First day of spring and Josh’s birthday!

Doug had a rough night last night; tried to work through the pain without meds; not a good idea. Finally at 2:30 he asked for meds, went for a walk and went back to bed. He was up again at 7 walking, brushed his teeth. Fran got in the room around 8:30 and his oxygen was down so he’d been on oxygen a bit. He is a little weak and has no appetite; all to be expected.

The cardiac rehab nurse came to visit mid-morning and went over physical rehab for now and the first few weeks after he gets out. Basically walking is encouraged; about four times a day for about ten minutes but no lifting or pulling until we see the surgeon in a month.

He has to use a spirometer several times a day; he must breathe into it to show how much air is getting back into his lungs to re-inflate them after being on the heart/lung machine during surgery and to help expunge residue of anesthesia. Yesterday went well but today he’s struggling – hence the oxygen. This too will get better.

He walked over a mile today in small increments; the Fitbit is a good way to track this. He is supposed to walk at least 4 times a day. He was able to have a shower today and the dressing was removed. Dr. Dewan removed the final pacer wires today from the bottom of the incision.