Today's Medical Update: Monday, March 21, 2022 (in regard to my progress following my quadruple coronary artery bypass surgery/open-heart surgery on March 9, 2022):
1. My pain is still rather severe, but it has slightly abated. My overall grouchiness continues.
2. One of my nurses visited me at home today to change my bandages: my face (an abrasion on my left cheek, possibly from the respirator during my surgery); my belly (various incisions from recently removed chest tubes for drainage during and after surgery and recently removed epicardial pacing wires that were attached directly to my heart for monitoring after surgery); and a minor sore on my buttocks (probably from seven hours on the operating table) ... No bandages have been required for my rather lengthy chest incision or for the wound near my left knee, where a two-foot-long section of vein was removed for the four bypasses. A nurse will return in two days to reapply my bandages.
3. Physical Rehabilitation: One of my physical therapists visited me at home today and required me to walk (with my walker). He then guided me through a relatively rigorous regimen of leg exercises. While he will return in two days, I need to continue to briefly walk and to exercise every day by myself.
4. I will need to start cardiac rehabilitation soon.
5. I continue to use my various incentive spirometers (breathing exercisers) to strengthen my lungs and also to prevent pneumonia.
6. I continue to ingest piles of pills and to use inhalers (asthma), insulin injections (diabetes), and a nasal spray (all preoperative and postoperative prescription medications).
7. Recovery is expected to take four to five months, which includes the healing of my broken sternum (breastbone) and my flesh wounds.
8. I have somewhat regained my humor and have developed a sense of minimal optimism.
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