Mended Hearts Open Forum

I'm finding that I'm not alone in my journey...over 2 million procedures are performed globally every year with over 700,000 of those in the USA.  Yet, when I had my triple bypass & valve replacement on Easter Sunday, just 8 weeks ago, I was definitely feeling overwhelmed and having a hard time getting my head wrapped around it. 

I went to my primary care physician with symptoms I'd never experienced.  He sent me to a cardiologist, who had me admitted to the emergency dept at the hospital next door, where we thought there might be a chance of a stent and a return home within a couple of days.

Diagnostics showed the need for triple bypass and mitral valve replacement.  And it was two weeks later when I returned home.  After 6 weeks at home I'm experiencing the typical physical symptoms of recovery and have just recently started having some anxiety related to the whole ordeal.  It's hard to describe to people who haven't any idea of what one goes through with this but I feel the folks here might know.  At this point I'm thinking of seeing a therapist to help me get through the cardiac blues. 

Otherwise, all is pretty good, mending as expected, sternum is still tender, pulse ox being taken after any exertion and after each meal with meds and averaging 95/72.  BP stable and good. Just need to get my head straight after all of this. 

I appreciate reading all the stories of other experiences here...it's really helping me understand that mine is not unique and is manageable. 

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Michael Brown
Retired
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I'm finding that I'm not alone in my journey...over 2 million procedures are performed globally every year with over 700,000 of those in the USA.  Yet, when I had my triple bypass & valve replacement on Easter Sunday, just 8 weeks ago, I was definitely feeling overwhelmed and having a hard time getting my head wrapped around it. 

I went to my primary care physician with symptoms I'd never experienced.  He sent me to a cardiologist, who had me admitted to the emergency dept at the hospital next door, where we thought there might be a chance of a stent and a return home within a couple of days.

Diagnostics showed the need for triple bypass and mitral valve replacement.  And it was two weeks later when I returned home.  After 6 weeks at home I'm experiencing the typical physical symptoms of recovery and have just recently started having some anxiety related to the whole ordeal.  It's hard to describe to people who haven't any idea of what one goes through with this but I feel the folks here might know.  At this point I'm thinking of seeing a therapist to help me get through the cardiac blues. 

Otherwise, all is pretty good, mending as expected, sternum is still tender, pulse ox being taken after any exertion and after each meal with meds and averaging 95/72.  BP stable and good. Just need to get my head straight after all of this. 

I appreciate reading all the stories of other experiences here...it's really helping me understand that mine is not unique and is manageable. 

------------------------------
Michael Brown
Retired
------------------------------

Michael- You've outdone me, but I'm 12-years past a mitral valve repair and single bypass and, at 81, feel terrific and am quite active. You can not believe how much better you can become. Hang in there and stay positive.

I'm finding that I'm not alone in my journey...over 2 million procedures are performed globally every year with over 700,000 of those in the USA.  Yet, when I had my triple bypass & valve replacement on Easter Sunday, just 8 weeks ago, I was definitely feeling overwhelmed and having a hard time getting my head wrapped around it. 

I went to my primary care physician with symptoms I'd never experienced.  He sent me to a cardiologist, who had me admitted to the emergency dept at the hospital next door, where we thought there might be a chance of a stent and a return home within a couple of days.

Diagnostics showed the need for triple bypass and mitral valve replacement.  And it was two weeks later when I returned home.  After 6 weeks at home I'm experiencing the typical physical symptoms of recovery and have just recently started having some anxiety related to the whole ordeal.  It's hard to describe to people who haven't any idea of what one goes through with this but I feel the folks here might know.  At this point I'm thinking of seeing a therapist to help me get through the cardiac blues. 

Otherwise, all is pretty good, mending as expected, sternum is still tender, pulse ox being taken after any exertion and after each meal with meds and averaging 95/72.  BP stable and good. Just need to get my head straight after all of this. 

I appreciate reading all the stories of other experiences here...it's really helping me understand that mine is not unique and is manageable. 

------------------------------
Michael Brown
Retired
------------------------------

I'm about 11 weeks into recovery and my chest is healing up quite well.  However, I still have discomfort in my leg where the vein was harvested.  My surgeon said that the leg discomfort is a regular post surgical acknowledgement by patients.  In my case, I've also got some minor pain to the touch on the inside of my ankle on that leg.  No bruising though, just tenderness that doesn't seem to want to stop. 

Chest is still tender but each week is better.  There is some numbness on the right side of my incision, that extends about 3 inches out from the incision.  So far...so good though!

Michael- You've outdone me, but I'm 12-years past a mitral valve repair and single bypass and, at 81, feel terrific and am quite active. You can not believe how much better you can become. Hang in there and stay positive.

I'm finding that I'm not alone in my journey...over 2 million procedures are performed globally every year with over 700,000 of those in the USA.  Yet, when I had my triple bypass & valve replacement on Easter Sunday, just 8 weeks ago, I was definitely feeling overwhelmed and having a hard time getting my head wrapped around it. 

I went to my primary care physician with symptoms I'd never experienced.  He sent me to a cardiologist, who had me admitted to the emergency dept at the hospital next door, where we thought there might be a chance of a stent and a return home within a couple of days.

