Bypass and recovery
Lynn, I agree with Fred, I had six bypasses on a Wednesday, went home the next Monday. By Tuesday, I could have stayed home by myself but my wife elected to stay home with me one more day. From then on , I stayed home by myself and was fine. Kept my cell phone with me and put in neighbors numbers just in case I needed help with something but that didn't happen. Can't emphesize walking enough and getting independent right away. Also, when rehab starts, take it very seriously. It has been a year since my surgery. I bought an eliptical cross trainer, treadmill, and schwinn aerdyne exercise bike. I use them 5 days a week for 45-60 minutes a day. It does wonders for all the health numbers...blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesteral, ect. I have had depression problems and doctor told me that may well do with being on a heart/lung machine and how your body copes with something that drastic. Would love to chat with others who have experienced the same things. Take care, Mark
Racine, I also had the body image problem and certainly am no beauty. I just felt chopped up. I was treated for depression and that seemed to help some but time helped the most. Today 3 1/2 years later, my scars are barely visable. The scars on my leg are really not noticeable at all. I have 5 short scars on my left leg and they have really faded. The chest scare is a thin white line that you barely notice. The leg still swells and I think it is lymph fluid but none of my doctors seem to think its anything to worry about. I am a worrier so it doesn't do much good to tell me that. For two years after the surgery I was a mess and did not care if I lived or died. Today I feel much different even though I do have days. I still feel I am not the same person I was before the bypass but everyone in my family disagrees so it is just an internal feeling that fortunately does not show to others which is good as I still get angry at times and my mind does not always work like it should. My husband does realize the mental decline but always tells me I am improving all the time. I will 64 in May so some of it is age I'm sure but I do have aches and pains I never had before and they do not seem to ever go away but they do get better. My doctors all tell me I am doing great. Still I worry. Probably wouldn't be happy if I didn't worry about something. Do get help for the depression. It is a scary and really can keep you down. Exercise did not help me with the depression. That go take a walk and you will feel better was bunk as far as I was concerned. This group has helped me tremendously and I am very grateful to everyone on here, especially Connie and Deb. They just have a way of making you feel you are cared about and worth something. Ann