zipper club

SVanderkolff

SVanderkolff

Joined
Oct 31, 2002
Messages
979
Anyone else out there a member of the zipper club. Looks like I will be joining you in early November, the date has not been set yet but that's looking likely. I need to know how long it will be before I can get back in the shop, which is in the basement. I don't mind missing work but I hate to think of not being able to work int he shop. I'm not doing any forging just stock removal. I would really like to have some conversations with people who have been there. Everything else I have been able to find on the net is mostly "POOR ME" and thats not what I need to hear.
Thanks
Steve
 
Are you having surgery done on your thumper? You'll be on 'light duty' for a while. The main thing is they'll probably say no heavy lifting for a period of time, like 8-12 weeks. (Heavy defined as no more than 5-10 lbs.) A strong, positive attitude, and good family support will go along way toward a faster recovery.

I've not had anything done myself, but a couple of friends here have, and for the most part they were back to a fairly normal routine within a couple of months. (We helped with meals, babysitting, transportation, etc.) It really depends on what needs to be done, I can't imagine it would be too long before you can get back to limited work. The main thing is after everything 'knits' together during healing, you can cause a good deal of pain to yourself, just by reaching the wrong way or bending the wrong way. (My friend's Doctor used the term 'knit together', since apparently the sternum does not fully heal for quite a while.)

I'd explain to the doc or docs what you're doing, and they should be able to give you a fairly accurate estimate of recovery time. Of course, this all depends on how you (physically) respond to the surgery, healing, etc. I'm sure swinging a hammer is out for a while (which you say you aren't doing anyway) but grinder work shouldn't be out of the question.

Good luck!

~Chris
 
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FIL had it done last year. Six weeks later he was out west in Vegas. Took about 6 months to get back to 90%+. Not bad for 74.
 
My three best pieces of advice for going into the hospital:

1. Bring foam ear-plugs. Hospitals are NOISY places.

2. Ask for the "bed extender" if you are taller than 5'10" or so.

3. Have them catheterize your bladder WHILE YOU ARE ANESTHETIZED. (trust me on this one...)
 
I'm a recent member of that club.

You will not be able to drive for at least a month. Same for opening and closing a car door. You can and will rip open your sternum, even though it is wired together. If you try, it will hurt like you got a baseball bat to the chest. You'll need to be careful for about 6 months. I crawled under my daughters car at right around 4 months post surgery, and repaired a bad vacuum modulator. When I told the Cardiologist what I did, he took a chunk of my rear end. Told me to wait a couple more months before doing that again.

You will have almost zero energy for about three weeks, then slowly begin to regain it. It was a stretch for me to get from my recliner, to the bathroom and back. Not a great distance, either. Your body is using all of its energy to heal you up, so you'll sleep most of the time during that three weeks. Sleeping is going to be tough. I spent six weeks sleeping in my recliner. I could not lay flat until my sternum was almost healed up. Too much pressure. Sleeping on your side is a no no as well.

I returned to work part time exactly one month after surgery. It was too soon. I toughed it out, though, because I was bored to tears sitting at home, staring at the T.V. All I did for the next month was go to work, come home, and sleep. Too wiped out to do much of anything else.

I was about 75% after 4 months. I hit a rough spot 2 months post surgery that required a week in the hospital. (Pericardium filled with blood). I spent another full week at home after that, and returned to work full time.

Sorry to be long winded. if you want any more info, or have questions, please PM me. If I can help ease your mind a bit, I will.
 
Thanks everyone for your blessings, and thank you Mike. That was the info I was looking for. So my idea of being able to heal up in my shop for the first month is probably not going to work. Ah well I guess I can sit and watch the snow pile up in the fields out the back. Are stairs a big deal in the beginning. We live in a two story so bedroom is upstairs and shop is downstairs.
Thanks again
Steve
 
I joined 16 years ago. Had five bypasses. No sad stories here. It was one of the best things that ever happened to me physically.

