Sunday was uneventful other than visitors. Oliver arrived in mid-morning with the good news that he has landed what sounds like an amazing job as an economist with a firm of Canadian solicitors. It sounds just up his street and he is quite bouncy about it. Hope he keeps them onside.
A new physio also popped in yesterday. It turned out that he was a runner so he appreciated my desire to get back to fitness again asap. After we did a couple of quick laps of the floor and 2 flights of stairs he said I was doing very well, recalling that it is only day +5. Surprisingly he thought the programmes offered by the hospitals would not meet my needs; most of the patients are not as well as I am and his advice was really quite vague; just be patient but each day/week do as much (more) as you feel capable of. He said I should not try to run until after I see my cardiologist, in a month. But the recommended static cycling as a good way to get the lungs and heart working without putting strain on the wounds. His colleague qualified this slightly today (Monday) as she thought I might only be doing 2 - 5 minutes, so unless I had one at home already it was unlikely I would find going to the gym practicable.
Helen arrived just after lunch and we watched tennis together before both deciding to have a bit of shut-eye. Almost immediately after, Andy (a CABG veteran) and Xiao. Conversation remains quite tiring and after 90 minutes I was dropping off so they left.
Fast forward to today, I feel much better getting up in the morning, enjoy a two egg omelet and toast for breakfast before taking a shower. Dressings are all replaced and the pacer wires are removed from my heart. This must be done before I can leave hospital. The process is not painful (though involves removing some stitches) but I can feel a slight heart "flutter" as the wires are withdrawn. I then go for an echo-cardiogram to check if there is any fluid around the heart, which there is not. I wait with excitement for Mr Shipolini to arrive but he may not be here until the evening.
Tony arrives at lunchtime and we chat about the CH3 2015 Weekend away in Canterbury, which I missed. He said people enjoyed it. Check out the website and if you like it come out one Tuesday in London (we run from a pub in Tube zone 1 or 2 somewhat after 1900 hrs). Tony joins me on my laps and stair walks and is impressed as there are some people he knows who cannot keep up with him when he walks at this pace. I do find an hour or so of talking to a visitor quite tiring so after an hour or so I ask him to leave. Fortunately no one takes this personally (so far).
I am also surprised by a loud banging (Shock!), a creepy opening of the door (Horror!) and the appearance of the lovely Wendy who helped make Helen's 60th into a real party (Delight!). We also chatted for an hour and did a couple of laps before I thought it best to retire to bed.
At last Mr Shipolini arrives around 2000 hrs - presumably another emergency has held him up - and he gives me the good news that I can go home tomorrow. He will be back at non with a letter for the GP and for the Whittington Cardiologist, Dr Susannah Hardman. Apparently it is quite possible she has been told nothing and thinks I am still at Barts awaiting a procedure!
I go to bed excited, though first I must watch last night's episode of "Humans" (about Androids) on All4 catch up TV.
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