Robert's Posts

It sounds like you're doing great. I am doing cardiac rehab and they are pushing ahead quickly. There isn't a set pattern, but at least at my hospital here in Tucson, they evaluate and adjust for each person continually. I would have been terrified to use this much weight if I didn't have the monitoring. You're speed sounds great, but then I'm walking not running (I've never really been a runner). I still have some numbness too, but I'm slowly getting more and more feeling back in the right side and breast., Keep up the great work!

Hey Robert, I was wondering how you are doing! I'm having my robotic procedure in March at Mayo. You and I are very similar in age and fitness levels. My surgeon also didn't think I would need cardiac rehab but I'll probably do it anyway. How long after you were discharged were you able to return to work?

Hi Ben - I returned to work after 5 weeks(11/8-12/12). Everybody is different, though. I probably could have returned sooner, but my personal physician didn't want me to rush it. I've seen some people here that have had OHS and returned to work within 3 weeks. Amazing! By 5 weeks, I was sleeping through the night, which made it easier to return to work.

Hi Robert, I'm glad to see you're doing well. Cardiac rehab lets you do so much more than you'd feel comfortable doing on your own. I'm loving it! I brought my pre-surgery workout book in for the exercise physiologist, so he can see where I was, even though I wasn't doing probably as much as I was doing a year before when I had fewer symptoms. I don't go back until May with an echo the week before either. I'm also finishing up the metoprolol prescription from CC and will be glad to have the monitoring at rehab to be sure things are still going smoothly. BTW, I had a call from Dr. G's office today to see how I'm doing. It's nice that they follow up.

Hi Robert! I am one of your fellow robotic patients from CC and Dr. Gillinov! I haven't been posting a lot lately because of just feeling less than stellar! I think I am on the right path now so I am back! Cross our fingers right? It sounds like you are doing very well and progressing nicely! I am currently at 4 1/2 months and I can't believe it. Seems like yesterday! I had mv repair and that was it. I have a problem with pleural effusions in both my lungs, small but there never the less, and that has caused some pain. Which unfortunately has prevented me from cardio rehab on a regular basis and in turn that's caused more inflammation and more water in my lungs and less movement! Ugh! It's been a round robin of pain medication, sickness from the medication, very little movement, more inflammation ad infinitum! I don't know from the word slow down very well, so I maybe wasn't as cautious as I could have been when I first came back! You sound more balanced and even Steven so I hope your recovery stays on track. I was climbing ladders at two months, painting bedrooms, non VOC paint, and just generally feeling like I had the world by the gonads! Wrong! Mother Nature slowed me down and I am trudging my way now, trying to keep up with the 85 yr. olds in my cardio rehab class, I am 62! Anyway, keep on keeping on and take it from me, be careful! Lise😊

Lise, I'm glad to hear things are getting better for you. I'm the same age and when I started I was amazed at some of the older folks in my group. But they've been pushing me pretty hard and I'm amazed at how much more I can do already. With your background and drive, and with proper monitoring, you'll do great. Painting bedrooms at 2 months out? I would vacuum a room and have to rest. I still tire way too easily. Very annoying!

Hi Lise-Sorry to hear you were having problems, sounds painful. Hopefully, the lung problems are behind you. I'm feeling pretty fortunate, haven't had any complications. My right chest and my groin area are still a little numb, but I guess that is going to take time to heal. I'm just approaching 2 months post op and just started jogging very slowly. I will listen to your advice and not push the recovery too hard. Will start cardio rehab in the next few weeks. I live in a cold weather climate. I just hope I don't get sick in the next few months. Take care. Happy New Year!

It's good to hear things are going well for you. I still have soreness where they put the robot in and some numbness on the right side, but mostly life is getting back to normal. Will you be able to do cardiac rehab? It's really helping with getting my energy back.

My cardiologist didn't push cardio rehab because I was in pretty good shape. I will discuss further with my physician at Dr appointment on Dec 21. I think I would feel better if I did cardio rehab because then I could learn what my physical limits are. Glad you are getting back to normal Phyllis. Take care.

I'm surprised how much they are pushing me, because I am in relatively good shape. I would be scared to push that hard without monitoring. I was also surprised that they started me off with resistance training immediately, including using 70 lbs. on the chest press machine. You take care too!