| Heart disease is rampant in our country. The | | | | hasty in making the decision. By proper medication |
| causes are mainly heredity, diet or other diseases. | | | | and eating like a rabbit plus exercise, you may be |
| Smoking does not help the situation. Some can | | | | able to reverse the progression of heart disease |
| overcome the problems of heart disease by diet | | | | which blocks the arteries. I did not make this |
| and exercise plus supervision of medications by | | | | decision. Two of my sons and my son-in-law are |
| trained physicians. For many of us however, we | | | | doctors and they made the decisions for me. |
| find ourselves in the hospital before any heart | | | | I felt completely relaxed before I went into |
| symptoms were noted by medical people and we | | | | surgery for the first bypass surgery and also |
| undergo coronary bypass surgery. | | | | before the second bypass surgery and aortic |
| Coronary bypass surgery occurs daily in the | | | | valve replacement. I remember everything that |
| United States. The object of the process is to | | | | occurred before the first surgery including the |
| bypass blocked arteries with veins taken from | | | | work of the anesthesiologist and being wheeled |
| the leg. The left internal mammary artery can be | | | | into the operating room full of doctors, technicians |
| freed from the inside of the breast and used to | | | | and equipment. I have no recollection whatsoever |
| bypass. The heart is stopped during the process | | | | prior to the second surgery. |
| and a heart-lung machine provides oxygenated | | | | Before the first surgery, I had a religious vision in |
| blood to the heart. The process may be | | | | the morning just as I was waking up. Another |
| open-heart surgery or by other less intrusive | | | | patient had a similar vision which he described to |
| techniques such as "Minimally Invasive" bypass | | | | me when we were in rehabilitation. Our dreams |
| surgery. The later depends on the availability of | | | | seemed to be related to our religious affiliation. I |
| the procedure in your area. Also, if the process is | | | | don't know how common this phenomenon is. |
| not working correctly in the operating room, you | | | | There was no vision before or after the second |
| my end up with conventional bypass surgery. | | | | surgery. |
| The length of hospital stay is usually less than a | | | | After both surgeries, I woke up in Intensive Care, |
| week and is similar by both procedures. The first | | | | not the recovery room. I don't remember this |
| time I had bypass surgery, my stay was one | | | | after the second surgery. You are uncomfortable |
| week. The second time which included aortic | | | | for a day or two and then you are up and around |
| valve replacement, I was in the hospital for three | | | | again. This did also did not occur after my second |
| weeks because of complications. | | | | surgery. Complications kept me in intensive care |
| During the hospital stay and after the patient is in | | | | for about three weeks. I also had horrible visions |
| rehabilitation at home, training is given in diet, | | | | of war, etc., for weeks which my son said was |
| stress control along with physical recovery | | | | due to the long surgery the second time around. |
| training. After my first heart surgery, I went | | | | Other than removing any drain tubes and the |
| through a 10-week period of physical and other | | | | external wires to the pacemaker, no other |
| training at a local hospital. After my second | | | | procedures are needed after surgery. The nurses |
| surgery, I was put on a tread mill in the hospital a | | | | will have to care for you for a few days but then |
| few times to help regain my balance and strength. | | | | you can handle things on your own. |
| I was given no further activity after returning | | | | I recovered rapidly after my first surgery and |
| home. I was given some instruction in the hospital | | | | was home in one week. Unfortunately, I was told |
| on dieting and life style. | | | | to take an antihistamine to which I became |
| Your surgery wounds will partly heal in the | | | | allergic. It was two months before I got back to |
| hospital. If you chest was opened, that will be | | | | work. |
| your main concern. You need to learn how to | | | | I was taught in the hospital how to regulate my |
| prevent injury in that area. This means that you | | | | diet but most of that training was again given to |
| must learn to turn over in bed without straining | | | | me after I got home. I was shown how much |
| your chest. Just standing up can be a problem. I | | | | meat I could eat and how I needed all of the |
| suffered coughing after my first surgery and that | | | | food groups and that I must chew my food. I |
| did not help the situation. My chest wound did not | | | | was given 10 weeks of rehabilitation at the local |
| heal properly and a large nuisance growth | | | | hospital. |
| developed which was removed during my second | | | | Staying away from work was the best thing I |
| surgery leaving a weak area which is now | | | | could do because of the stress situations. |
| herniated. That is not all that common. My | | | | My neighbor owned his own business, had bypass |
| surgeon told me that those who have herniation | | | | surgery and was back in the office in two weeks. |
| in the chest area do not usually have painful repair | | | | My friend here in Idaho had bypass a couple of |
| surgery. I didn't either. I'm allowed to lift less than | | | | months ago. He's a farmer and other than being |
| fifty pounds, I can still bring in the groceries and | | | | unable to left much weight, he is back in the field. |
| cut the lawn (which I don't) so I don't worry | | | | Depression can set in after heart surgery. It |
| about it. | | | | usually disappears shortly thereafter. I had no |
| Your second concern is the wound in your leg or | | | | such problem but I saw the symptoms in others. |
| legs where the veins used in the procedure were | | | | After surgery, take your medications, watch your |
| extracted. You will have a long scar on the inside | | | | weight and don't smoke. If you are well enough, |
| of your leg. Most people have little trouble with | | | | get some exercise. And keep a smile on your |
| this. You may have pain near the ankle which is | | | | face even if you have to watch Three Stooges |
| minor and does not seem to go away. It may | | | | movies. |
| only be tender to the touch. When my dear wife | | | | The thing that concerns me most is that heart |
| rubs my legs and feet everyday, she sometimes | | | | disease is not always detected until a heart attack |
| hits a tender spot. | | | | occurs. If you have a family with a history of |
| Smoking and obesity are the two main things that | | | | heart trouble more careful monitoring is required. |
| you need to avoid after surgery. You should take | | | | Talk to your doctor. |
| medications as prescribed by your doctor. Vitamin | | | | How long does bypass surgery last? You usually |
| E is now out of favor and should not be used as | | | | get a "guarantee" from your surgeon for 10 |
| a supplement. You get plenty from your regular | | | | years. I went 12 years but I had to have a valve |
| diet and the daily multivitamin you should be | | | | replaced or I would not have had the second |
| taking. Avoid all saturated fats and trans-fats. At | | | | bypass that soon. Of the three bypasses first |
| least limit the saturated fats. B-vitamins are | | | | given to me, only one had to be replaced the |
| sometimes recommended. There are foods like | | | | second time and that was a minor procedure |
| olive oil, avocados, grapefruit, nuts, etc. that are | | | | because the technicians that did that part of the |
| good for the heart. | | | | surgery could use the stubs of my old graphs. I |
| A procedure that occurs before bypass surgery | | | | know people who had bypass twenty years ago |
| is the angiogram. It determines which arteries are | | | | with no repeats. |
| blocked. After the results of that are in, discuss | | | | My main problem has been avoiding obesity. I |
| your options with one or more doctors. You may | | | | blame the computer. |
| be able to avoid bypass surgery so don't be too | | | | Good health to you! |