Heart Bypass

[BTS]

Anyone have any first hand knowledge of living with someone who has had a heart bypass.

What should I expect?.....will they need 24/7 care?....How strenuous might it be on me personally?

Also, I've looked online at recovery times. Most things say 5-7days in the hospital following surgery. Home recovery I've seen listed as anywhere from 4-6weeks and 4-6months.....(although, I assume the 4-6months was incorrect)

Any advice is welcomed.....

long story short, my dad had a heart attack friday and will need a bypass once he is no longer considered critical.

[Narkissos]

Jesus man... I'm sorry to hear about your father.

I'm out of my depth on this topic though... so let me keep it bumped for you.

[BTS]

thanks Nark....

a bit abstract so i doubt too many will have much info, but figured i'd try to gain something anyway i can

yeah it was a suprise to me, he's always been pretty healthy & active, just high cholesterol which he has got to a healthy range over the past few years.....finally changed his diet a few years ago and lost 20lbs even though he wasnt obese by any means.

doctors say it was caused by stress....went through a year n a half separation and divroce, just retired, list goes on....just didnt see this coming at all

as a side note, he had been having pain n thought it was hearburn or acid reflux. went to the doctor who confirmed that 2 weeks ago and gave him a prescription....in the hospital the other night, a cardiologist looked at his EKG n said he had a heart attack 2 weeks ago

[D-G]

My next door neighbor is the director of the cardiatric unit at a local hospital.

Post any specific questions you have and I will get the answers for you.

[The OJ]

good stuff all helpful

a friend of mines dad had a triple bypass a few years ago but he is pretty fit and active now, I am not sure on recovery but I know he is ok now

[Narkissos]

Originally Posted by D-G

My next door neighbor is the director of the cardiatric unit at a local hospital.

Post any specific questions you have and I will get the answers for you.

That's really cool of you man

[BTS]

Originally Posted by D-G

My next door neighbor is the director of the cardiatric unit at a local hospital.

Post any specific questions you have and I will get the answers for you.

Thanks a lot dood!

How immobile will he be initially? .....in other words I'm wondering if he'll need someone at his side 24/7?

Will stairs be a problem? .....he's got a two-story condo

Anything I should get or do for when he comes home?


I'm probably stressing about it more than I need to as I'm sure some things will answer themselves, not to mention, his doctors, but I'm uber-paranoid. My grandfather (his dad) died less than 2months ago and these two things are the life threathening/death related things I've ever had to deal with in terms of family.

It's not as though I am the only person he will have around to help him, but I am the only one living with him. Two days a week I have school for nearly 11 & 8hrs respectively, so I dont know if i'll need to be making meals for that day or how things are gonna go.

Thanks again D-G

Originally Posted by Narkissos

That's really cool of you man

My thoughts exactly!


BTW, got moved outta ICU today and they are giving him solid food now. forget what my other posts said, but has pnemonia. a stomach doctor game in b/c for some reason they tried to put a feeding tube in while they were doing the angio and scraped up his nasal passages which has been bleeding non-stop and he has blood in his stool. this doctor wants to look in his stomach to make sure it isn't bleeding, ulcers & what-not...

[BTS]

Originally Posted by The OJ

good stuff all helpful

a friend of mines dad had a triple bypass a few years ago but he is pretty fit and active now, I am not sure on recovery but I know he is ok now

yeah, hopefully the worst has already transpired. people i talk to, even my dads friend who was in there today (he had a bypass 15yrs ago) seem to do well once they have the surgery

[Codeblue]

Originally Posted by BTS

Thanks a lot dood!

How immobile will he be initially? .....in other words I'm wondering if he'll need someone at his side 24/7?

Will stairs be a problem? .....he's got a two-story condo

Anything I should get or do for when he comes home?


I'm probably stressing about it more than I need to as I'm sure some things will answer themselves, not to mention, his doctors, but I'm uber-paranoid. My grandfather (his dad) died less than 2months ago and these two things are the life threathening/death related things I've ever had to deal with in terms of family.




Thanks again D-G



My thoughts exactly!


BTW, got moved outta ICU today and they are giving him solid food now. forget what my other posts said, but has pnemonia. a stomach doctor game in b/c for some reason they tried to put a feeding tube in while they were doing the angio and scraped up his nasal passages which has been bleeding non-stop and he has blood in his stool. this doctor wants to look in his stomach to make sure it isn't bleeding, ulcers & what-not...

I do open heart recoveries. Fresh from surgery, so the long term stuff I have no idea on, but will share the initial stuff.

Usually the goal is to extubate and remove from the ventilator in the first 4 to 6 hours. Depends greatly on the person and health factors. By the next morning they are out of the bed and in a chair for the first time when the surgeon makes rounds. Again, depends on the person.

Your time frame for recovery looks about right. Ideally a patient won't be discharged unless they are able to take care of themselves. But initial self care seems like it would be difficult. Even though you get discharged, your body is still healing from the surgery.

Any more, of if you want specifics; hit me up.

EDIT: Just read the BTW. That blows. Did they replace a valve? With valve replacement surgery, blood thinners are required which would account from the bleeding. NG placement is rarely without complications, and bleeding is common, but not that much. If they are looking at bleeding in the stomach they must suspect old blood in the stool. Does he have a history of ulcers and have they had to give him blood?


-CB

[BTS]

Originally Posted by Codeblue

I do open heart recoveries. Fresh from surgery, so the long term stuff I have no idea on, but will share the initial stuff.

Usually the goal is to extubate and remove from the ventilator in the first 4 to 6 hours. Depends greatly on the person and health factors. By the next morning they are out of the bed and in a chair for the first time when the surgeon makes rounds. Again, depends on the person.

Your time frame for recovery looks about right. Ideally a patient won't be discharged unless they are able to take care of themselves. But initial self care seems like it would be difficult. Even though you get discharged, your body is still healing from the surgery.

Any more, of if you want specifics; hit me up.

EDIT: Just read the BTW. That blows. Did they replace a valve? With valve replacement surgery, blood thinners are required which would account from the bleeding. NG placement is rarely without complications, and bleeding is common, but not that much. If they are looking at bleeding in the stomach they must suspect old blood in the stool. Does he have a history of ulcers and have they had to give him blood?


-CB

Thanks for the knowledge CODEBLUE!

IDK the whole story with the feeding tube, but from what I gather, she just did a shitty job of putting it in. Nothing was replaced to my knowledge. The majority of that story comes from my dad.....No history of ulcers, but they wanted to check his stomach to be sure even though they assumed it was blood from his nose. Turns out his stomach is fine and they were just being cautious.

They did give him blood last sunday. They said it was just for the plateletes (sp?).

UPDATE: He'll be having the bypass on tuesday and the doctor is supposed to come talk to him tomorrow about it.