{"id":584,"date":"2008-09-27T13:10:41","date_gmt":"2008-09-27T18:10:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/2008\/09\/27\/do-i-really-need-full-time-help-after-heart-surgery\/"},"modified":"2019-02-26T22:10:02","modified_gmt":"2019-02-27T03:10:02","slug":"do-i-really-need-full-time-help-after-heart-surgery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.heart-valve-surgery.com\/heart-surgery-blog\/2008\/09\/27\/do-i-really-need-full-time-help-after-heart-surgery\/","title":{"rendered":"“Do I Really Need Full-Time Help After Heart Surgery?” Asks Etta"},"content":{"rendered":"

At the age of 62, Etta’s mitral valve regurgitation has reached severe status. That said, Etta will be having mitral valve repair surgery<\/a> in three weeks. In her last email to me, Etta raised an interesting question. Etta asked, “Adam – Do I really need full-time help after open heart surgery?”<\/p>\n

This question really brings back memories from my early, early, early recovery from aortic valve replacement surgery. My family and support group was insistent that I was not home alone for the first two weeks after open heart surgery. We even created a detailed Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet that highlighted which days my mom, sister, brother, dad and Robyn (my wife) were responsible for me.<\/p>\n

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\"Adam's<\/div>\n

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I have to admit… That was a very smart move of my friends and family. Having full-time help was the best!!!<\/p>\n

My support group was there to help me with the ‘little’ and ‘big’ challenges of early open heart surgery recovery when broken sternum pain<\/a> is common:<\/p>\n