Coping

You will get your enthusiasm back

by Gemita - 2021-05-04 09:46:34

Maggie,

I see you are in the UK too.  The weather is foul where we are (Kent), high winds, trying to rain.  Who would want to walk in this weather?  Update, now torrential rain.

You will have ups and downs in your recovery.  I did.  Actually it took me almost three months to start to feel normal again and you are only 12 days on from your implant.  I think you are doing extremely well.

You are not expecting too much.  It is natural for us to think that the pacemaker will give us an instant fix but it will take a little while for your heart and new pacing system to settle in, for teething problems to be overcome, for you to really come to terms with your diagnosis and treatment.  The latter I think is the biggest factor here which held me back too.  After a while you will gain confidence that you can look forward to a good quality of life, so keep your spirits up.

I hope your telephone consultation went well last week and you were able to get one or two of your questions answered.  There is a lot to understand and learn but you have your whole life ahead of you to achieve this.  Hope you continue to make good progress and your "soreness" is gently easing

Hang in there!

by Persephone - 2021-05-04 13:47:18

Hi Maggie - In my opinion even contemplating a walk at 12 days is a great step in your progress forward!  If the walk doesn't work out today, perhaps some gentle stretching or yoga might seem more do-able, or even just changing up the scenery by getting outdoors a bit or in front of a bright window.  Considering how far you've come can help you put aside any feelings of disappointment that you didn't meet a goal that you'd set for yourself for today.  Tomorrow, you can set new goals.

Walk

by AgentX86 - 2021-05-06 21:22:17

I second what Persephone said.  If you feel like it, do it.  We're all different.  The reasons we have a pacemaker differs, the surgery itself differs, our healing differs.  It can't be a one-size fits all thing.  Push yourself a little (so you don't become a couch potato) but by no means hurt yourself.  Do what you can and pat yourself on the back for trying.  But keep those shoulders moving!

it will pass

by dwelch - 2021-05-09 23:29:25

I am on my fifth device and by 12 days I am just starting to sleep through the night and testing out sleeping on that side.  Might be washing my hair with both hands by that point...

So usually still very tired simpy from having 12 days of horrible sleep...

It is all part of the process.  It WILL be like your belly button or a middle toe, you will know you have it but not think of it unless you bump it on something, then forget shortly thereafter...

Anxiety in general is quite common, we all deal with this differently.  And our stories are not all the same as to how we got our pacers, I had years before my first one, others folks pass out wake up in the hospital with one.  And everything in between.   How you cope with the what was wrong with me before, thanks to movies and TV the false notion that pacers make you disabled or fragile in some way (when the opposite is true), the fear of the microwave ovens and hair dryers until you really believe what we tell you that they are not a problem in any way...For many this takes some to many months to get over the hump, then even after 34 years there is that one strange heart beat that makes you stop and hold your breath for a second, and then you keep doing what you were doing, it is just fine.

When it flares up use a clock or stopwatch, take your pulse for a full 60 seconds, do not cheat.  And confirm that your heart is still working just fine...beating away as it should...Works like a charm...

Dont be a couch potato of course (definitely dont keep your arm/shoulder stiff), try to do a little more each day, but dont expect too much, much of the pain goes away each day for the first few weeks, but after even a few weeks more it is still sensitive. (it will be delicate forever, there is metal under the skin, thump it on something and it hurts)  If you are like me you are still simply tired from the physical recovery, being device number one then you should also be tired from the anxiety of the situation.  So dont expect too much stamina right now, likewise not as much motivation.  Maybe I wont walk around the outside of the house, but maybe I will walk to the bedroom door, touch it and turn around and go back and sit down, and call that a win.