Had open heart over 9 years ago. Mitrial valve and bypass. To get out of bed I hooked my feet under the edge of the bed and used my legs to pull myself up for a while hope it works for you.

Spent my first four hours in bed early this morning. The power-lift recliner my wife bought me is great but my bed is more comfortable.

I used techniques they showed me at the hospital. I clutched a pillow over the incision in my chest the whole time.

prayers Lug

The best to you in your recovery. I went thru that same procedure April 2011. It took me several months to recover to be honest. Longer then I anticipated. But I am still going now. You are a member of the zipper club now. We all share the same look like super man now. DId they strip veins from both of your legs for the grafts?

Agreed,,,and for everyone else who has not had one recently,, GET CHECKED!! My dad passed from colon cancer,, I get checked every so often as do my siblings ( which polyps were discovered and removed).
Praying for a full and speedy recovery! That can be some really scary stuff.

Holy cow, glad you made through all that. God speed healing

Quad 8 years ago next month. Do the rehab and don't be superman. Takes 4 years plus for the sternum to quit hurting. that was the worst thing about the whole deal was the sternum. mikec

Thanks again all.



A club I wasn't looking to join but it's far better than the alternative.

Just the left leg Bob. I think they used some from in my chest too. My left inner thigh is one big, purple bruise from knee to groin. No pain though. I dropped my pain meds from 1,000 mg of Tylenol to 750mg this morning. Between that and the Lidocaine patches on either side of the incision I'm doing okay.

Several months before full duty is what I'm being told by the pros.

The split sternum is a big issue.

My doc nixed the idea of me shooting a 3" magnum at a spring turkey in seven weeks. In fact she nixed any long gun shooting until July.

I guess I'll just have to guide this year, Turkey Camp is already set and I'm planning on going with my friends.

It's good to hear you're on the mend. That's got to be a tough thing to get through. Those doctors sure can do some amazing things these days. Get well, and hopefully I'll see you at the PTA convention in June.

This coming April it will be 12 years since I had open heart surgery. I had a defective aortic heart valve that we did not discover until I was 62 years old. Mine was bi-cuspid instead of tri. When I was 65 we put in a piece of bovine pericardium. Valve was 1.25 inches. Valve was closing and leaking and stiffening up my left ventricle. There was no blockage at that time. No lifting more than 8-10lbs. for 8 weeks. I am now being monitored every 6 months to a year as these valves are good for 10-15 years. The good news now is they can put a liner in and do not have to open me up again. I now have some blockage on one artery which is not blocked enough to get a stent put in yet. They gave me the cow valve instead of the mechanical as they figured I was too active and with the mechanical one needs higher level blood thinners and a hard bump could cause too much bleeding. I am on 2 baby asprins per day.
MAKE SURE you don't rip open the sutures!! They will have to staple you together for the rest of your life! That was enough for me to listen up.

Bryce

A good friend of mine had a valve replacement done in his heart. That was 7 years ago at age 60. He's doing just fine. He's on Warfarin and watches his sodium intake and listens to what his cardiologist tells him.
Technology today is amazing, you will be just fine. Prayer sent for you.

Lugnut will be alright. Made me a little depressed. Never came out of A-fib. but woven wire through sternun will keep it together, short of a massive impact on your chest. My shoulders hurt more than anything ! Never wanted to watch the video. But must have did some pretty intensive spreading to make my shoulders hurt like that. Came out at 225# now weigh 177# Enjoy every day

Godspeed on your recovery.

Wow !!Lugnut This is a shock Glad you took care of getting to a Dr and they where wise enough to deal with your situation in a way that has got you going on the right path again I understand you wanting to get going but you have gotten a chance to get back to a place you could have missed completely if you had not dealt with it So recover at whatever pace you are able to but remember this is a long term event You do not need to put a time limit on yourself Take care

Thanks for the continuing advice and good wishes everyone.

Interesting stuff Bryce.



I was in and out of AFIB as a result of the operation. It’s a pretty common side effect I’m told. They expect it to go away in a few weeks.

My back between my shoulder blades was pretty sore when I got off the serious pain meds. I thought it was laying in a hospital bed for three or four days that caused it. A nurse told me it is the way they have you positioned on the operating table And, like you said, the way they spread your chest open. It’s still sore back there.

I don’t think I will watch the video. I told my wife I may watch a video of a similar operation on someone that isn’t me though.

Hey....I am working on a 10/12 pitch hip roof on a three story house. All stick framed. I can handle all the cuts on the ground and pass the sticks up to you.

I can wait about a week if you're interested.

Avoid people, couple years ago had triple bypass. told everyone to stay away from me, but no one listened. about a week out of hospital someone gave me Covid and spent a month coughing. You do not want to start coughing.

I had a bit of congestion coming out of the hospital. You definitely don’t want to cough!

No visitors yet. My family has been told to stay away if there is even a slight bit of sickness in them, for now anyhow.

The last several days have been a constant battle not to cough. And never a firm pillow out of arms reach (to clutch tightly over my chest) for the few times I did.