July 20: IT'S ME!!!!

Hello, all!! Sorry about the lack of postings--my computer has been really acting up.

While I am still in pain, I feel the best I have at this point compared to the other two surgeries. My breastbone (sternum) was only partially cut open before, this time it was the whole thing, so I have the full incision from top to bottom. It hurts the most in the new area that was cut open, and the chest on either side of it. My asthma seems to be acting and coughing is quite painful. There is also the left groin incision, where they had probes and things monitoring, which is a little tender. Sneezing is the MOST painful, however, because it just jolts everything in the chest. Mentally, I feel totally with it (as much as I did before), although I continue to have the same word finding problems that I have since the last heart surgery 8/06. I am walking every day but the humidity is difficult for me to breathe in. All in all, however, this surgery and recovery has been the best so far. I hated the phrase "Third time is the charm", but it seems to be true so far.

It's Friday am, and Beth and I are still at the Holiday Inn in Brookline. I am scheduled for an echo this afternoon at Brigham. Visiting nurse tomorrow am for coumadin check (INR), we are still getting the dose regulated. This is the blood thinner I will be on for life now, so blood tests to keep the levels correct will be a forever thing. I see Dr. Cohn Monday am, and if all is well, Beth and I will leave Boston to go to my cousin John & Martha's in New York, then getting back to P'ville on Tuesday.

Let me see if this actually gets up before writing anymore. Thanks so much to Joanne for an outstanding job with her postings! Hope to write more later.

Thanks, as always, for checking in as well as the prayers and good thoughts. Please keep those coming, because there is still a lot of healing and unknowns. Laurie