Glad you are home, I'm sure you're appreciating not being woken up for blood pressure checks and pulmonary function tests. Now your goal is to sleep from pain pill to pain pill.

The minute you feel up to it (safely), make sure you start walking, even if it's only half a block at first. I did not and at 6 weeks - 2 months post surgery my legs were constantly achy. I was told by the surgeon that my sternum was operated on, not my legs so I better be walking, A LOT. I didn't listen and paid dearly for it.

You will, one day, be able to sleep on your side again and it will be the happiest day!

You'll notice improvement every day and will actually feel human for hours at a time.

Happy Healing!!

Thanks so much for the update! Delighted things are going so well for you given all that you have endured. May every day be a bit better for you than the one before!!

Another update. About five days after release I was walking around, mostly inside the apartment, and was taking painkillers only to sleep. But I had sudden intense pain and had to go to emergency. I spent another weekend in the hospital for observation - the cause was apparently inflammation linked to pericarditis as some of the pericardium had to be removed in the surgery.

Now I'm back out again and somewhat active - I can go out for lunch, browse in stores, pick up prescriptions etc. but I get tired pretty quickly from even this light activity. I'm almost pain-free in the days as I spend most of my time sitting around. Still using some pain meds at night but reducing that dosage and may stop entirely soon as there seems to be less pain. Sleeping is still the least comfortable part.

I am an infusion nurse and I have treated 3 folks with MG. They all get immune globulin intravenously. I have given over 100,000 Grams of IVIG so I do fancy myself a bit of an expert on the drug. Before I go any further let me say that I H.A.T.E. prednisone. Doctors like to prescribe it because it is and has been a great workhorse med. Also, Doctors are scared of IVIG (Immune Gobulin) because of the side effects. The reason patients have side effects is that nurses give it too fast. It is not unlike a blood transfusion. But, that is the drug of choice to control MG for the long haul. The loading dose should be 5 days in a row and then monthly with "tweaking". The spread for IVIG is 200mg/kg to 2000mg/kg so you see there is a lot to work with. The standard fare is 400mg/kg. The key to giving IVIG is to dose it to effect. You don't want a sea/saw effect. You can dial it up or down and by dose and frequency. I give my patients IVIG @ 10GM/hour after they have shown a tolerance. Gosh I'm wordy. If you have any specific questions I will be more than happy to assist!