Week Seven: Rehab Phase commences
Everybody has a heart story they're bursting to tell, bless 'em.
I've lost count on the number of times good neighbours and buds, who have tried to relate about one of their friends, who has a friend; or who knows somebody, who all report this week's recovery will be better than the last. It's tempting to sip their sweet cool-aid.
Mostly, this has been true. There's no doubt in my case, I've advanced great strides between where I was six weeks ago; to where I am now, even though I've been all over the recovery terrain these past 10 days.
What I found out recently, is that life-operations of this scope can be traumatic, that impact differently on each recovering patient. Expect good, bad and sideways weeks, which may bring on unforeseen healing delays, bouts of sadness or depression. The wellness counselor at our introductory Rehab Program earlier in the week, says potential setbacks of these sorts are quite normal. The big takeaway was finding out, for example, the subtle differences between exhaustion and depression. This is good to know. I feel most stress and anxiety scenarios have by and large, by-passed our house.
For no reason lately, I have felt exhausted after limited activity. I didn't want to drive. Walking has been sporadic and only for short distances. Often, a cocktail of daily drugs, leave a metallic after-taste. Understandably, I haven't even wanted a glass of wine, which some friends who know me well, might consider this type of a reaction to be early grounds for heresy. These responses were unexpected through major portions of Week Six, until quite recently. It could have been the continued overcast November weather. Whatever, I was completely unmotivated to any form of physical activity and most social interaction. I don't know why this bout arrived or when it left, but I think this phase is now behind me. 'Bout time, too.
There's also good news to report. Let me tell you more about the "Hearts In Motion" cardiac rehabilitation program, that is made available to all by-pass and angiogram out-patients within our community. What a dedicated bunch! Their assembled team is complete with an on-site physician, registered nurses, kinesi- ologist / exercise specialist, dietitian, social worker, pharmacist and physiotherapist.
I've two more morning introductory sessions to complete before the end of the month. By that time, there will be no more excuses, for any further heart train wrecks over the horizon. Their goal is to simply provide us with support in creating lifestyle modifications needed to reduce heart hazards and improve our quality of life.
I'm hopefully going to learn a lot of simple, straight forward stuff: what to expect during the healing process; how to reduce cholesterol levels and blood pressure, effective and safe exercise programs, prepare for a return to healthy lifestyle changes. And to start sweating alongside new friends in similar circumstance.
There's more news of a sort to report. I'm now begrudgingly stuck at minus-seven on the weight scale (a minor miracle it seems, with Christmas season fast approaching. The perfect weight storm awaits.) This was not totally unexpected. It may be an excellent time to chat up the dietitian, with an end-goal to tip minus-twenty before Spring.
On a slightly more serious vein, there should be more of us in our intro discussion group, than there are. Our class has about 15 persons -- several are angiogram out-patients, the rest of us are by-pass grads. One chap is in his late 40's. I'm next on the age scale. The balance are all seriously northward of 70 years -- in class, and on the main floor beating up the aerobic machines. Do the math. Our local hospital churns over 20 beds every ten days, or so, on the by-pass side. And I can attest, the angiogram folk are a busy group, too. My sense is, you need to have a determined will to want to place this recovery stage behind you. More importantly, you need a full time able caregiver, especially in the early recovery weeks. I'd like to quietly revisit this area early in the new year. Hopefully I'm wrong, but this seems to be an area not dwelled upon by many specialists within the cardiac recovery industry. Somewhere between hospital discharge and Rehab, the cardiac recovery system seems flawed.
In the meantime though, I've got individual assessments with their Registered Nurse, a Registered Dietitian, a planned upcoming stress test and a Kinesiologist's report for a customized exercise program. Clearly, my pre-Christmas recovery plate is quite full. If I want, their on-site exercise program could take me well into the Summer period of 2007.
Exercise rehab starts two days after Christmas. What a year!
I've lost count on the number of times good neighbours and buds, who have tried to relate about one of their friends, who has a friend; or who knows somebody, who all report this week's recovery will be better than the last. It's tempting to sip their sweet cool-aid.
Mostly, this has been true. There's no doubt in my case, I've advanced great strides between where I was six weeks ago; to where I am now, even though I've been all over the recovery terrain these past 10 days.
What I found out recently, is that life-operations of this scope can be traumatic, that impact differently on each recovering patient. Expect good, bad and sideways weeks, which may bring on unforeseen healing delays, bouts of sadness or depression. The wellness counselor at our introductory Rehab Program earlier in the week, says potential setbacks of these sorts are quite normal. The big takeaway was finding out, for example, the subtle differences between exhaustion and depression. This is good to know. I feel most stress and anxiety scenarios have by and large, by-passed our house.
For no reason lately, I have felt exhausted after limited activity. I didn't want to drive. Walking has been sporadic and only for short distances. Often, a cocktail of daily drugs, leave a metallic after-taste. Understandably, I haven't even wanted a glass of wine, which some friends who know me well, might consider this type of a reaction to be early grounds for heresy. These responses were unexpected through major portions of Week Six, until quite recently. It could have been the continued overcast November weather. Whatever, I was completely unmotivated to any form of physical activity and most social interaction. I don't know why this bout arrived or when it left, but I think this phase is now behind me. 'Bout time, too.
There's also good news to report. Let me tell you more about the "Hearts In Motion" cardiac rehabilitation program, that is made available to all by-pass and angiogram out-patients within our community. What a dedicated bunch! Their assembled team is complete with an on-site physician, registered nurses, kinesi- ologist / exercise specialist, dietitian, social worker, pharmacist and physiotherapist.
I've two more morning introductory sessions to complete before the end of the month. By that time, there will be no more excuses, for any further heart train wrecks over the horizon. Their goal is to simply provide us with support in creating lifestyle modifications needed to reduce heart hazards and improve our quality of life.
I'm hopefully going to learn a lot of simple, straight forward stuff: what to expect during the healing process; how to reduce cholesterol levels and blood pressure, effective and safe exercise programs, prepare for a return to healthy lifestyle changes. And to start sweating alongside new friends in similar circumstance.
There's more news of a sort to report. I'm now begrudgingly stuck at minus-seven on the weight scale (a minor miracle it seems, with Christmas season fast approaching. The perfect weight storm awaits.) This was not totally unexpected. It may be an excellent time to chat up the dietitian, with an end-goal to tip minus-twenty before Spring.
On a slightly more serious vein, there should be more of us in our intro discussion group, than there are. Our class has about 15 persons -- several are angiogram out-patients, the rest of us are by-pass grads. One chap is in his late 40's. I'm next on the age scale. The balance are all seriously northward of 70 years -- in class, and on the main floor beating up the aerobic machines. Do the math. Our local hospital churns over 20 beds every ten days, or so, on the by-pass side. And I can attest, the angiogram folk are a busy group, too. My sense is, you need to have a determined will to want to place this recovery stage behind you. More importantly, you need a full time able caregiver, especially in the early recovery weeks. I'd like to quietly revisit this area early in the new year. Hopefully I'm wrong, but this seems to be an area not dwelled upon by many specialists within the cardiac recovery industry. Somewhere between hospital discharge and Rehab, the cardiac recovery system seems flawed.
In the meantime though, I've got individual assessments with their Registered Nurse, a Registered Dietitian, a planned upcoming stress test and a Kinesiologist's report for a customized exercise program. Clearly, my pre-Christmas recovery plate is quite full. If I want, their on-site exercise program could take me well into the Summer period of 2007.
Exercise rehab starts two days after Christmas. What a year!
posted by leisurelan at 4:23 PM
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