(After) After Effects
I still have people asking me about the lasting physical effects of the surgery itself, so I thought I'd write a quick post about this.
It's been almost a year since my heart was repaired via open heart surgery. Things are great, especially because I don't need high doses of pain killers like this guy:
...but I do still have a few little quirks. Here's a glimpse into my (still healing) body, a year out from surgery:
Nerves, You Be Trippin'
I still have some residual numbness on the right side of my chest along my incision line and on my chest. The feeling in that area has been coming back (very) slowly, so I'm very hopeful that one day, those nerves will be back to normal or near normal.
I also have some weird phenomenon going on with my left arm. Sometimes, it feels like I have a piece of thread, or a stray piece of hair just chilling on my arm. I'll brush it off with my other hand, only to realize that there is no stray piece of hair, and my arm is just making things up. Based on my extensive and highly scientific Google searching, I'm thinking this is some sort of ulnar nerve compression caused my my arm's position when I was laying on the operating table.
Achy Breaky Heart
My sternum aches every once in a while, and I'm guessing this is something that will happen for a some time. I have a few friends with very convex-shaped chests, and when I go in for a hug, they squeeze me so tight that it literally hurts. It's okay, friends. We're giving new meaning to the phrase "I love you so much, it hurts".
Snap Crackle Pop
My sternum clicks every once in a while, like when I'm stretching my arms or doing push-ups. I know that other normal (read: not heart patients) people's sternums do this, so I'm not overly concerned about this. It does creep people out when they hear the clicks ("Did you hear that click? No it wasn't my knuckles or my back...It was my CHEST!").
Wired
I can feel my sternal wires under my skin, and it creeps some people out to the max (success). Sometimes, the sternal wire bumps creep me out, like when I wear my messenger bag and the strap rubs up on one of the wires. It's not a great feeling.
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Sometimes I get the oh-you-poor-thing-puppy-dog eyes from people when I tell them about these things. I really do appreciate the concern, but I'm really not suffering, I promise. I'd much rather have these little things going on than have a hole in my heart. The nerve stuff/ pain/ discomfort is actually a very tangible reminder of everything I went through.
It's been almost a year since my heart was repaired via open heart surgery. Things are great, especially because I don't need high doses of pain killers like this guy:
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| via. |
Nerves, You Be Trippin'
I still have some residual numbness on the right side of my chest along my incision line and on my chest. The feeling in that area has been coming back (very) slowly, so I'm very hopeful that one day, those nerves will be back to normal or near normal.
Achy Breaky Heart
My sternum aches every once in a while, and I'm guessing this is something that will happen for a some time. I have a few friends with very convex-shaped chests, and when I go in for a hug, they squeeze me so tight that it literally hurts. It's okay, friends. We're giving new meaning to the phrase "I love you so much, it hurts".
Snap Crackle Pop
My sternum clicks every once in a while, like when I'm stretching my arms or doing push-ups. I know that other normal (read: not heart patients) people's sternums do this, so I'm not overly concerned about this. It does creep people out when they hear the clicks ("Did you hear that click? No it wasn't my knuckles or my back...It was my CHEST!").
Wired
I can feel my sternal wires under my skin, and it creeps some people out to the max (success). Sometimes, the sternal wire bumps creep me out, like when I wear my messenger bag and the strap rubs up on one of the wires. It's not a great feeling.
.JPG)
Sometimes I get the oh-you-poor-thing-puppy-dog eyes from people when I tell them about these things. I really do appreciate the concern, but I'm really not suffering, I promise. I'd much rather have these little things going on than have a hole in my heart. The nerve stuff/ pain/ discomfort is actually a very tangible reminder of everything I went through.
I get those "phantom hairs," sometimes, too. (I'm not a heart patient.) I've never paid attention to whether or not it's always on the same arm, though.
ReplyDeleteI find all of this fascinating! I hardly ever talk to patients further than a month post-op, so to know the chest numbness goes on long after recovery is good to know! Sometimes we have patients who pop a wire and their sternum clicks (listening to it with a stethoscope gives you chills!)...but I'm sure you're well healed by now. :)
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you wrote this... I have had all of these symptoms... crazy... thank you for reassuring me that these little phantom things are really happening.
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