Well, I already told you about my friend in email… 😉

Her name is Lila. She was in her 80’s when she had the [triple or quad, I can’t remember] bypass. You are right about the procedure commanding respect; it’s about as invasive as surgery can get.

Like I said, the next day she was up and walking the halls. They released her shortly afterwards; I was shocked that they didn’t keep her longer. Evidently she didn’t need to be hospitalized longer. Her recovery period seemed short, at least to me, as she soon started her normal routines again, feeling better than ever. I lived next door and saw her often.

Her calm, positive attitude, I think, had much to do with the success of the procedure and recovery. Really, she dismissed it afterwards and didn’t even refer to it again, though I’d ask.
Her scar looked better than I thought it would.

That was 10 years ago. I moved away but understand that she is still alive and living in an assisted living facility.

I hope that your Mom has the same positive experience and is soon up and running around again!

Hey, Leanne!
Let’s smack “Duncan Hines”, when we spot him, too! Evil. Just evil. 😆

I don’t have a story about an Open Heart surgery patient. But I have and will continue to pray for your mom. I trust that she’s in the best hands — God’s hands.

Trust God to care for her, while she’s under the knife. Trust God to bring her out and into a full, speedy recovery.

Peace :love:

Hi Leanne, My dad had double by-pass surgery about 6 or 7 years ago, when he was in his late 70’s.
He came through just fine and the recovery was excellent. While he wasn’t actually running marathons afterward, he was able to resume his normal daily activities not long afterward.

Follow-up care is very important, make sure the the Dr and/or staff talks to her about diet and exercise and that they explain her medications, etc. (All very obvious things, but some people just don’t do that. I actually read a blog post of a woman whose hub went to the hosp after a heart attack, and she later brought him a Big Mac, at 50something, she said he was “too old” to change. @#@#$@). (not that your family would do that, of course, but it amazed me she would be that narrow minded.)
Ok, enough of that.

One thing to keep in mind, and I don’t know if this will affect your Mom at all, but when Dad came out of surgery, the effects from the anesthesia had him in an extremely confused state of mind.
He thought he was someplace else and got his kids mixed up, was telling my mom things that didn’t make sense. His attitude was rude and he was highly agitated. Complete opposite of his normal self!
The nurse said that was actually common for older men when they return from such a surgery. We were not prepared for that, so it was a surprise. It wore off after awhile. So if your mother starts acting a little weird afterward, ask the staff if it’s from the anesthesia.

Best wishes to your Mom! I’ll be keeping y’all in my thoughts and prayers.

Dang you for reminding me I’ve got those brownies in the cabinet!! Cold? I can relate. It’s not anywhere NEAR that cold in Texas, and I’m still chilled to the bone. I feel for you, but I can’t reach you, as Daddy used to say.
Speaking of Daddy. He had open heart surgery in 1981. At the time, it was still “The Dark Ages,” and they said he “might” make it five years. He lived another 15, and it wasn’t his heart that got him, it was cancer (well ultimately his heart did stop…).
I’ll have your mom in my thoughts, but really they have made so many medical breakthroughs since back then, I bet that it’s a breeze.

I love your new look, girl!! I’ve missed getting to visit you for awhile.

One of the men at work had an bypass a few years ago, and he’s still here, healthy and happy and making us laugh!

Best of luck to your Mom!

I am still sending prayers to your mom and will continue to do so after her surgery. I know she will be fine. I think Laura’s advice about follow up care is right on the money. It is important to ask alot of questions and make sure the rest of the family is all on the same page with the follow up care.

I am praying for a protective and healing light around your mom. I know she’ll have a great recovery and will be back to her old self in no time at all!

Hi sweetie, I know how you are feeling, my dad had triple bypass open heart surgery almost two years ago. It was one of those things that just happened. He went in for a check up for work, and they found massive blockage. We like to call it divine intervention. 😉 I, being the eldest, came and stayed with my dad and his wife for over two weeks. Definitely learned alot!

