One Year on from the Implant

I vividly remember the feelings I had when I was told that I had a degenerative heart condition and needed an implant. I vividly remember the weeks of worry about the implant in the run up to the procedure (even I have stopped calling it an operation 12 months on) and I vividly remember the biggest concern I had in those weeks before the procedure...

How would I do my hair?

As many women will understand, if my hair isn't right I can't settle to going out, whether to work, shopping or simply walking the dogs.

I discussed options with my hairdresser on how Neil would best be able to help me. My work colleagues even offered to do whatever was necessary when I got to work to make my hair as I would want it.

Looking back 12 months later, I smile when I think of this. After the procedure, doing my hair was well down my list of concerns. 

In the first few days all I could think about was not moving my arm too much so I didn't dislodge my pacing wire, on managing the pain and in working out how to get dressed. My hair really had become a low priority.

Over the first few weeks I was focused on getting my routine back to normal and watching the progress of my wound healing.

3 months on and I was pretty much back to normal.

6 months on and I was no longer checking out my scar every time I got dressed, it wasn't that obvious.

12 months on, it all seems a long time ago. 

I have a lump to remind me it's there, but I often forget about it. I have times when I think I can feel it working , but generally when I am in bed at night and everything around me is calm and quiet. I get an odd sensation and a whooshing feeling, but it may be the night time playing tricks on me because I know that the problem occurs at night time.

12 months on and I am exactly where I was told i would be, but at the time found it difficult to believe. I consider myself fortunate that they found the problem early, I consider myself fortunate that what they found could be treated and then I could get on with my life.

I do take the health warning seriously and have started to get on with plans I had previously only thought about. It has made me realise that I shouldn't put things off until tomorrow,  need to get on with them today.

For anyone just at the beginning of this process it can be a very frightening thing so hopefully you can take my story as a positive. In the meantime I await my check up in February 2014 which will give me an idea of the amount of work the unit is having to do which will give me an idea of how many years I have to go before I need the unit changing.