ROBS RECOMMENDATIONS TO POTENTIAL BY-PASS PATIENTS:

Hospital wear: Don't buy a new pair of Pajamas to take to hospital! Get something soft, smooth to the skin and easily removed. Silky, satin or very soft cotton, a lava-lava cloth is great. The wards (at least at Wakefield) are always nice and warm.

Dressing gown: Not a big heavy woolly one. Light and short, and don't let it touch your legs.

Laughter: Laughter does not hurt as much as coughing, and Punishing Poll will want you to cough. If your visitors get too serious or negative ask them not to come back! You don't need anything negative.

Indignities: Everyone suffers indignities in the hospital system, don't let them upset you, talk and laugh about them! It's your getting well that counts.

Attitude: Remember this is not only going to save your life, but will also improve your quality of living. Plan your recovery, don't be too ambitious and savour every accomplishment you make. I'd prefer to spend my money and go to a Pacific Island somewhere and it's cheaper - but this is also an adventure in life. Twice I watched the All Blacks play, they get jumped on and kicked; their bodies must feel as beat up as I feel now - after every game! Turn any negative thought around or they will make you miserable.

Write it down: Why you are doing it, what you expect to happen, what you are prepared to put up with, where you hope to be in several weeks time. Don't be over ambitious it's very encouraging to find you are ahead of your goal schedule.

Sleep: In my experience the body mends itself best while it is asleep. Work at getting as much sleep as possible. Ask your nurse to help you to get comfortable in bed and settled at night. Learn how to get your self into a comfortable recovery position.

Cassette story tapes: Well loved stories have helped me, some may prefer recorded poetry or music. I believe they are more relaxing than TV and it is easy to fall asleep while listening to them.

Who is that asking about sex? I can advise that my first meal at home included about 10 raw Bluff oysters (these are without doubt the very best oysters in the world! And they are regarded as having great aphrodisiac qualities; who needs Viagra?). To date they haven't all worked but I cannot be too critical of my system for sneaking off with some of them to help repair the body!

Body Shaving: To many people this can be an indignity, and is, in it self, stressful. Every one knows hospitals shave off body hair, but although every other aspect of the operation has been explained, this practice has not. Regrowth of hair is at least uncomfortable and often painful, especially so near a wound. The new type clipper hair removers used at Wakefield are a great improvement on traditional shavers as they do not shave as close and the patient does not suffer from ingrown hairs etc. (as I have in other operations!).

Plastic Wrist Bracelets: Beware! Trim the sharp edges off the plastic wrist bracelets. They jab into the tender shaved skin.

Use your strengths and assets: Everyone has their own strengths and assets. Take stock of the things you do well and see if you can make a list of them and use them to assist your recovery.

Mine include:

A Desire to travel: I'm going to Sakhalin Island (off Siberia Russia) at the end of September. The goal, the pinnacle of the mountain, trust me, I'll be there!

Diving: A desire to get back in the sea, and the use of deep breathing skills I have.

Dance: Dance disciplines are a very effective whole body exercise and is social.

Writing: Writing this diary on a notebook computer while in hospital has kept my mind occupied and thinking positively (free for you to download below).

2003 update - Since the operation, I've published a little book of diving adventures called "Dive Tales", completed writing "An Impression of Russia" with about 80 photo's and 70,000 words, which is about my adventures in a remote area of Russia. It has not been published but the family have computer printed copies and a CD of it. "Dive Tales Too" a follow up to Dive Tales is on the drawing board. I have also created a book for kids with simple text and (currently) about 150 underwater photos of fish and sea creatures.

Hot Tub: I'm used to it, I've gained huge pain relief and sleep assistance with careful use of it.

Mountain biking: Not yet, but very soon I'll have the bike out again.

Fishing: From the boat it is more energetic than it looks!

Walking: We have wonderful walking tracks all around Wellington. Around the coast with fresh sea air, and over the hills on cut tracks. I have done many parts of the short easy ones while convalescing.

Please feel free to download Rob's story - We hope that by sharing our story, we can help others understand the mystery of heart by-pass operations. NOTE: there are 46 pages!

Below you'll find links to download the full story of Rob's heart by-pass experience in both Word and PDF format.

Please Note: This story is the copyright property of Rob Marshall and is to be used for personal use only. Under no circumstances may anyone replicate or use any part of this document or information supplied here for commercial purposes or distribution.

Download Word Document Full Story Version.

Dowload PDF Full Story Version.

Download Free Acrobat Reader to view PDF version.

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Lynne & Rob Marshall.

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