It looks as if my dad will be discharged from hospital this week following a triple heart bypass op last week and I wondered if anyone could tell me when it's likely he'll be able to go for walks around his neighbourhood, etc? Will he be allowed to cook, make a cup of tea, etc? He lives on his own but my or my sister will be on hand to provide support.
Thanks.
Hi, new to this forum - I had a triple bypass 6 weeks ago - I was out walking for 10 mins every day - one week after my operation.Plus I was able to make my coffee and toast every morning myself - your Dad will be fine !
Hello chrissy26
Welcome to the forum, I had Aortic valve replaced and bypass done 5 years ago at the age of 68. First things first, when he gets home gentle walking daily, helping to build up his stamina, the first couple of weeks my husband walked with me just for a bit of security. I used to count lamp posts! Each day I would try and get to the next one I know it sounds silly but it worked 😂
Making a cup of tea or a sandwich will be no trouble as long as he doesn’t need to reach up, remember no arms above his head no lifting anything heavier than half a kettle of water. Have a rolled up baby blanket or towel if he needs to cough or sneeze he can hold it against his chest it won’t be quite so painful. Remind him to keep doing his breathing exercises and coughing ones. They really do help. When we go onto bypass our lungs collapse and they need a little bit of help to fill all those little pockets again.
It looks like cardio rehab is starting again encourage him to take part it helps as much with our mental side as with getting our stamina back. Being around others who have been through what we have makes such a difference. Someone might say I have this ache or pain and you think me too.
You sound like a loving caring daughter I am sure he will make a great recovery.
You are now members of the Hearties family.
If you have any questions just post and someone will be along to help.
Best wishes Pauline
Thanks Pauline, I let my dad see your reply and that's helped him a lot.
Spot on Pauline. Great advice 👏🏻
Afternoon 007
Hope your doing well, weather here in Scotland is getting colder by the day!
Had my annual medical yesterday at the GPs surgery the hospital had phoned them this morning my kidneys are playing up again! My numbers are down to 43. Same thing happened this time last year, need to have repeat bloods done next week. The rest of the test results aren’t through yet. Hope it’s just the kidneys last year needed iron and folic acid don’t like taking iron 😂
When we have a heart issue lots of other things have to walk a tightrope.
Take good care
Pauline
Hi Pauline,
Yes, all good here thanks.
Very mild down here on the south coast right now. Although the holly trees are full of berries and that normally signifies a hard winter. But then everything is upside-down with the weather nowadays.
Sorry to hear you’re having issues again. Your right we're always walking that tightrope now.
I am waiting for an appointment with the Liver Disease Clinic in Bournemouth. The doctor said I should cut my alcohol down to 14 units. I said "I’ll try but 14 units a day is very low".
He said "that’s 14 units a WEEK 007, 14 units a week". 😳🤣🤣
Actually, I don’t drink that much and I’m being even more careful now.
I’ve had an ultrasound on my liver and they found I have a gallstone!
I’m on 80mg of Altoravastatin a day so it could be just that.
Taking Iron is not nice!
I read somewhere, years ago, that if you have a cup of tea 30 minutes before up to 30 minutes after having food it helps take the iron out of the food. Don’t know how right that is but if you have tea with your food it’s worth looking into.
Stay warm up there,
-007-
Oh my a gallstone in your liver! Will they zap it with ultra sonic!! John had little stones in his bladder and the zapped them. The 14 units made me laugh. Don’t drink tea so that’s not going to help, hopefully I won’t need iron 😂 the kidney function came back up after a couple of months last year so hopefully it’s going to be the same. It could be the ace inhibitors they can cause the kidney function to drop I believe.
Looking at your post and you going to Bournemouth Hospital just keep your eyes open my 17 year old granddaughter passed her driving test on Monday. Her parents have bought her a little white car so she is off! She goes to Brockenhurst College so if you live anywhere close 😂 so roads round Poole Brockenhust Bournemouth eyes pealed 😂 my son said she really is very good I shouldn’t have said that.
Take good care
Pauline
Ahhhh sorry. No not a gallstone in the liver. They found it while doing an ultrasound of my liver but it’s actually between the gallbladder and bowel. Grief I’ve just told this forum more than half my family knows 😂
It’s not giving me any trouble but that could make my bloods high or something like that(so I’m told).
Little white car, seventeen year old, got it. Thanks for the warning. 👍
I’m not that far from Brockenhurst. If your granddaughter says this odd looking chap was waving at her, that’ll be me.
Probably be in the news next week “68 year old arrested for bothering 17 year olds all driving white cars” 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Just going to open a cheeky bottle of Italian red and Mrs 007 is cooking a nice pasta dish. It’s a hell of a life but someone has to live it 😇😉
The hospital should have provided information on post recovery for your father, it’s usually done during the discharge process.However , as per the other responses , then it’s up to ten minutes walking per day on his first week at home , and each week it can be increased by 5 minutes . It’s important to avoid hills for the first few weeks and breathe nice and deep whilst out exercising.
