Z's Journal

Richard Munson  Surgery times vary depending on what they do. 6 hours me. Don’t drive yourself, no seatbelt. They told me back seat. Expect pain, if none, bonus. Good luck

Z Smith  Thanks. Definitely not planning to drive myself. They said no driving for four weeks post surgery. My surgery is at Mass. General. Is that where you went?

Susan Lynn  Z - It's stressful up until pre-op and then, you'll have a tremendous sense of calmness and relief. Waiting is the worst and it's almost over. Don't worry about the length of your surgery - it's going to feel like one minute for you. When you're done, you'll sleep on and off until the next day.

Since you're active, you'll be anxious to get out of bed and they'll have you up on your first full day of recovery. Walk as much as you can and you'll be out of the hospital before you know it. Don't worry about the ride home. Bring a pillow and sit in the back seat and relax. I had a similar ride and it was perfectly fine.

Focus on every step going exactly as planned. Don't create challenges that aren't there. Positive thoughts lead to positive results. You've got this! ❤

Richard Munson  I never went to rehab but it is probably a good thing to attend. Covid concerns. I have my own treadmill and i use it daily. I still think walking is the best medicine. I never had a time or speed formality. I started very slow and worked my way faster and longer. Your body tells you when you have done enough.

Marie Myers  I started cardiac rehab at 3 weeks after my AVR, root and ascending aneurysm repair. If you are fit preop, I think there is a good chance your doc would approve your doing rehab with your trainer. EKG and BP issues are something that are normally monitored while in formal rehab, but My cardiologist said I did not have to do rehab if it was “ too lame”. As it was, I had an uncomplicated surgery and recovery. I believe many people do their own rehab, but it is better to err on the side of safety in the beginning. Start slow and easy, and gradually work harder. As far as sternal pain, I did not experience any real pain. I was generally uncomfortable and cranky for the first couple weeks. Tylenol was enough most of the time, but I did take a Percocet at night to help with sleep issues in the early days. The total length of your surgery can vary, as there are some surgeons that are faster/slower than others. 3-5 hours sound right for your surgery. There is a lot of prep time while you are already asleep, during which anesthesia will put in you arterial and central lines. But like Susan says, it is like a minute for you once you are asleep. Wishing you a smooth journey through surgery and recovery!

Marie Myers  Oh, yes, I was cranky. Not used to being a patient. It is better to give anesthesia than to receive anesthesia...

Jay Heagerty  Good luck. I rode home by car for a four hour drive 8 days after surgery and sat in the back seat for a month. Strongly encourage you to go to the cardiac rehap as it is staffed with RNs and other health care professionals who check your blood pressure before, during and after exercise. Also monitor your heart rate. I found it comforting as I was rehabbing. I completed and am now back at my old workout facility six mths after surgery.

Richard Munson  Rehab under the watch of a professional is always the best. And jay, i’m sorry you had to sit in the back seat for a month. I was lucky my wife let me in the house. Lol.

Marie Myers  Personally, I think if you are happy With your surgeon, I would go with what is his /her choice of procedure. I did that with my surgeon, and had a full sternotomy for my AVR , root aneurysm, and ascending aneurysm resection in 2017. I was 63 at the time of my surgery and very active also. There are extra restrictions for full sternotomy while healing, so if that is very important to you, you Might need to find another surgeon who is comfortable with the minimal approach. That said, I started cardiac rehab at 3 weeks, and felt good enough to go back to work part time at 8 weeks. I started playing tennis about 8 months out, and got back to horseback riding shortly after that. Every patient is different, and you need to make the decision that is right for you. Wishing you a smooth journey through surgery and recovery!

Jackie Comp  Just before my 55th bday I learned I needed open heart surgery for severe mitral valve regurgitation. I am an avid yogi and was very concerned about how it would impact my practice.

The good news is that 10 weeks after my surgery I was doing yoga again (honestly I would’ve started sooner if they had let me!). I was able to fully resume my advanced practice. It is now 6 years later and I don’t even think about my surgery. I feel incredibly strong and grateful. If you trust your doctor, do what is recommended. If you are already active, I believe you’ll be able to get back to your active life quickly! Wishing you a fast recovery! 🙏

Z Smith  Thanks. This is super encouraging. Having to do CABG as well as mitral valve repair kind of threw me for a loop as did reading all the stories here about people who had minimally invasive surgery and were playing golf a month later.

Richard Munson  I had minimal at mass general and i was pretty perky prior to surgery. I guess there might be a Golfer out there a month later but i was in no mood to play tidily winks a month later. Maybe putting on my living room rug. Just thinking about trying to drive a golf ball a month after heart surgery of any kind gets me queasy.