Heart Attack Diary: #1

The Heart Attack Diaries: an occasional series of witterings from the fevered mind of a heart attack survivor

So.

I had my cardiac event ten days ago.

And I came home from hospital four and a half days ago.

As two of those days at home were a weekend, when the house was full of girls, those two days don’t count as solo days.

So that’s two and a half days I’ve been home alone.

During the angiogram the surgeons made an incision to the ulnar artery of my right wrist, in order to get to my heart.

The incision didn’t hurt (much), but the radial clamp which is (basically just a plastic G-Clamp) applied with such continual pressure, to heal the incision after surgery, hurt more than the incision.

And still does, FWIW, bizarrely.

Eventually the radial clamp was removed, before I was allowed home, but the list of restrictions – just because of that healing wrist incision – was significant:

1. No driving
2. No riding
3. No washing up
4. No DIY
5. No gardening
6. No work for a week
7. No pressure of any kind on the right arm and this means
8. No making tea
9. No baths (and no swimming, obv)

I’m sure there were others on the ‘do not’ list, but these are just the wrist restrictions that come to mind right now.

BTW, I will get the list of heart attack restrictions from my GP tomorrow.

Lovely.

Anyway, I wish I could say that my two and a half days home alone have been eventful.

But they haven’t.

I’ve been told off a lot for infringing rules 3. and 8.

I was also told off for taking too much exercise.

I have become adept at showering one-handed.

I’ve done a massive amount of thinking.

And I’ve been deeply touched by all the good wishes from friends and work colleagues.

I’ve also been told that I’ve gone stir crazy which, in just two and a half days of recuperation at home, must be some kind of a record.

I’ve also been driving the girls bonkers, but that’s just me.

Or maybe it’s just them.

Anyway.

There may be another Heart Attack Diary tomorrow, after the GPs appointment.