Coming round and still under the anaesthetic, I was mindful enough to know that I had made it! I could sense she was there at my side. ...
We had booked an Uber to take us to the Mazankowski Heart Institute at 5.30am on the Friday. My wife didn’t need to drive and park on top of everything that was to follow this day.
We held hands in the car, didn’t really talk and like all life ...
If you’re reading this, then my surgery is going ahead and I will already be at the hospital.
I hope, deeply hope, that I will be able to continue to journal after the operation and to share what it is like to recover from open heart surgery.
This ...
I had confirmation today that I am still scheduled for surgery on Friday.
I am ready for it now because my whole condition is just holding me and my family back. I need to go in to this and come out the other side so that I can live life again.
The Heart Institute emailed to say that I was getting postponed again. Disappointing to get this message by email.
Not enough intensive care beds it seems because of the pressure of COVID cases. I get it.
I do get it. ...
My surgery has been postponed a week until October 1st. With the constant pain and the fact that our lives are on hold,
I just want to get this done now.
Upside? The extra time is going to take the pressure off ...
Went looking for the bag I had planned to use for hospital and couldn’t find it…
…suddenly made me realize how little prepared I am for the operation later this week and how I have been hiding from the whole thing.
Maybe only twelve before I should be back home recovering. They say it’s usually a week before you are discharged. Two days in intensive care and then the rest of the time on the ward.
It seems to be betting harder every day ...
Feel weary, I have chest pain even when I am taking it slow and then a relentless ache the rest of the time.
I have been trying to connect with my cardiologist as I don’t know for sure what the surgeons plan to do but even that is hard ...
I go back to work tomorrow after 10 days dominated by medical appointments.
The medical theatre staff told me during the angiogram that my diagnosis was pretty clear…
Three ...
It is now three days since the angiogram, I’ve removed the dressing and I managed to clean up my wrist a little.
During the angiogram, they injected a special dye into the coronary artery in my wrist with via a catheter (special tube).
Most of the bruising ...
Following a physical “stress test,” I went for a CT scan on Monday at the hospital. It took several hours to complete, from the initial preparation to leaving. I am told to expect the results in 1-2 weeks from now.
Cardiology called me today to let me know that the ...
Each day I carry on with life, the ups and the downs, the fun times and sometime the sad moments.
I’ve recently recognized that I have been pushing myself for nearly twenty years to achieve more with my life, to challenge ...
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