My CABG

[Lambovish]

I couldn’t understand why this was happening to me , I worked out regularly, travelled just in the last month, had no pains while I walked miles then all of a sudden one day I just felt this heart burn like pain it wasn’t the worst pain nonetheless it was pain, after taking some deep breaths and doing some arm stretching it went away, the next day when I just unloaded my car of groceries this pain came back again I would breathe then move my arm in a circular motion and it’s gone away, this would happen on and off for the next two weeks, finally I’m at the movie theater with my girlfriend watching the avengers movie during the movies while I’m just sitting down doing nothing the pain comes back and I tell her hey we gotta go I need to go to the emergency room, so she brings me , they give me nitrates in the ER and I feel fine, thinking I was gonna get to go home but was I wrong this was the first day of my 16 day stay at the hospital.

I didn’t have any chest pains after I took the nitrates on the first day in the ER, I was thinking any moment now they will discharge me but they kept doing test and kept doing test I was feeling good no chest pains asking why am I still here, finally they tell me that my heart is not getting enough blood and they will have to do bypass surgery since I have 90% blockage to 4 of my arteries, i couldn’t process what the doctor just said , I felt good it was difficult for me to register what he just said .

From my experience it can be overwhelming when you have idle time to just think about the procedure , I had a balloon pump in my right leg 48 hours before surgery and being stuck in that position for two days prior to surgery was difficult , I was super nervous and kept hearing the surgeon’s nurse voice from the previous day saying this is a high risk procedure, I didn’t want to hear things like that so I didn’t ask many questions hoping that would help me not overthink, In hindsight looking back I wish I asked more questions I wasn’t even familiar with the procedure, the best thing to do is ask all the questions you can ask and try to clear your head and trust the process I wish I was better at clearing my head but I was worried from all different medical people visiting me before the procedure.

From what I can remember i could not sleep much the two days before surgery then the hour of surgery came and I kept saying a prayer over and over to try to relax me I didn’t know what to expect and they put me under anesthesia and I was knocked out, I woke up 5 hours later with a breathing tube in my mouth , while I was prepped on the breathing tube being put in to help me breath and not to panic. When I woke up The breathing tube was in me and I totally panicked . After about 30 minutes they removed the tube and that was it. I was alert and couldn’t believe it was over, I don’t remember going to sleep for the surgery or anything during the surgery, just woke up and it was over pretty simple for how complicated and worried my mind made it out to be. I don’t remember much else from that day.

The next day they removed the balloon pump and then moved me back to a regular room, It was difficult to move and my chest was sore, getting up and going to the bathroom was hard at first after a two days it became easier, 4 days after my surgery I still didn’t want to look at my chest, whenever doctors or nurses would look at my chest I would just close my eyes, I didn’t want to see how my chest looked. I didn’t have much of an appetite usually skipping most of the meal but I did enjoy the Italian ice , the most difficult thing for me after surgery was taking a shower, but after you get a few showers in your feel more comfortable and confident, I still would close my eye as to not look down at my chest I just was not ready to see the scar. Six days after surgery they asked me to show them how many laps I could walk around the floor , I did about 4 laps when they told me that’s good and then 3 hours later they dis charged me.

So I get home , go to the mirror and lift my shirt, the first time I looked at my scar, it’s a line and it’s there reality sets in and my life is changed forever, this is who I am going forward, I don’t know if I would call it depression , I been doing a lot of reading on the internet and realize I can’t do a lot of the things I use to do, I don’t want to lose who I am and the things I enjoy to do but I also want to live as long as I can live, so that’s where I am at....

[Chappychap]

"I been doing a lot of reading on the internet and realize I can’t do a lot of the things I use to do, I don’t want to lose who I am and the things I enjoy to do but I also want to live as long as I can live"

I don't know what you've been reading on the internet, but the idea that CABG surgery prevents you from doing things sounds like a load of old nonsense to me! I appreciate that following serious surgery many people get an attack of the blues, but it sounds like you're moping around and pushing yourself into an entirely unjustified despair.

There are people who, following open heart surgery, have run marathons, climbed alpine peaks, raised children, built houses and managed international businesses.

I don't want to sound rude, but I have to ask, what specifically is it that you believe will now be removed from your agenda?

