One week out fom HOCM surgery

Hello @freedancer69,
I am not sure if you read my little open heart surgery story here or not? I addressed the gnarly sternum, the unexpected back pain and not being able to lay on my side for several months.
This is all part of the process and every person will have a different response and healing time.
Give yourself time to heal, you just got home!
Every day will be a little better. It just takes time. It's not going to heal overnight.
You will not be able to start cardiac rehab for awhile. It's too soon. Some doctors want you in right away, some have you wait at least six weeks. Rehab gets your arms moving, walking on the treadmill, all sorts of light exercise while being monitored by the staff.
My sternal wound took about three weeks to start looking better. I was not happy how it looked, but it is a battle scar to remind you that you went to battle and won!
Walk as much as you can. Drink water and eat healthy for healing. Sleep when you are tired. Don't lift heavy things. Try and do a little more each day. I was encouraged to shower every day, and even that was tiring at first.
I was not on O2, so I can't share anything, but your medical team would be the one to ask that question...we are all different.
Here is my story:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/what-i-learned-from-my-open-heart-surgery-part-1/

Welcome home! As Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz said, "There's no place like home...." Your photos show that you are healing already! I am sorry to read that your neck and back are giving you so much pain, I had neither, so I have no tips to share to make you more comfortable. I always tell people is to compare each day with how it was a week ago. Day to day has its ups and downs and it's often disheartening when it's a down day. @freedancer69, we are all different and our recoveries move along at different speeds. Much depends on your physical status before surgery. I, too, have posts in the What-I-learned-from-my-open-heart-surgery blog. I was walking well but much slower than usual (with a walker), a week after surgery; my doctor wanted me in cardio rehab 2 weeks after surgery. No openings for 6 weeks. The owners of my gym both worked there in the past, so they guided me well, no electrodes to monitor my heart though. By the time I did get into cardio rehab, I did not need it. I used oxygen at night for a very short while, less than a week. As Debra said, try and do a little more each day, I'll add to take special care to include something that gives you joy and pleasure. Moving often will help prevent blood clots and have visitors as you feel up to that. Keep us posted! It's a journey for sure. ((HUGS))

Thank you. If I can ease up this back and neck pain, I could get more sleep that I need.

Thank you!

Hello @freedancer69,
How are you feeling today? Are things better and getting easier for you? How is the back/neck pain?

I was able to sleep in my bed for two nights now. My neck pain has eased but my back pain is horrible. They really messed up those two back muscles keeping me on the cylinder prop to keep me in one position. I did manage to finally get approval to take Ibuprofen which eased the pain in less than 8 minutes. He said I could take it as long as it did not activate my skin disorder. I was so relieved and it keeps the pain at bay for 5 hours. Still hard to draw in a full breath due to the inflamed back muscles as they are swollen and pressing on my lungs. My post-op is on the 30th so hopefully I will be able to get into cardiac rehab.