Today’s post is all about heart surgery recovery. However, it applies directly to heart bypass surgery recovery time for patients experiencing open-heart surgery for procedures including heart valve surgery.

As a former, heart bypass surgery patient (I had two heart valves replaced), this is a topic I really, really like to talk about with patients and caregivers. In fact, I have two chapters dedicated to heart bypass surgery recovery time in my book.

“Why the fascination?” you wonder.

Well. For me, it comes from an altruistic place of support and care (even though we don’t know each other).

In my opinion, the open heart surgery recovery time is filled with lurking pitfalls and hidden challenges for BOTH THE PATIENT AND CAREGIVER.

Unfortunately, I and many members of my support group (friends, family, co-workers), experienced these pitfalls and challenges.

That is why I am very careful when I respond to the question of, “How long will it take me to recover from cardiac bypass surgery?”

I am careful to respond to that question because recovery from any invasive procedure is personal. There are some people that will recovery in 4 weeks. There are other people that will recover in 12 weeks. And, there are some people that will recover in 1.5 years.

Taking this point one step further, simply defining what “recovery” means is different for everyone.

Can I ask you, “What does recovery truly mean?”

For some, it means the point at which they can return to work. For others, heart bypass surgery recovery may be the point they can drive their car. For me, I felt my recovery was complete when I surfed for the first time after my aortic and pulmonary valve replacements. FYI - That was 435 days after my operation.

435 Days After Open Heart Surgery… I Surf Again!

Finally, there is another element to heart bypass surgery recovery time that must be considered. That is the mental element of recovery. In addition to the physical challenges of recovery, some patients are dramatically impacted in their thought patterns relative to life after open heart surgery. As of late, many medical professionals are now starting to pay much more attention to the mental elements of heart bypass surgery recovery. So you know, to help accelerate my heart bypass surgery recovery time, I saw a therapist for several weeks.

I hope that sheds some light on “heart bypass surgery recovery time”.

Keep on tickin,

Adam

[1] To learn more about Adam’s heart valve surgery book, click here.