Collin, Wishing you a speedy recovery. Thinking of you. Barb
2007-04-26 05:56:53 | Author jason_8
Comments
2 Responses to Speedy Recovery
jason_8 on 2007-04-26 15:16:09.086346
Hi all
i go in for a cabg in 10 days (if there is a bed).
I went for the pre op assessment, and all was well.
We were told to read up and get ready.
I was going to play it by ear and see how i felt, but maybe i should
know what to expect, and how best to deal with it.
If you have any tips for a speedy recovery please let me know.
Many thanks Terry
bond_800 on 2007-04-26 14:02:42.774096
Terry,
I know that others will send you many, many tips for ease of recovery upon returning home. One helpful one earlier passed around was having items lowered in your cabinets. You don't have a lot of strength to reach things.
You will probably leave the hospital with surgical stockings on. They are embolisim stockings to help prevent blood clots. In fact, even when I had my gall bladder surgery this week, they put them on me. I was just able to remove them today.
Now that you are a heart patient, anytime you have dental work done, you will have to premedicate two hours before your procedure. You will want to notify your dentist that you are a heart patient, and he will give you a prescription beforehand. You must take two antibiotic capsules two hours before your procedure.
In fact...according to my primary care doctor, he wants to know anytime I have any infection...sinus etc. He talked like it's mainly in my head area....he wants it taken care of immediately because it's so near the heart.
I wanted to mention that even when you are able to drive, you don't have a range of motion for turning your neck and shoulders. Things that you've always taken for granted, when checking behind you in order to back up your car etc. Seems to me that this took almost 4 months for me before it was a "passable" situation. It's still not completely there at 5 1/2 months.
Also, I had problems getting in a Pickup truck. I'm to short, and couldn't hoist myself. That's probably not a problem for most people. Here in TEXAS...it IS! Couldn't ride in it for a while and had to go everywhere in the car instead. Things you've always taken for granted...you can't do anymore!
Although they will teach you in the hospital how to arise from a sleeping position to get yourself to a sitting position before using yourself out of bed, there is an aid available that certainly helps. A neighbor who had had a sister go through the surgery brought over a large wedge shaped foam cushion for me. It put me at an angle much easier to rise from, and not only that, it was more restful since we have trouble sleeping flat anyway. That's why you will hear so much on here about many who could only sleep in a recliner. That little tilt...helps us to breath better.
There's another advantage to the wedge foam. I had problems immediately after I had finally gotten able to not have to depend on the wedge at the head position. I developed swelling in my legs so badly, and was advised to keep my feet above my head when lying down...and had to do this alot....the majority of the day! So....the wedge went down to the foot of the bed and supported both legs in the air.
I've seen these wedges available in atalogs in the past. I think Harriat Carter was one that carried them, but I'm sure that health equipment stores will have them too.
Even now, when it's not necessary to have to use the wedge all the time, I sleep with a pillow between my knees, a pillow for my feet, and a pillow to clutch between my arms in addition to the one supporting my head/neck.
And of course, you'll need the little heart shaped pillow that the hospital should provide you to clutch for rising, coughing, sneezing, yawning....all of those things that will hurt so badly in the beginning, and for about a month out. You will need it so badly that you wish it came with a chain attached to it that you could hook onto your jammies waistline the way bikers have those wallets with chains attached to their beltloops! It's agony when you need it and realize that it's a few inches out of your reach!
One other thing that has made my life very easy since the surgery because I experience feet swellin is a pair of shoes that I practically live in. I ordered mine from "Plow and Hearth" magazine. They were $69.95 and are item #7754 in that catalog. The brand is Qwaruba.
I never want to be without a pair of these type shoes, because I had foot problems even before my bypass. The bones in my feet break for no reason. So far it is the left foot only, but right before it breaks, the right foot starts swelling. I guess I "give" to the pain in the left without realizing it and bear more weight on the right causing it to swell more.
But I recently found another pair of them on an eBay auction. I am hoping they are the same thing....even though they have a different brand name. They too, are shearling lined, open toed scuffs. The tops are adjustable, which adds when your feet are swollen. And the closest thing to heaven I've ever had on my feet. I'll try to copy a photo here if I can get it to work. The eBay pair is a offered BUY IT NOW for $39.95, or had an opening bid of $36.95, and I won it at the opening bid.
Haven't received them yet, because they were a recent auction win, but here's the item number for them Item number: 5357822015 if you'd like to check them out. The seller has other comfy type shoes in his eBay store. If they work and wear as well, that will be better 'cause they are cheaper! They are a Staheekum brand.
You may be a fortunate one that doesn't have leg and feet swelling, but if you are, it's tips like these that will come in handy. My husband wears a trask brand of house shoe made of Bison and shearling...but what's best for me with this brand is the velcro adjustments to allow for feet swelling.
Again, keep us updated. Hope the little photo of my shoes comes through...if not, you can look up the catalog or the ebay item number on the net and find them.
Click here to Order
Best wishes,
Connie
bypass50tt <bypass50tt@...
Hi all
i go in for a cabg in 10 days (if there is a bed).
I went for the pre op assessment, and all was well.
We were told to read up and get ready.
