5 minutes ago, TMB said:

^ I will pass on your thanks

Absolutely essential you do, please 🥰

2 hours ago, Titanium_Man said:

I can somehow manage to convince them to give me a blood check machine much the same as diabetics use, but to check my INR levels.

I just checked on the procedure for the INR, and the version I saw needs a veinfaume, an adaptor, a blood sample bottle and a machine for every test. So serious question; how are you at catheterising your own veins?

9 minutes ago, KenONeill said:

I just checked on the procedure for the INR, and the version I saw needs a veinfaume, an adaptor, a blood sample bottle and a machine for every test. So serious question; how are you at catheterising your own veins?

No need to catheterise my own veins. Where on earth did you get that from? 
 

Not sure what you’ve been reading, but what I know is that the INR can be done in an almost identical way as people with diabetes. Ie a finger pr1ck to get blood, which is then absorbed by the INR test strips and put into the machine….. https://coaguchek.roche.com

 

 

 

Edited 15 May, 20224 yr by Titanium_Man

27 minutes ago, KenONeill said:

catheterising your own veins?

Ken, I assume you couldn’t have read very well as a cannula is used for an INR check. No one will be taking blood out through my manhood! 

I can even go one step further and tell you that Durham NHS are actually trialling the at-home INR testing, which is why I hope I can convince North Bristol NHS Trust to do the same, but ain’t holding my breath 😞

How you doing mate? I managed to get a few friends to donate

49 minutes ago, TMB said:

How you doing mate? I managed to get a few friends to donate

Had an off day today, but down to pushing myself a little far yesterday…. Managed a 2 mile walk 😁 Feeling it today I must admit. My heart also had a very quick testing rhythm last night, which panicked me and had a crap nights sleep. Had a day on the Playstation today so hope tonight will be a better nights sleep. 
 

Oh mate, that is soooooo amazing of you to spread the word 🥰 It really is sooooo appreciated. 

Do you have any breathing exercises or anything to help cope with such anxieties? I might know a hypnotherapist who could probably help.

6 minutes ago, Titanium_Man said:

Had an off day today, but down to pushing myself a little far yesterday…. Managed a 2 mile walk 😁 Feeling it today I must admit. My heart also had a very quick testing rhythm last night, which panicked me and had a crap nights sleep. Had a day on the Playstation today so hope tonight will be a better nights sleep. 

 

Aww, you're bound to get off-days. Keep ya chin up

 

8 minutes ago, Titanium_Man said:

Oh mate, that is soooooo amazing of you to spread the word 🥰 It really is sooooo appreciated. 

 

No probs at all

Just now, TMB said:

 

Aww, you're bound to get off-days. Keep ya chin up

 

 

No probs at all

 

It’s the one drum they kept banging in hospital, up days and down days! I don’t mind taking the rough with the smooth; but am looking forward to when things level out!! 
 

Gonna get Zee to put my battery back in my car tomorrow and start her up. May even get Zee to whip her round the block and clean up the discs as they’re very rusty, of course! 

Did Zee manage to get the battery on and give it a little drive?

On 25/05/2022 at 21:08, TMB said:

Did Zee manage to get the battery on and give it a little drive?

She did start it but didn’t take it for a drive…. 2 weeks this Friday marks 6 weeks since the op and I’ll then be allowed to lift stuff again ….. and I’ll be able drive her again!  
 

Started first time but not exactly on the button. Still a bit of blue smoke after a blip of the throttle, but I’ve only clocked about 70 miles since I put the different head on and have been told to be patient and it will go away. Starting to get paranoid something else is up ….. 

 

Also, turns out that when Zee disconnected the battery she neglected to check that the car was actually locked before walking away! Thankfully, the little scaly that realised my car was wide open didn’t find anything worth nicking and didn’t cause any damage to anything. All caught on our doorbell camera, for what it was worth. 

 

 

12 hours ago, Titanium_Man said:

She did start it but didn’t take it for a drive…. 2 weeks this Friday marks 6 weeks since the op and I’ll then be allowed to lift stuff again ….. and I’ll be able drive her again!  

 

Great 👍

12 hours ago, Titanium_Man said:

Also, turns out that when Zee disconnected the battery she neglected to check that the car was actually locked before walking away! Thankfully, the little scaly that realised my car was wide open didn’t find anything worth nicking and didn’t cause any damage to anything. All caught on our doorbell camera, for what it was worth. 

 

☹️

How you doing mate?

Was wondering the same. 

sorry guys, been getting busier as I get better ☺️
 

Things have been going ok. It’s taking longer for the pain to subside this time, but then again they did take out two heart valves! Still hurts to sneeze, but now a 2/10 rather than a 9/10 kinda pain.

 

Had an echocardiogram down at the heart institute a few weeks ago, which went well. I do have my first, proper face-2-face appointment with my consultant on the 5th July, which will also be a full-body checkup. 
 

Getting to grips with the eating restrictions due to the Warfarin was initially a PITA but got to grips with it now. I have the mobile INR check machine and just need to get it calibrated by the warfarin clinic and then I can stop needing a GP appointment every 10 days or so. 
 

