Hi, is anyone here living with a STERNECTOMY?

• by mrbbq82
• 2010-06-11 12:06:33
• Complications
• 1752 views
• 2 comments

I would be interested in your lifestyle as it compares to mine.

Hi Brandygrim, I can totaly relate to how you feel

ABOUT ME

May 8, 2007 enter hospital short of breath and have an angiogram that shows numerous blockages

May 11 open heart surgery lasting 7 hours and comprising of five bypasses and one valve ring support

May 11 -25 Life support as the Dr's cant awake me and they tell my family that they don't know if i'll ever come out of it

May 26 fourteen days after surgery I wake up

Still unaware of my situation i am weaned from all of my IV's

I am moved to a recovery floor where a groin infection plagues me

I am then moved to a rehab floor where upon complaining about a sore lower back a surgeon removes a cyst

June 13 my original surgeon looks at my incision and he sticks a finger in it up to his knuckle and then informs me that he is going to have to tiighten a wire holding part of my breast bone in place and so..............

June 16 i am back in surgery to tighten the wires holding my sternum and ribs in tact

I was home in July but dropped in our drive in August

Gee since then i was back in hospital with a massive infection and that resulted in them removing my sternum/breastbone in August again i was out of it (coma) for 14 days and the family was all gathered but i pulled through and was finally out of hospital mid october

I am still off work (don't know if I even have a job) but it is GREAT to be alive

I have a Medtronics ICD implanted in July 2008 and a patient in the RAFT study by the Ottawa Heart Institute but implanted at London Health Sciences and Monotored by St Marys here in Kitchener

I was "paced" on August 17,2008 but was not aware until Sept when I attended at the Implant Clinic for my second monitor reading then on Nov 23 it once again tried to pace me but failed so the defibultor kicked in and brought me back... It was 10:30 am and I was sitting injecting insulin and wondered why it was taking me longer than usual and only found out in Jan when I was on for the RAFT study monitoring

Then Feb 18,2010@2:30pm I was once again revived unbeknown to me until I was at the Heart Function clinic @ St Marys and as my Cardiologist was telling me I could not drive he said that on the bright side we knew it worked and I should stop testing it ..... sure he has never been a passenger with my wife driving ........ just kidding honey you are a much better driver now that I keep my eyes shut

My ICD has saved my in more ways as stated I have no sternum and CPR would do me in .... by the way my implant was done as an out patient booking in at 8am and leaving at 2 pm.

I have been in touch with only a couple of others whom have had a radical sternectomy and have given me hope in knowing that I am not alone. If you feel the need I can provide you with more personal contact information for us ( I say us as my wife may be better able to see it from your side) I will provide you with email info and from there we can send phone numbers...I think Sharon would be great to talk to as she was there all along doing the hard work while i slept ....
THEN MY SECOND GRANDDAUGHTER WAS BORN
and I knew any life was worth living and I am thankful for EVERY day my feet get flat on the floor!!!
I have only found about a dozen others worldwide like me and want to be able to compare notes .......err rather compare scribbles LOL

Thanks and have a great day
cuz EVERY day is great for me

;-)



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