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I had an elective CABG surgery right before Christmas 2023. This is my blog about my experience, to help others facing it themselves. It was not as bad as I had feared, and I learned a whole lot along the way!

Friday, January 5, 2024

Day 18 - Cardiology appointment

Today I had an appointment with the cardiologist and I actually met with the nurse practitioner and not the doctor. This seems to be a trend these days.

I asked if I could wear compression socks because my legs are definitely swelling up when I’m sitting a lot during the day. She said OK. 

I am definitely feeling better, my chest is not as painful, but I am becoming more aware that my feeling is coming back. I do have very bad pain in my middle back on the left side. I tried some Biofreeze which helped for a bit, but then slept on a heating pad, and that seems to fix it. 

I am thinking it might be from doing too much or overexerting myself. I also asked the cardiologist to do a hemoglobin test and a hemoglobin is 8.7 which is up from when I left the hospital but not by much. I told the doctor I’m going to go back to iron twice a day and I’m also making an appointment with the hematologist.

I can't afford to get fatigued from the anemia while I'm trying to heal from the CABG!

So this was my second day in a row out of the house and walking longer distances to the doctor's office, Which is right across the elevator lobby from the surgeon's office I went to yesterday. Felt good to walk but it is tiring.