{"id":266,"date":"2007-11-17T05:27:12","date_gmt":"2007-11-17T10:27:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/2007\/11\/17\/best-piece-of-advice-watch-out-for-that-first-sneeze\/"},"modified":"2025-08-05T13:03:58","modified_gmt":"2025-08-05T18:03:58","slug":"best-piece-of-advice-watch-out-for-that-first-sneeze","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/2007\/11\/17\/best-piece-of-advice-watch-out-for-that-first-sneeze\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Piece Of Advice… Watch Out For That First Sneeze!!!"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the most common questions I receive is, “What is the best piece of advice for heart valve surgery patients preparing for their recovery from heart valve replacement or heart valve repair?”<\/p>\n

It’s a great question. Unfortunately, there is no one distinct answer. I think that is the reason I wrote my book. There are lots and lots of pieces of advice that patients and their caregivers should know. In fact, I even have a new chapter in the revised edition of the book titled, “The Best Piece Of Advice”, to help answer that question.<\/p>\n

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I was so curious to know how other patients would answer that question, I included it in the recent Heart Valve Surgery Patient Survey. Needless to say there are some very interesting “pieces of advice” that other patients provided in the study.<\/p>\n

That said, here is one piece of advice to consider… WATCH OUT FOR THAT FIRST SNEEZE AFTER HEART SURGERY!!!<\/p>\n

Yep. A sneeze… Here’s why!!!<\/p>\n

If you want me to, I could share lots of advice about cardiac depression, pain medication issues, mismanaged expectations, poor doctor \/ surgeon communication, etc. However, that stuff is all too heavy. To learn more, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\"Regis<\/div>\n

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Instead, I’ll echo with what Regis Philbin had to say about the early recovery from heart surgery, “That first sneeze can be a bitch!”<\/p>\n

I’ll never forget my first sneeze. I was sitting at my desk two weeks post-operation. My nose started to have that twinkling, itchy sensation. The next thing I knew my lungs pulsed, expanded and then released an explosion through my nose as my face contracted. My broken sternum,<\/a> along with its sternal wires<\/a> were agitated, and the pain that followed was… Not fun.<\/p>\n

Now, I’m twenty-two months after surgery…<\/p>\n

Guess what?<\/p>\n

No more broken sternum! No more pain from sneezing!<\/p>\n

Related Link:<\/p>\n