Heart Bypass Surgery

Boy....nice to hear from others and how they are reacting to their surgery......believe it or not it has been six years since my surgery and I still suffer anxiety attacks.......I had surgery on a Monday morning......woke up on Friday with my arms tied with tube down my throat being told my organs had crashed and I had had another surgery on Tues to save my life.........well, let me tell you this puts a whle new perspective on what one has gone through and the after effects....I live in fear that my new shortness of breath is an indication my arteries have blocked up again.........and then I will have to make a major decision My cardio dr told me that everyone has short term memory loss for a few months after surgery whether one was on machine or off machine but it is those that were on it who most likely develop permanent damage to the brain......great......as if I wasn't goofy enough before surgery! Ann.......I don't like to be a pessimist and I certainly hope my experience with surgery is just mine alone and most people get along great BUT I am not the same person......I don't think I wil ever be the same person....before I was happy go lucky...extremely involved with everything.....walked three miles a day.....had regular exercise routine daily...took monopril to lower BP and basically thought I was as healthy as could be.......had absolutely no symptoms of anything wrong.....never even got a cold...........today I am very impatient and jump down hubby's throat for no good reason.....I no longer can exercise.....filled with aches....no energy......pessimistic about most things particularly my health.......well, the list could go on and I won't bore you........but .....I have accepted the way my body is today.....and adjust my lifestyle.......worse I guess is my anger against the drs who told me I would die within a week if I didn't have surgery immediately.......today I don't believe that and I wish I had been strong enough to walk out of the hospital and done some research and see what my options were..........perhaps I'm really angry with my self Another point of curiosity.........did anyone develop long term shortness of breath or perhaps asthma symptoms? I have just developed this and I don't know if it is heart related or lung problems........I have wheezing and shortness of breath upon exertion........... Take care everyone.....for those who have just had surgery....be patient.....it will get better and most people do indeed go on to a much better life than before surgery.......... Carol in Atlanta...