Last night I decided that after 6 weeks of healing I should at least be able to sleep on my side and in my own bed. Actually, for the past several nights I have given it the old 1-2-3 but have given up around midnight each time as I just could not fall asleep in my bed. If I tried sleeping on my back my heart felt like it was going to pound out of my chest. Sleeping on my side, however, made my sternum and shoulders and neck and back ache. Last night I decided to just ignore the aches and force myself to lie there until I fell sleep. Well, midnight came and I was so uncomfortable that I almost gave up then and there. But then I resolved, “Maybe if I turn over on the other side it will be ok!” Well that was easier said than done as turning over required a number of maneuvers with my legs and shoulders which had the effect of further aggravating my already unhappy chest. I managed to get on to my other side but only stayed there for a very short time before I was trying to turn over yet again. Finally at 3:30 AM I gave up and stumbled out to my recliner. By then my chest and back and neck and shoulders were so sore that even in the recliner I had difficulty falling asleep. I guess the recliner and I are destined to keep each other company for a while yet.
This morning I did some online research on “…sleeping on side after open heart surgery…” Numerous links showed that I am not the only open heart surgery patient suffering with this malady.