Heart surgeon 'discharges' me.

Sunday, August 3, 2008--starting to look better!!!  :O)

Bandage looks like a T-shirt--came off today--at least Foley bag ain't visible!!! LOL

Well it has been two weeks since the operation and one week since I was sent home. The heart surgeon removed the bandage today and discharged me sending me back to my regular heart doctor who I will see on the 25th. Right now it is an ugly scar but I understand it fades with time.

This Thursday I go to see the urologist and I am hoping he will take the Foley bag off. I was not ready for this and no one had mentioned it before the operation. It is one of the two things that really has me down, the other being the lack of energy I would have. Just typing this tires me out!!! My doctor said that I have to slow down, rest and sleep as often as my body requires it.

I haven’t had a cigarette in 15 days and, I suppose, the nicotine is out of my body but each day the old habit of lighting up when working at the computer,  being on the phone, reading the paper, etc., grows stronger. I might lose the battle but I am putting up a fight!!!

I have been amazed by some things during this experience: the waste and extraneous costs at hospitals, the lack of information the doctor gives the patient, the ‘dismissal’ and ‘disregard’ for the patient as a person and the ridiculous schedules both doctors and nurses have.

No surprise but there is nothing wrong with my appetite--somehow that survives everything!!!

Jill is taking care of my birds and I am going to take back the two tiels this weekend and see how I manage with them--if all goes well then I’ll take the other birds back, also.

One step at a time!