[jimmyq]

Most of the people on here felt that way at first. You have been through a traumatic experience and it will take time for you to come to terms with it. Talk to your other half and your close family. Ask your doctor and the hospital if there are any support groups in your area and join in with them. There may be a cardiac rehab team in your area that can give you medically supervised exercise and advice to help you through this. People on here are very helpful too, like Chappychap.

[Sillyfroggy]

I think from reading your post about smoking marijuana you have your answer to ‘why me’. I had my heart attack about 5 weeks ago now. I gave up smoking 4 years ago. In hospital they made it clear that of all the risk factors smoking is the biggest. You’ve been given a chance, via some major surgery and a lot of your care. For your family if not for yourself, just stop smoking anything, at all. You don’t need it.

[Chappychap in reply to Sillyfroggy]

Good advice.

Nicotine substitutes, like patches, lozenges, or vaping, are great ways of quitting cigarettes. But eventually they'll also have to be ditched, as nicotine itself is a potential cause of heart disease.

I used to have regular company medicals and I was repeatedly told, after I'd quit smoking but taken up nicotine lozenges, that there was no harm in them. It now transpires that advice needed some serious qualification. No harm from a cancer perspective, but serious harm from an atherosclerosis perspective.

When I learnt this following my bypass I quit taking nicotine lozenges.

[willsie01]

Thank you for sharing your experiences with us.

[Ianc2]

Ok

You have had your wake up call

Now is the time to get active, buy a Fitbit, sort out your diet, dump the alcohol and sugar and take your scar out for regular walks. Easy does it to start with.

I have taken my scar half way round the world, out on sailing boats, up mountains in the Alps and anything else I can get insurance cover for . Sitting on your backside is no longer an option...

There is a whole new world out there waiting to be got at, and a new life to be lived. Up and at 'em 🐅.

[Lilyrosy]

Hi there,

You have to take all the earlier positive comments and put them in motion.

I had CABGx4 like you 8 months ago. Unfortunately it didn’t go to plan and my chest was opened again to stop the bleeding.

In February I travelled to Vietnam and have taken 8 other flights since then.I Walk everyday, lift and play with 5 young grandchildren and most importantly wake up every morning and think ‘I’m alive’

Of course it is a serious operation but as we are often told it is routine.

I have 2 dear and close relatives who have terminal cancer, they can’t be ‘fixed’.

You have been, enjoy waking up every day. Good luck.

[Phil-52]

A year to the day after my CABG x4 I ran the Birmingham 10k in 56 minutes. 6 months later I ran the half marathon. I've ridden my motorcycle across Europe and Cruised the Norwegian Fjords to name a few things. Yes, maybe I'm slower and maybe I am less capable in a lot of things but one thing is for sure.....I appreciate life more. Think about what you CAN do.

All the best with your recovery

Phil

[Kev12564 in reply to Phil-52]

Great post. Good 10k time too. I’m jealous 😀

[Phil-52 in reply to Kev12564]

Thanks CocoNutWater . I'm just really enjoying life at the moment. There's always downs as well as the ups but that's life

[Kev12564 in reply to Phil-52]

You’re inspiring others too. To make you feel even better, I’m only here because my dad had a bypass. I’m 49 and have no heart issues, but you’re still a better runner than me 🙁. I’m working on it, though 😀

[Henry20]

Lambovish

I haven't been through all that you have, but I talked with people who have, and have earned my own stents.

A few things:

Don't be hard on yourself, you're not where you'd like to be, but you can't change it.

Give your body a chance to heal and there will be plenty you can do, but take it slowly at first and the Cardiac Rehab classes are essential to build confidence. Make the changes they suggest, and discuss any problems with them.

If you go away for a break (I'm sure you'll want to sometime), take a photocopy of your medical notes about what's been done with you. I got into trouble when I went away and had a trip in an ambulance to a hospital; my notes explained everything the doctor needed; no doubts, no misremembering leading to me having confidence I was getting the right treatment. Comment from the doctor "God, I wish everyone had their notes, it's all so much easier"

My main problem, I realise, has been all in my head, and it still is after 10 months. The physical side will fade as you get stronger. It the comes down to you and what you want. You will need to find people to talk to, swap stories, seek advice and quite probably moan to. Its all par for the course. Use this website as a crutch should you need to, it does help, writing things down for strangers to read. It all helps.

Finally, you will come through all this and probably have a totally new diet and you'll have met so many who are just like you - survivors.

Keep cheerful and all the best to you

Henry