Day 5. Still going OK

• by atiras
• 2018-09-10 14:10:39
• Surgery & Recovery
• 1124 views
• 3 comments

I suspect I'm having it easy compared with some, for which I'm very grateful.

5 days post-implantation and although it aches a bit around the scar, I'm not in what I'd call pain, especially after I worked out that stuffing extra padding in the bottom of my left bra-cup took off a lot of strain (I have what my mother used to call a large crumb-shelf).  It does make me look like a lopsided Barbara Windsor but it's definitely worth it, and I wish somebody had told me to do it before I left the hospital.

Dressing came off today (according to orders) and the scar is not going to be too bad -- not that I care -- I tend to cover up anyway. I can't see any lumps and bumps that might be the lead and pacemaker, which makes sense since the surgeon had to put it under the muscle, I guess. No bruising anywhere either, which surpises me.

Sleeping is also going well -- on my right side with left arm draped over pillow, or on my back with left shoulder resting on pillow. I'm looking forward to being able to sleep in my left side, as shifting positions in the night keeps my muscles from getting stiff.  I don't change positions when I'm asleep -- have to wake up to do it deliberately (mostly because I'm usually wedged in place by two cats and one Other Half) -- so I can control when I try it, and will put it off for a while as I'm a wimp.

Managing to control left arm movements OK so far -- using it normally except for stretching, raising it above shoulder and lifting things. There is a risk that I'll start feeling so good I'll forget the restrictions. Missing driving, but that's allowed in a couple of days time, as are proper showers.

Then it's just the ongoing healing process until October 22nd when I have an AV node ablation and Miss Tick comes into operation.  I suspect having a normal heartbeat instead of one that ranges between 90 and 140 on a good day and up to 200 on a bad one is going to take some gettting used to!