He is doing great now! Matter of fact, he started recovering very well after the surgery. He returned to work just 8 weeks after he had his surgery!! Mind you, he didn’t do anything strenuous, just office stuff, but he was getting back into the swing of things very soon.

He hasn’t had another problem since his surgery and he is the picture of health.

My FIL has also had open heart surgery just 5 months ago. His recovery is taking slightly longer, but he also had blood clots in his lungs (these were already there, nothing to do with the surgery). He is also about 15 years older than my father.

If you have any questions, please don’t hestitate to email me or I’ll be happy to give you my phone number. I know what it is like to be the daughter. :hug:

Know that your mom will be in my prayers, so will you my friend!

As you know, my Dad had Open Heart Surgery in spring of ’05. That’s when he had a massive MI (myocardial infarction… a/k/a heart attack) and requried a quadruple bypass in order to save his life. And it did save his life, there is no doubt about that.

The surgery itself was a bit scary.. as was the immediate recovery time (he was in ICU for 2 days after)… but, he has had absolutely zero problems with his heart ever since then. He lost a little weight after the surgery and it took him a month or two to gain it back to his usual, but really .. all in all, considering how very serious his situation was, he has had no problems.

Despite my mother’s protesting – he mows the lawn, snowblows the driveway and still gets up on the roof to clear the leaves out of the gutter. He’s as healthy – – if not MORE so, than he was the day he had his heart attack and it truly did save his life.

The surgeon was extremely good and gave us several years more with my Dad… years we would not have had if the root cause of his heart problems weren’t detected at the time they were. For that, I will forever be grateful.

All our thoughts are with you… but mostly with your mom for her surgery next week. :friends:

Fortunately for me, I’ve not had any first hand experience with open heart surgery, but have heard OF people who’s had it. Details are not shared, but people seem to go through it well. Why around these parts, it’s almost considered a routine procedure! My thoughts and prayers will be with you and your mom.

As for the cold…this is why I can’t quite break the bond with Florida! Sometimes I think that I could handle the winter, but then…maybe not 😮

I totally get the freezing thing. And my husband is exactly the opposite. He’s just wilty all summer unless the a/c is set to “frigid”.

I don’t know anyone personally who has had Open Heart Surgery, but I will keep your mom in my prayers.

Hi, first time here. Found you through TT. I have a lot of experience with open heart surgery to share. My father, in the late 80’s. My brother in 1995 (due to his thyroid, which had stopped working) My mother who had 98% blockage in two arteries and 89% in a third. It was 2002, she was living alone in Ohio, as my father had passed on in 2001. I travelled out from Indiana to take her for the heart cath. They sent her home, saying there was nothing they could do ,as she has COPD and they felt surgery was just too much of a risk. We consulted with a couple other heart specialists including the Cleveland Clinic, no luck. I decided to pack her up and move her to Indiana with me. We arrived at my home on Mothers Day, 2002. The next morning I got on the internet and found a heart surgeon at The Indiana Heart Hospital, I called and told him the situation. We made an appointment for Wednesday. My Mother had open heart the following monday. The surgeon worked on the beating heart and never stopped her lungs. Here it is 2007 and my mom is fine, living on her own. Medicine has come so far. I remember my Dad in recovery(it was awful) stapeled together, on a ventilator. It was very different with my mom. My Uncle just had heart surgery on Wednesday. Only 15% of his heart was functioning. Very risky surgery…but he made it through! He is still critical but responding. Medicine has come so far…Your mom’s life will be so much better! I will add her to my prayer list. Just remember, it is a lot to put the body through but so worth it!

J’s Dad seems better than ever after he had his bypass surgery. The medicine did kind of make him a little forgetful at times.

Hi! I just don’t know how to thank everyone here for giving Leanne such encouragement! Gratefullivin, your story is amazing! I am so glad to read such positive restults – it helps me have peace about the whole thing, and I hope it gives my children the same peace!
Thanks you all, and I wish you Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Mom
:thanku:

It’s crazy freezing out here and all ice at the moment.

I’m going to refrain from telling you my grandfather’s story…although he had several surgeries that went fine. It was the pace maker or something that was the problem. Your mom will be JUST fine.

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