As it’s now been over 6 weeks since the op I can now drive again, wahoo!! As it turns out, the first day I was allowed to drive was the day I needed to pick up the camper van for Glastonbury from Devon. My boss on site wouldn’t let me work but did insist that I came along anyway and continued my recovery with my festival family 🥰 Drove Zee’s car to Devon, van home to Bristol, load up and down to Glastonbury all in a weekend. No adverse reactions  

 

It was a hard week for me as although I didn’t work at all (except a bit of help in the office) I did get my step count up and over 10k a day, which is well beyond anything I had walked up to that point. Understandably, I was knackered come the evening so was in bed by 11/12 most evenings with very limited drinking (I normally take around 120 cans of cider for the week, but only took 40 this year) 

 

I’m now also allowed to lift up to 10kg and can start to swim, so gonna pull out the months free gym membership I’ve got sat waiting and get building up some strength and cardiovascular fitness. 
 

On the car front, she started first time, albeit a bit lazy. Understandable given she’s been stoop up for nearly 8 weeks so might whip the battery off and give it a good charge. Minimum smoke on start up, which was a nice black puff. No hint of blue. Yay! Time will tell when I drive her maybe later today or tomorrow.
 

Gotta drop the camper back to Devon tomorrow and will get Zee to follow me down in my car, which is a nice ~195 mile motorway trip and will do it the world of good, so may not take the battery off on second thoughts!

 

Edit: too many words without pictures IMO!

Edited 28 June, 20223 yr by Titanium_Man

195 miles - don't take the battery off!! 🙄

 

The Op's obviously done you the world of good - you look like a changed man, and those light blue denim shorts really bring out your hair colour 😁😇

 

Gaz

Edited 28 June, 20223 yr by Gaz
An unacceptable 's' found its way in

2 minutes ago, Gaz said:

195 miles - don't take the battery off!! 🙄

 

The Op's obviously done you the world of good - you look like a changed man, and those light blue denim shorts really brings out your hair colour 😁😇

 

Gaz

 

All sounds very encouraging 👍

I can happily say I can start to look forward in life rather than just treading water  I had my first full body work-over by the heart institute last week and was officially handed over to my GP as they are very happy with where I am in my recovery. Yay!!

 

Very happy, of course, but I am to remain on the beta blockers, blood pressure & statins medication for the foreseeable future. Despite my cholesterol level being tested and shown to be in the "good" range, apparently my arteries are "furry" and want me on statins as a preventative measure apparently?! Already suffering with aching legs as a result of the statins 🥴

 

I have the home INR testing machine, which we tried to calibrate today but turns out I was given the wrong electronic testing strips for my machine! New ones are due in any moment and will calibrate it tomorrow morning. This will stop me needing to go to the GP to check my levels (almost on a weekly basis at the minute). Perfect timing as the last part of my recovery involves a week in Tenerife kindly paid for by our parents as a much needed break away together. 🥰

 

 

Next up; get a job! Just this week I finally let my employer and college know that I am to medically retire from being a mechanic. Not great timing as I was literally waiting for the End Point Assessments to get the level 3 Light Vehicle Technician qualification prior to me being admitted to hospital. I'm sure there will be those reading this thinking that I should just do the exams anyway so I have the piece of paper. Well, I've had weeks to debate this very thing. Obviously I've talked long and hard about it with Zee, but in the end I have to just walk away from it. I just can't take the risk of infection, taking a heavy knock or getting cuts that involve trips to A&E 'cos I can't stop the bleeding (which could very well become a regular feature due to the Warfarin).

 

After speaking with the account manager from college I've got myself an informal chat penciled in once I get back from my holiday  Seems like there is potentially a role coming up with them that I would apparently be perfect for..... obviously I'm not assuming anything, so I have also applied for another job this morning and will apply for more next week whist I'm sat at the pool bar with my glass of coke!

 

I'm very laid back about getting a job if I'm honest... maybe a bit too much for Zee's liking 😛 

 

 

 

On the car front ..... I didn't take my car on a motorway run in the end. Largely as it was far to hot if we were to break down and I don't trust my car at the minute! 

 

I have been pottering around town and have now covered about 140 miles in total since I swapped the heads. I've not been able to investigate the blue smoke that is still coming out after I've been sat at traffic lights for a minute or two as physically Ive not been able to, not to mention that all of my tools are at work! Once I've gone and got them I'll be taking off the TIP and intake manifold / airbox etc just to eyeball everything and see what I can see. May even take the turbo off at that point yet..... Still suspecting either seals inside the turbo are shot or the engine shop haven't put in the valve guides and / or stem seals in correctly, but would need to strip everything again to check their work, which I don't fancy at the minute! 

 

Not worrying too much about my car at the minute as can't afford to fix whatever is wrong with it anyway(!) and she's driving almost perfectly. So I'll change the oil & filter and just put up with the smoke for the time being until I can get some funds behind me ......

Edited 13 July, 20223 yr by Titanium_Man

Sorry you're having to give up the mechanic thing mate. I can imagine how you feel about it but obviously health comes first and all that. Good to hear you're doing well otherwise

3 minutes ago, TMB said:

Sorry you're having to give up the mechanic thing mate. I can imagine how you feel about it but obviously health comes first and all that. Good to hear you're doing well otherwise

 

Thanks mate. 😔 Not ideal, but as you say my health comes first. 

@Titanium_Man Beta blockers are normally used for treating high blood pressure, although they may also be used in treating other heart conditions.