at last I have a date for my AAA op

hello hope4cure, just to let you know how it all went, it's now over 3 weeks since my Op, it was a long Op lasting 7 and a half hours, they had complications and had to really work at it and this caused  a lot of bruising in side and a lot of pain afterwards, after coming hope 9 days later it was found I had a infection in the wound so they put me on antibiotics to which I had a bad reaction, I came out in a rash all over my body and the itching nearly drove me nuts, it is now just starting to ease off.    I knew after reading about this Op that I would feel very tired and weak but not as bad as the way I still feel even after just over 3 weeks everything I do is such a terrible effort, I have lost 17 pounds in weight, I'm only eating enough to keep a mouse alive even though my dear wife is forever trying to feed me up, right in this moment of time I feel that I will never get back to feeling normal,  I do the exercises I was given but I haven't  been outside yet , I 'm just too weak to walk, the Op has saved my life but I still would not wish it on my worst enemy if you understand my meaning,  I'll keep you posted, James.

So good to hear you are doing well. I hope you will soon feel better James. I am sure it takes a toll on the body and the mind to undergo such a lengthy procedure.

Best wishes to you, I'm sure your wife is just so glad to have you home. Deb

James,

Really  glad you came back. Sorry to hear of all the complications. It's always a surprising part of surgery. Many come to online forums to chat about the recovery share feelings and it does help to find others who have been thru the same thing.

Your very young and can come back to a better quality of life. Pt and swimming therapy can get your life manageable and in a few months this will pass. Keep up small exercises and you will get back to a new normal. Best to learn our limitations as we go! Don't over do. 

Give it time and eat well build up tolerance to endurance slowly. It will be better soon.

keep in touch and let us know how ur doin.😊

Wishing you many blessings thru this journey to recovery. 👍

Hope🙏🏽

Thanks hope4cure and everyone else for your kind messages, I'll keep you all informed of my progress in the weeks to come, Thank you all , James

Hello James I see your back happy to hear from you. How are you?

I will keep u in my messages when we hear from you again. 

We have been thru a lot and when your experience echo ours we do genuinely care about your recovery. 

Keep checking in many are wishing you the best with healing and getting back energy and always remember life is a glass half full. Concentrate on the things you can do! You have a brave and courageous heart.

Im still taken it one day at a time.😊

Glad your feeling better, sorry you had so many problems, but better to be alive then dead lol  i don't wish the AAA on any one. but i'm glad im still alive to spent time with my family. Love to all carlene

Hi hope4cure, It's now 4 weeks since the Op and to be honest I don't feel much better than I did when I first came out, I still feel so bloody weak and am getting both stomach and back pain, the back pain is that bad I have to take a prescribed dose of Morphene, I am very depressed and am suffering from painful headaches. I am eating a bit more and have put on 6 pounds, I am losing all interest in just about everything, TV, Reading, my wonderful wife is doing all the gardening and just about everything else  and it frustrates me to hell because I can't help, because I don't feel any beter than4 weeks ago I'm now losing faith in the future and that is really getting me down. I'm sorry I sound so misreble and sorry for my self but I have never felt as bad as I do and it's got the better of me.   Is there anyone in my age group who had this operation and can give me some hope, I would appreciate it very much,  James

Hi James,🌞

You have my sympathy and I totally understand how illness can trap our feelings sometimes and all the feelings you are experiencing is pretty normal. The pain it seems like it's one bugger after another leaving us to wonder what's next. Yikes!😳

Most docs don't prepare us for the many stages of recovery & the mind numbing depression that can go hand and hand with recovery. It's really miserable, wondering is this where I am stuck for my new normal. It's only temporary. It will get better and the positive side is your going thru many changes physically and mentally & in many cases is a important step that you recognized all the progress you have already made so far and knowing there is more to come.😊

Its only been a short time in recovery it takes weeks and months to get thru all the stages from severely ill, surgery, and recovery. You have been thru a lot. So your body needs time to slowly rebuild strength. 👍

Most would say....stay strong and don't give in.... I would like to encourage you to be patient with the recovery process & it is different for everyone. Strength is measured in heart,body & spirit. Get out once in a while enjoy a day or a few hours away from the doldrums of boredom ! To much time to think. Need distraction to stay sane ! This is the time of year to celebrate the flowers in the garden, the sunshine finally, and hugs from your loving wife and return those Hugs with double the hugs back! Touch and hugging is healing too ! Studies show this to be a fact in many cases and laughter !

Progress is in the spirit to fight thru the ups and downs it all falls into place!

Very good that that you have put on weight. You might think about a chat with your doc posibly see a therapist . It helped me a lot. Teaches how to think about recovery and others who are coping with illness with positive reinforcement. It's OK to feel the many feelings of the many ups and downs from illness to recovery.😔😌

Family will be the greatest support to help you past the hard times. Your wife sounds like a real trooper. You are fortunate most don't have what you have. Many are struggling alone. 

This will be all behind you before you know it. Remember take one day at a time. Healing wishes sent your way! Keep in touch! Plan a fav outing and let me know what you planned. 👮👩????👩

Healing🙏🏽  & marshmellow hugs,

Hope

Hi James , my husband had op 9th march , he had endvascular op through groin and took at least 6 weeks to get over itv, he is 65 and suffered terrible wind type pains in back and stomach and was so bad we went to A&E as wasn't sure what it could be ,he couldn't sit or lay it was awful, we thought something must be wrong , we wasn't told about any pains that could come on once home as felt good for first couple days , we have since had follow up with consultant and he said it takes at least 6 weeks to get over op, my husband was very depressed like yourself but is now getting on with normal everyday jobs and gardening so hope this puts your mind at rest a little bit and hope you feel better real soon .

Hi Hope, thank you for the all those kind and wise words, you are right about taking one day at a time, it's now 5 weeks and 3 day since my Op and I feel a lot better  but still very weak as I told by my doctor my blood count is very low, it's only 8.7 and should be at least 13 so now I am on both folic acid and steroids to build it up, apparently I lost a lot of blood duing  the Op, The doctor told me the reasons I can't walk without intense pain in my back and hip area is because of the loss of blood and the low blood count but he is not 100% sure, I have started walking around the whole house about 6/7 times twice a day and I am starting to feel a little stronger but only a little. My caring loving wife Anne has been a marvel in my recovery, I could not have come this far without her, I'll keep you posted, James

Hi Carole, thanks for your very helpful message it did give me hope for the coming weeks as I will get stronger and fitter, my stomach pains have stopped but my back is still very painful, my doc told me because of my advanced age (78) it's going to take longer than normal so I'll just have to bloody patient, once again thanks Carole. James