Diagnostics showed the need for triple bypass and mitral valve replacement.  And it was two weeks later when I returned home.  After 6 weeks at home I'm experiencing the typical physical symptoms of recovery and have just recently started having some anxiety related to the whole ordeal.  It's hard to describe to people who haven't any idea of what one goes through with this but I feel the folks here might know.  At this point I'm thinking of seeing a therapist to help me get through the cardiac blues. 

Otherwise, all is pretty good, mending as expected, sternum is still tender, pulse ox being taken after any exertion and after each meal with meds and averaging 95/72.  BP stable and good. Just need to get my head straight after all of this. 

I appreciate reading all the stories of other experiences here...it's really helping me understand that mine is not unique and is manageable. 

------------------------------
Michael Brown
Retired
------------------------------

I'm about 11 weeks into recovery and my chest is healing up quite well.  However, I still have discomfort in my leg where the vein was harvested.  My surgeon said that the leg discomfort is a regular post surgical acknowledgement by patients.  In my case, I've also got some minor pain to the touch on the inside of my ankle on that leg.  No bruising though, just tenderness that doesn't seem to want to stop. 

Chest is still tender but each week is better.  There is some numbness on the right side of my incision, that extends about 3 inches out from the incision.  So far...so good though!

Michael- You've outdone me, but I'm 12-years past a mitral valve repair and single bypass and, at 81, feel terrific and am quite active. You can not believe how much better you can become. Hang in there and stay positive.

I'm finding that I'm not alone in my journey...over 2 million procedures are performed globally every year with over 700,000 of those in the USA.  Yet, when I had my triple bypass & valve replacement on Easter Sunday, just 8 weeks ago, I was definitely feeling overwhelmed and having a hard time getting my head wrapped around it. 

I went to my primary care physician with symptoms I'd never experienced.  He sent me to a cardiologist, who had me admitted to the emergency dept at the hospital next door, where we thought there might be a chance of a stent and a return home within a couple of days.

Diagnostics showed the need for triple bypass and mitral valve replacement.  And it was two weeks later when I returned home.  After 6 weeks at home I'm experiencing the typical physical symptoms of recovery and have just recently started having some anxiety related to the whole ordeal.  It's hard to describe to people who haven't any idea of what one goes through with this but I feel the folks here might know.  At this point I'm thinking of seeing a therapist to help me get through the cardiac blues. 

Otherwise, all is pretty good, mending as expected, sternum is still tender, pulse ox being taken after any exertion and after each meal with meds and averaging 95/72.  BP stable and good. Just need to get my head straight after all of this. 

I appreciate reading all the stories of other experiences here...it's really helping me understand that mine is not unique and is manageable. 

------------------------------
Michael Brown
Retired
------------------------------

Ira,

It's nice to meet another Ira.  There aren't many of us.  

I, too, had quintuple bypass surgery with veins harvested from both legs and a mammary artery as well.  My surgery was 5 1/2 years ago.

It is difficult for me to assess what may or may not be happening in your case because you haven't provided much information beyond the basic facts.  For example, how old are you?  How is your health aside from the fact that you have cardiovascular disease?  Were you/are you athletic?  A couch potato?  Has your weight changed greatly?  Have you gone for a physical and had a complete blood count?  What were the results? Your answers to these questions may also answer why you currently feel the way you do?

I had my bypass surgery at the age of 67+.  At the time, I had been seriously engaged in weightlifting and calisthenics for 55 years nonstop.  I also had been a serious runner until sciatica ended my running career but I was still walked and cycled a lot.  I was unable to lift the weights I lifted when I was 40 or 50, but I knew that was age related.

I am now nearly 6 years older than when I had my heart attack and bypass surgery. I'm also 35 pounds lighter than I was then, and at least half that weight is lost muscle. I still lift weights just as avidly and regularly as I ever did, but the weights I now struggle to lift for three reps are baby weights compared to even my warmup weights a quarter century ago.  I'm afraid to do handstand pushups anymore because my balance is no longer that great.  My walking speed has slowed dramatically over the last 6 years.  I get more tired now and need more naps.  I don't sleep as well or as long as I once did.

The point is that I'm now 73 years old and in seemingly good health other than my cardiovascular disease.  My cardiologist thinks I'm amazing and, compared to most people my age, he's probably right. So what's going on?  I'm getting old.  I am old! Things don't work as well anymore.  I sometimes can't answer Jeopardy questions instantly anymore even when I know the answers.  I've slowed down.  

After my bypass surgery the discharge report from rehab (that's a separate story) described me as an "elderly gentleman." I was 67 and furious at that description. Now?  Not so much.  I AM elderly, if not quite a gentleman. And I'm proud of it.  And I'm getting physically weaker each year despite all my exercise and soon I'm going to die.  Today?  Next year? Ten years from now?  Who knows?  But whenever it is, I will be okay. I've lived a full life, been blessed more than many, and I'll take pleasure in slowly walking home to merge with this amazing universe of ours and with all those who've gone before us.

Ira, I don't know if you're 35 or 75.  But maybe it's just that you're getting older.

All the best brother,

Ira

I'm about 11 weeks into recovery and my chest is healing up quite well.  However, I still have discomfort in my leg where the vein was harvested.  My surgeon said that the leg discomfort is a regular post surgical acknowledgement by patients.  In my case, I've also got some minor pain to the touch on the inside of my ankle on that leg.  No bruising though, just tenderness that doesn't seem to want to stop. 

Chest is still tender but each week is better.  There is some numbness on the right side of my incision, that extends about 3 inches out from the incision.  So far...so good though!