Bouncing Back After Surgery Do You?

L

Lon

Well-known Member
Location
Central California
I have had a number of hospital stays and surgeries in my life time and have bounced back in a couple of days, but this recent in and out stay over a two week period for my Pacemaker with little or no sleep has left me exhausted. Simple things like taking a shower or fixing a simple breakfast wears me out and I must sit in my recliner to relax. OK I am 83, but still.;)
 

I have always bounced back after simple procedures except when my brain aneurysm ruptured and I was in a drug induced coma for 6 weeks. Even now the nuero docs say I have "late effects cva". I have been so tired that my doc did extensive thyroid testing last week and wants me in for a discussion. I am 70 but find that I too have to rest a bit after a shower and rinsing up by breakfast dishes. So I do what I can and rest when I need to. Even the doc thinks I should have more energy so we will see what he has to say about the blood work. Thank God for the electric carts at the grocery stores or I could not shop at all. Do what you can Lon and rest when you need to. Being in the hospital so much wears you out as you can't rest there so give yourself some time.
 
My only major surgery was my hip replacement in 2008. My stint in a rehab center was a challenge. PT every day...twice a day. But, by the time I got home, about 10 days post-op I was doing well. Once my doc let me go from a walker to my cane there was no stopping me. In fact, my husband had to remind me a few times to take it easy.
 

Surgery definitely takes a toll on you. I had my tonsils out at age 8,then never a surgery until my breast cancer two years ago. Maybe it was the two surgeries just a couple of weeks apart,I don`t know,but I STILL feel tired lol. I`m pretty sure that the older you get,the more the anesthesia gets to you.
 
Just curious, Lon. Are you saying that before the pacemaker you had a decent level of energy (for age 83) but after having it installed, your energy and fitness level has dropped? I have an irregular heart beat (not AFIB), am close to 84 and may need a pacemaker sooner rather than later. I ramble along as probably suits my age but I hate to think that having the device planted (without any complications) will slow me down even more. :(
 
DaveA said:
Just curious, Lon. Are you saying that before the pacemaker you had a decent level of energy (for age 83) but after having it installed, your energy and fitness level has dropped? I have an irregular heart beat (not AFIB), am close to 84 and may need a pacemaker sooner rather than later. I ramble along as probably suits my age but I hate to think that having the device planted (without any complications) will slow me down even more. :(
Click to expand...

It isn"t the Pacemaker procedure that has slowed me down. It's another ailment called Rheumatoid Arthritis.
 
I can totally relate, Lon. I've always bounced back after surgery, and returned to work after a month, not needing the 6 wks allowed.

The related surgeries I had this year, 2 months apart, completely did me in. I didn't think I was ever going to feel like myself again, and I'm so glad I was wrong. Without a doubt, age isn't on our side in recouping. My Dr said seniors have a harder time w/anesthesia. We knew that!

Hope you feel well again soon.
 
I had both hips replaced, a month apart, in 2013. I bounced back very quickly from the first one, but the second one took quite a bit longer. My doc told me it was normal and was a result of cumulative "insults" to the body. Seems like a kinda weird way to refer to surgery (an insult to the body), but that's the way he referred to it whenever we talked about it.
 
When I was younger, my bounce-back was great. As I aged, it became increasingly slower until now at 84, I'm grateful that I'm able to bounce back at all. My 'normal' keeps changing so that I'm no longer able to distinguish normal from abnormal. Also, I've never been this age before so don't know how I should be. I'm told that I'm way above average in terms of mental health for my age group and I suspect that you, Lon, are there as well.
 
As one said, age is not a friend of bouncing back from any physical ailment. I've had numerous surgeries over the years. Have never been down very long. Was in the hospital 31 days in 1977 after a construction accident. Today, they wouldn't have kept me a week!!! But, I was back to work shortly after release from the hospital.

Knee replacement in 2009. Was mowing our grass with a push mower 2 weeks after surgery. Both wife and surgeon chewed me out. Carpal tunnel on both hands spring of 2016. Doc said to not swing a golf club for at least a month after each surgery. Waited 7 days with the first. Tore the stitches out. Waited 8 days with the second. They don't make stitches like they used to!!! :>)

Wife's uncle is a retired doctor. He's up in years and is still sharp... with his mind. His body is giving up. He keeps saying he's "one fall away" from the funeral home.

I try to stay active. Play 18 holes of golf EVERY morning. Then, most days, take the Lab for a 3 1/2 mile walk. Some days everything I own hurts. Other days I feel 20 years younger.

Many of us set an alarm clock every night before we go to bed with the assumption we will be alive and ready to meet the next day. That's hope. That's faith. Even if I don't have anything planned for the next day, that alarm will still be set for 5 a.m. I want to just hear the alarm. If I hear it, no matter what hurts the Good Lord has given me one ore day to enjoy family and friends.
 
I had to go back to work eight days after a total abdominal hysterectomy. No choice.....I was the sole office staff and if I wasn't there, payroll didn't get done, product didn't get ordered, invoices didn't go out. The company was owned by a family member and if it had been anyone else, I would have said screw it and stayed home for eight weeks.

I laid down on the floor for a while whenever I got too tired. Scared the bejeezus out of the UPS guy one day. He thought I was dead.

I didn't do myself any favors with that behavior.....I'd never do it again, no matter who I worked for.
 
I bounce back really fast . I always amaze my docs . Sometimes it takes hard work and determination , but I do it for my own sake .
 

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