I would certainly recommend contacting the cardio rehab nurses for guidance too but this usually occurs around 6 to 8 weeks post procedure . He should be fine making a sandwich and a cup of tea etc but must not lift anything heavy .
Vitally important that he also listens to his body and rests , our bodies need a lot of rest and regeneration after open heart surgery .
Also he has a wonderful family network around him by the sounds of it.
He will be fine .
Hello and welcome to the forum!
Lots of good advice here. The one I wod add is that it is important to do the breathing exercises. The lungs take a hammering during OHS and the exercises are important to regain full capacity and speed up recovery. He will be shown these by the physios on the ward.
Hi Michael, thanks for your reply. I didn't realise the operation caused so much trauma to the lungs. He mentioned that the physio spoke about breathing exercises.
I had a quad bypass in June He will be able to walk and do basic duties in the home but probably not until 3-4 weeks whilst he rests
Everyone is different but from my experience the first few weeks is when you need support
I am sure all will be well
One suggestion, if any light switches are the pull cord type, they are fairly common in bathrooms, extend them. I know it sounds silly but we hadn't thought about it on the day I got home, but my wife had put a length of ribbon on it by the second time I needed a p.
Actually two suggestions if you take him out in a car, don't let him open the car door, I didn't think and on the first trip to our local town, opened the door with one hand,and went from a really good healing strenun, to a clicky one and trust me no one wants 'clicky sternum'.
Wish him luck from me.
Danny.
I Had a double Heart Bypass and went to my pals 50th ...9 Days later though No dancing or Alcohol But haven't looked back since .
Wow! That's amazing. My dad is getting home this afternoon and I've been amazed at how his body has started to recover following major surgery involving a major organ just a week ago.Really glad you bounced back so quickly Allyboy1973!
Thank you , I Hope your Dad is on the mend and back to normal as soon as possible .
Chrissy,
My triple bypass was in June 2018 but I well remember the first few weeks back at home. I'd joined this forum and people were talking about having sore chests. "That's odd" I thought, my chest is as numb as hell! Others were posting that they were riding their bikes after a couple of weeks while I was still shuffling to the end of my street.
If you read enough posts on the forum you'll see that we all mend at different rates and the little achievements in the first few days are to be treasured! I well remember saying to my son "Its ok I've managed to put my socks on myself this morning".
Tell your dad to take his time, there are no prizes for trying to rush his recovery. If something is troubling him, put a post on this forum, before you know it he will get replies from people who have had the same experience. Reassurances from others that have gone down the same path is so valuable,
All the best.
Alec.
Hi chrissy26. The replies you've had are brilliant. No pushing or pulling at heavy doors and a pillow or rolled towel against your dad's chest will help if he's in a car (seat belts can rub a bit).He might have trouble with those darned elasticated 'stockings'. Gosh, those were a pain to pull on and off. He may be shown an easier way to manage these.
My hubby, after his quad bypass, gradually built up the distance he walked every day. After 6 weeks, we were tackling hilly paths around our local park. Hubby was just amazed that he could breathe without any pain while he was walking!! That was in the winter time so hubby found it a great help to have a scarf loosely wrapped around his neck and mouth to stop those icy winds.
I think these lovely people on this forum can be really helpful if you need to ask any questions as they've all been there and got the T shirt. I was told by Pauling and MichaelJH that there is no such thing as a stupid question! (and believe me, I asked loads!!)
Love to you and your dad. Jan xxxx
Hi chrissy26. The replies you've had are brilliant. No pushing or pulling at heavy doors and a pillow or rolled towel against your dad's chest will help if he's in a car (seat belts can rub a bit).He might have trouble with those darned elasticated 'stockings'. Gosh, those were a pain to pull on and off. He may be shown an easier way to manage these.
My hubby, after his quad bypass, gradually built up the distance he walked every day. After 6 weeks, we were tackling hilly paths around our local park. Hubby was just amazed that he could breathe without any pain while he was walking!! That was in the winter time so hubby found it a great help to have a scarf loosely wrapped around his neck and mouth to stop those icy winds.
I think these lovely people on this forum can be really helpful if you need to ask any questions as they've all been there and got the T shirt. I was told by Pauling and MichaelJH that there is no such thing as a stupid question! (and believe me, I asked loads!!)
Love to you and your dad. Jan xxxx
Hi Chrissy, everybody recovers at different rates & alot depends on age, other conditions etc I had a triple bypass aged 51 over 2 years ago and live on my own, I had a lot of help but was fine, just did things a lot slower, I went for a walk the day after I came out of hosp - didn't get very far as every direction from my house is up a slight gradient but kept doing a little more & building up - dont overdo it but at the same time you have to slowly & safely push yourself - I wish your Father all the best, I'm sure he'll be fine
Triple Heart Bypass
Triple heart bypass
COVID while recovering from triple bypass surgery 
Triple heart bypass
3 weeks post triple heart bypass
