| You are now home from the hospital, and while | | | | others will only deprive you of receiving |
| the healing process is well underway, or you | | | | compassionate support. If you are feeling isolated, |
| would not have been discharged, there are miles | | | | do yourself a favor: reach out to friends and |
| to go. There seem to be so many instructions to | | | | family, and look for a heart surgery support |
| remember. You simply will not be up to much in | | | | group locally or online." However, whenever in |
| the first few weeks, and in some cases, for | | | | doubt about what you may be experiencing |
| several more. I won't understate this. Yes, an | | | | specifically, contact your designated medical liaison |
| upbeat approach by the hospital medical staff | | | | for professional diagnosis or medical attention. No |
| may have sent you waltzing home and it's thrilling | | | | question or concern is too trivial. |
| to be leaving the hospital, where you haven't been | | | | For most of us, there is a difficult recovery |
| permitted to sleep through the night. Yet you are | | | | challenge from the time we leave the hospital until |
| returning home greatly fatigued, with a | | | | we are healed and strong enough to enroll in a |
| medications schedule to manage, possibly a tank | | | | local rehab program. That's one of the reasons |
| of oxygen, and perhaps recurrent irregular | | | | for my book, to bridge this gap as so little medical |
| heartbeats or other complications that remain | | | | attention is focused on the recuperation period |
| unresolved. Now is the time to dedicate yourself | | | | that lasts anywhere from four to eight weeks. |
| to the hard work of recovery. Alternating rest | | | | We thought getting through surgery was the |
| and exercise, and above all patience with the | | | | biggest hurdle. However, the hurdle is greater |
| physical and emotional trials ahead, is your | | | | when we are home on our own with not much |
| assignment for the next several weeks. | | | | progress to report fast enough -- and without all |
| You and your caregiver will mostly be on your | | | | those experts in the hospital to lean on. |
| own unless your particular situation requires a | | | | Every recovery is different. If you've been told to |
| treatment plan that includes post-op visits from a | | | | expect improvement "two days forward, one day |
| home health care nurse. Even if that's the case, | | | | back," you might be disappointed to experience |
| now is the time to review any guidelines your | | | | instead only one good day (a period of energetic |
| hospital medical team has given you about what | | | | spunk) followed by two, three, or even four days |
| to be aware of. | | | | of just plain feeling lousy. Even to meet the |
| If you have purchased the paperback or | | | | assignment of increasing your walking time from |
| downloaded the e-book version of The Open | | | | five minutes to ten minutes a day may feel like |
| Heart Companion: Preparation and Guidance for | | | | an insurmountable task at first. You may also be |
| Open-Heart Surgery Recovery, from my website | | | | swinging in and out of temporary depression. (In |
| it's time to reread Chapter 5, "The Challenges You | | | | my case, I wished the discharge nursing staff had |
| May Face." This chapter provides detailed | | | | emphasized the psychological challenges of |
| information not only on challenges that may arise | | | | recovery, not just the physical stresses.) Or, you |
| in your recovery, but it also supplies solutions as | | | | may feel "off," and think you might be coming |
| well. For example, on the subject of feeling | | | | down with a virus. That might be the case, but |
| isolated: "This is the time to find other open-heart | | | | feeling off can be due to other things as well: you |
| surgery survivors and their caregivers to talk to. | | | | may have become anemic (as I did); you may be |
| Swap stories, share information, hear what other | | | | having an allergic reaction; sleep deprivation may |
| families have gone through. Just knowing that you | | | | have caught up with you-there are many |
| are not alone as you go through your rehabilitation | | | | possibilities. Know that everyone goes through |
| can lift the veil of isolation. There can be a | | | | discouragement, yet those who are informed to |
| tendency to hold one's surgery and recovery | | | | expect ups and downs will fare far better. |
| experiences too privately, but not reaching out to | | | | |