| Infections
can occur at any body site. Most of the time they occur in the lungs,
kidneys, or where the chest incision
was made during the heart transplant. To help prevent infection make
sure no one ill visits you a lot. In the hospital you can only have
flowers in water, no plants. Also, below are some exercises you would
do before and after a heart transplant to prevent certain things.
(Remember you are in bed a lot so these are all done in bed.)
#1
Breathing Exercise
1. Lie on your back.
2. Place your hand firmly on your
belly. (You feel the firm pressure of your hand against your belly.)
3. Open your mouth and breathe in
slowly and deeply. (You should feel and see your belly rise and push
against your hands.)
4. Hold your breath for 2 to 3 seconds.
(You belly should not move.)
5. Purse your lips, as if to whistle,
and slowly blow out until you have emptied your lungs as much as possible.
These breathing exercises are done three
times an hour!
#2
Toe Pointing
1. Lie on your back in bed.
2. Point toes toward foot of bed.
3. Hold toes in this position for
3 seconds.
4. Then point to head and hold for
3 seconds.
#3
Toe Circling
1. Lie back in bed.
2. Point your toes toward the end
of the bed and make a full circle to the left three times.
#4
Leg Bends
1. Lie back in bed.
2. Slide foot along mattress until
knee is sharply bent.
3. Do three with right leg, three
with left leg. |