I was going to play it by ear and see how i felt, but maybe i should
know what to expect, and how best to deal with it.
If you have any tips for a speedy recovery please let me know.
Many thanks Terry
Connie Turner
Hi all i go in for a cabg in 10 days (if there is a bed). I went for the pre op assessment, and all was well. We were told to read up and get ready. I was going to play it by ear and see how i felt, but maybe i should know what to expect, and how best to deal with it. If you have any tips for a speedy recovery please let me know. Many thanks Terry
Terry, I know that others will send you many, many tips for ease of recovery upon returning home. One helpful one earlier passed around was having items lowered in your cabinets. You don't have a lot of strength to reach things. You will probably leave the hospital with surgical stockings on. They are embolisim stockings to help prevent blood clots. In fact, even when I had my gall bladder surgery this week, they put them on me. I was just able to remove them today. Now that you are a heart patient, anytime you have dental work done, you will have to premedicate two hours before your procedure. You will want to notify your dentist that you are a heart patient, and he will give you a prescription beforehand. You must take two antibiotic capsules two hours before your procedure. In fact...according to my primary care doctor, he wants to know anytime I have any infection...sinus etc. He talked like it's mainly in my head area....he wants it taken care of immediately because it's so near the heart. I wanted to mention that even when you are able to drive, you don't have a range of motion for turning your neck and shoulders. Things that you've always taken for granted, when checking behind you in order to back up your car etc. Seems to me that this took almost 4 months for me before it was a "passable" situation. It's still not completely there at 5 1/2 months. Also, I had problems getting in a Pickup truck. I'm to short, and couldn't hoist myself. That's probably not a problem for most people. Here in TEXAS...it IS! Couldn't ride in it for a while and had to go everywhere in the car instead. Things you've always taken for granted...you can't do anymore! Although they will teach you in the hospital how to arise from a sleeping position to get yourself to a sitting position before using yourself out of bed, there is an aid available that certainly helps. A neighbor who had had a sister go through the surgery brought over a large wedge shaped foam cushion for me. It put me at an angle much easier to rise from, and not only that, it was more restful since we have trouble sleeping flat anyway. That's why you will hear so much on here about many who could only sleep in a recliner. That little tilt...helps us to breath better. There's another advantage to the wedge foam. I had problems immediately after I had finally gotten able to not have to depend on the wedge at the head position. I developed swelling in my legs so badly, and was advised to keep my feet above my head when lying down...and had to do this alot....the majority of the day! So....the wedge went down to the foot of the bed and supported both legs in the air. I've seen these wedges available in atalogs in the past. I think Harriat Carter was one that carried them, but I'm sure that health equipment stores will have them too. Even now, when it's not necessary to have to use the wedge all the time, I sleep with a pillow between my knees, a pillow for my feet, and a pillow to clutch between my arms in addition to the one supporting my head/neck. And of course, you'll need the little heart shaped pillow that the hospital should provide you to clutch for rising, coughing, sneezing, yawning....all of those things that will hurt so badly in the beginning, and for about a month out. You will need it so badly that you wish it came with a chain attached to it that you could hook onto your jammies waistline the way bikers have those wallets with chains attached to their beltloops! It's agony when you need it and realize that it's a few inches out of your reach! One other thing that has made my life very easy since the surgery because I experience feet swellin is a pair of shoes that I practically live in. I ordered mine from "Plow and Hearth" magazine. They were $69.95 and are item #7754 in that catalog. The brand is Qwaruba. I never want to be without a pair of these type shoes, because I had foot problems even before my bypass. The bones in my feet break for no reason. So far it is the left foot only, but right before it breaks, the right foot starts swelling. I guess I "give" to the pain in the left without realizing it and bear more weight on the right causing it to swell more. But I recently found another pair of them on an eBay auction. I am hoping they are the same thing....even though they have a different brand name. They too, are shearling lined, open toed scuffs. The tops are adjustable, which adds when your feet are swollen. And the closest thing to heaven I've ever had on my feet. I'll try to copy a photo here if I can get it to work. The eBay pair is a offered BUY IT NOW for $39.95, or had an opening bid of $36.95, and I won it at the opening bid. Haven't received them yet, because they were a recent auction win, but here's the item number for them Item number: 5357822015 if you'd like to check them out. The seller has other comfy type shoes in his eBay store. If they work and wear as well, that will be better 'cause they are cheaper! They are a Staheekum brand. You may be a fortunate one that doesn't have leg and feet swelling, but if you are, it's tips like these that will come in handy. My husband wears a trask brand of house shoe made of Bison and shearling...but what's best for me with this brand is the velcro adjustments to allow for feet swelling. Again, keep us updated. Hope the little photo of my shoes comes through...if not, you can look up the catalog or the ebay item number on the net and find them. Click here to Order Best wishes, Connie bypass50tt <bypass50tt@... Hi all i go in for a cabg in 10 days (if there is a bed). I went for the pre op assessment, and all was well. We were told to read up and get ready. I was going to play it by ear and see how i felt, but maybe i should know what to expect, and how best to deal with it. If you have any tips for a speedy recovery please let me know. Many thanks Terry Connie Turner