Searching for answers
Hello! I'm a male, age 56, married, suffered a mild heart attack Jan 9, underwent tripple bypass on Jan 13. Wounds healing fairly good, no infections, some swelling in legs and fluid buildup near incisions. Painful but not too uncomfortable. Still haveing sever chestpains without the help of pain med. Not sleeping well even with pills. I have quit smoking 2 packs a day, lost close to 15 lbs since surgery and I'm sticking very close to recommended diet. Why am I here? Not sure, guess its cause I'm afraid. Cause I don't know the answers to a lot of things. Cause I don't even know the questions. This is not a why me plea, so much as a what now. Everyone says, its only been three weeks, give it some time. You've been through a lot in such a short time. Makes sense and I hear what they are saying but: the fear is still there, and I'm not even sure, of what. Here's a news flash, up until a month ago, I would never have told anyone I was afraid of anything. I can't remember ever being afraid of anything, not real fear. If you have any real idea of what I'm talking about, I'd be interested in knowing how you handled it.
Gotta run to Doc appointment but wanted to let you know that sleeping in short spurts is absolutely NORMAL for several weeks. NAPS are great. 3 hours at a time is not unusual. I've been through it twice and I understand where you are coming from. It does take time. See if there is a Mended Hearts Chapter in your area for support and fellowship. You may also find the POST SURGERY FORUM at www.ValveReplacement.com useful. The posts are archived by subject so you should be able to find a LOT of relevant experiences and feelings discussed. Hang in there. A Positive Mental Attitude goes a LONG way towards a successful recovery. 'AL' (CABG and AVR)
As a reasonably fit 45 y.o. runner I was shocked by my M.I. and CABGx4 in June, 2001. Afterwards my initial thinking was if it could happen to me then, it could happen again at any time - especially now that I am a cardiac patient. Time is indeed a great healer, but other things help. Putting your energies into positive thoughts and actions is essential. Cardiac rehab, frequent exercise, positive mental attitude, heart healthy diet, and stress reduction all help. Ask your doctor all questions you may have and dont quit until you get understandable answers. Take your medications religiously and if they need to be adjusted tell your doctor. Doing everything within your abilities to get and keep yourself heart healthy is in itself stress reducing. ACCEPT your condition, but do everything you can to prevent recurrence. Good luck and keep posting. Dave