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Old 01-03-2013, 04:03 PM
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LiveLoveandTrust LiveLoveandTrust is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Connecticut
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LiveLoveandTrust LiveLoveandTrust is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 180
10 yr Member
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Edited to fix typos because apparently the hydromorphone has affected me more than I thought!!

Oh, I did want to mention as well that my range of motion is great. I can easily lift my arms over my head and carefully up
behind my back. Out to the side is harder and I can make about a 120 degree angle that way. I would be willing to post a picture of my incision if anyone is interested as it is a transsternal approach. I don't want to gross anyone out though.
I did find out why they cracked the sternum. Apparently, they lift it up a bit so they can get the last little bit of rib out from the back and since they were doing both sides at once it needed to be cut. I have pain while deep breathing but only a little. No worse than when I cracked a rib coughing during pneumonia. I can do the blowing exercise thingy with ease (inhaling over 3000 cc's of air) and I cough when I'm supposed to without using a pillow because it's just not that necessary. I do have a high pain tolerance, but I can honestly say that I'm quite comfortable.

Last edited by LiveLoveandTrust; 01-03-2013 at 04:19 PM.
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Jomar (01-03-2013), mspennyloafer (01-03-2013)