It's Been A Week Since Surgery
(This, the chapter wherein we see if we can beat the world's record for the longest sentence ever)
Monday November 16th, 1998
Another day has just flown right by me and I can't believe that only one week ago I was lying comatose in the ICU having just undergone open heart surgery. It truly mystifies the mind to think that they cut me open, sawed thru my breast bone (sternum), stopped my heart and lungs, hooked me up to a heart/lung machine, cut out my aorta and aortic valve from my heart, sewed in a slightly used pig aortic valve and a dacron aorta, and then put me all back together again. And here I am seven days later moving around. No, here am I seven days later. Period. Un----believable! Oink.
Ok, so I'm not back to my normal self yet. Oink. Come on, give the boy a break. I've got this seven inch wound down the centre (Canadian spelling) of my chest just that cramps my style a little, but hell, I'm not gonna let it stop me from getting up and movin' around the house.
For instance, I got up this morning around 9:30 and went downstairs and had me a lovely breakfast of fresh red grapefruit, a raisin bran cookie (made by mom) and a double cappuccino (made by me). I haven't eaten so much fruit in my life since we received what seems like several hundred lovely fruit baskets from well wishing friends. I guess they wish that we eat fruit. And that we are. And it's a good thing. Fruit, that is. Yes fruit and fibre. Mmmm, yes, fibre. The essence of life fibre is. And lord knows, we could all use more. Fibre, that is. I was reminded by a friend this morning that codeine really reeks havoc on one's regularity. I have been sort of dependant on pain killers of this nature in the recent week. Let's just say that there is no amount of fruit and fibre that I could consume right now that could be considered by my system to be just too much. So perhaps, I guess our friends and family knew something in particular when they sent those fruit baskets. 'Nuff said. Besides, pigs love fruit. Oink.
Thinking back again to my hospital stay and how I prepared so well by picking out my ten most essential CD's and packing them up all neat and tidy with my portable CD player and newly acquired portable mini speaker system, and how Dory lugged it all back and forth (along with tons of other stuff) to the hospital for me, I received this e-mail today from Debora Avery ( a fellow NanciNetter) wherein she said:
"So good to hear that you are doing well! I have thought of you often since
your admittance and have been wondering how you have been doing. No surgery
is fun (as I first found out many years ago when, upon awakening in the
recovery room, I was surprised to be in pain -- why didn't anyone tell me? :)
but hey, you got to lay in bed and listen to the headphones!"
This is what I wrote her back:
"Well not exactly,
I had my pack of cd's, walkman, mini speaker, all with me at the hospital.
but you know, for the short time I was there, I never used them!
I had so many other wires and tubes comin' out'a me and it was so hard to
move around I couldn't be bothered fussin with all the wires and cords and
adapters to hook it all up.
But it sure would'a been nice!
The biggest relief was when the final wire and tube was removed on the fourth day. All the bandages and electrodes were removed and I was a like a bird set free. I still had one more night to spend there but at least I could sleep more comfortably on my side and I could walk around freely without dragging something along with me. We were also amazed that they removed the main bandage on my incision about 48 hours after surgery. I couldn't believe it. The wound was so thin and clean. Later, for a few days, I would feel a bit queasy when I'd see it in the mirror but I'm over that now.
After a week, the bruises are slowly starting to fade and the pain is a bit duller as I have now gone from taking two heavy duty pain killers every four hours day and night (do the math!), to maybe four or five of those total a day, max. I'm also taking ASA for the first 20 days as a blood thinner/precautionary thing as well. And I'm assuming that they help with the pain as well. I don't like being drugged and would like to be off the heavy duty ones ASAP.
So as I said I'm wandering around the house a lot. Have not set foot outside since I got home as the weather has been pretty nasty. I know I should be starting my walking program, if not outside, at least on the treadmill. And I will. Tomorrow. That's a promise.
The view from my desk at home. That's Lake Ontario in the background. Taken 11/15/98, a bleak fall day in southern Ontario.
The phone has been ringing off the hook for the last week. Some very nice surprise calls, and while Dory is ready for some peace and quiet already, I am quite touched by it all. Dory has been a rock through all of this. She has been scared out of her mind for the last six months that my heart would explode before it could be fixed. Then last week's ordeal. And now waiting on me hand and foot. Or should I say hoof and snout. Oink. She has been wonderful, as I knew she would be.
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 1998 20:40:46 -0800
Subject: Re: home sweet home
Steve Goldberger wrote:
> Yes it is true, I was released from my prison cell yesterday at around 10.30 am.
Free at Last. Free at Last. Excellent! How soon before I can buy ya a
beer, eh? Okay, okay, take a nap! Talk to you soon.
Best Wishes!
Dick Binsley.
From: Simon Fogel
Subject: Friends...
Date: Sun, 15 Nov 1998 17:25:49 -0500
Steve, Dory...
Well... the waiting is over.. the hard part is behind you. We (Julie and I)
are very happy to see that the outcome has been so wonderful. Julie
especially wants to remind you (and because of her medical experience.. I
guess she's qualified!) to pace your self (no pun intended!) two visits a
day is all your allowed.
I am glad to see that in true Stevie form, you are sharing your experiences
with all that want to see, via the NET.
Steve.. your talents never cease amaze me, even with a modified ticker.
Love yah bud... Simon
Updated Nov. 16th/98
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