I was obese and a couch potato due to a chronically bad back, on which I had two surgeries over the years. Although grossly overweight, I was fairly active, and did a lot of walking for exercise, which may have helped save me. The chest pains during walking got worse and worse.
I finally went to have it checked out, was 100 percent blocked on one side and 80% on the other. Why I never had a heart attack I don't know. The doctor said that in about 20 % of cases the body will develop small capillaries around the blockage and that is what I was living on.

After surgery the hospital dietician gave a lecture on proper diet. I instantly became a low-fat fanatic, and began the exercise program they gave me. First week was just shuffling my leet around the den for ten minutes, gradually working up. In a year I was walking six miles a day. I lost 55 pounds, down to 245 (I am 6'8" tall.) Took up running, stess cracked a foot, broke a metatarsal, and while I was on crutches noted the muscle I added in shoulders, abs, and arms from hauling 245 pounds around on crutches. Took up weight training, gained back to 265 pounds with no increase in waist size. Although I will never be in a body building competition, I proved that 50+ year old men could still add considerable muscle. Four years after surgery, I had a follow-up arteriogram and the doctor said that I had the heart of a man who had "never had any heart problems at all."
Two years ago I had another arteriogram and the doctor says that the bypasses look brand new and I have a "magnificent heart muscle." Tody at 64 I still do heavy-duty, Mentzger style weight training and still weigh 265.
I have not eaten a doughnut, a potato chip, a fast-food burger, french fries, etc. since October 1994 and the thought of doing so repulses me. Luckily for me, I love fish, and prefer grilled fish to beef or pork anytime. I also eat so much chicken that every time a hawk flies over I have an impulse to hide. at some point in the process the back problems largely went away, and today I put 400 pounds on a weight machine and do back flexions, after living for years under doctor's orders to never lift over 20 pounds.

It was truly a life-changing experience for me, for the better.
 
You have been given some good advice by "been there, done that." Expect to be really tired and weak for about a month. You probably won't have much of an appetite for a while. Most people in rehab that I talked to were given Metamucil when they left the hospital. I wasn't. Trust me on this. Get some and use it. :eek:

Try not to get bummed out about this. I had a 6 way CABG 12 years ago and except for a few scars, you would never know it.

heart_bypass_tshirt-p235568934274046342q6vb_400.jpg
 
I had a single in April '09.

Like everyone else has said, it takes time to heal. I was out of work for 2 months, and by that time, I was recovered enough to work regular weeks.

Once you get home from the hospital, take it real easy. Let people do stuff for you until you are strong enough to do those things for yourself. You mentioned stairs...stairs are workable, but they can wear you out quicker, so take your time. Stop on the steps and rest if you need to.

I had a tough time washing myself at first, so my wife helped me. Also, standing up in the shower was draining, so I borrowed a bath chair and was able to sit while showering.

My back bothered me in bed at first, as I was not able to turn on my side. I found I could not remain in bed in the morning with the pain. It eventually subsided.

It takes alot of time to get back to strength. It's frustrating to not be able to do things, but be patient. Once you are able, get up and do a little walking around the house. That will help to build your endurance.

If you have other questions, let me know.

Good luck.
Glenn
 
Something just occurred to me. I always referred to it as the split chicken club. :D glennbad mentioned back pain. My major discomfort was my ribs and even that was not a big deal.

I never had a mental problem and neither did any of the folks that were in my rehab group. In fact, we were always joking about it.

The only sad-sacks that I encountered were the people from various support groups that came to visit me in the hospital. What depressing bunch. :( If I wasn't basically a polite person, I would have told them to kiss off.
 
Seven days after surgery and went into the shop for the first time. I got home on Monday and managed to stay out for 2 whole days. The surgery was not nearly as bad as I had thought it might be, the 5 days in hospital afterwards were pretty tough. I am absolutely amazed and baffled why the incisions don't hurt more. I have a cut that runs from my wrist to the inside of the elbow yet it really doesn't hurt. The chest is a bit achey but the only suprise there is that it is not more so.
I did learn something today though. Trying to work a surface grinder right now is not a bright idea.
Thanks for all the best wishes.
Steve
 
Glad to hear it went well!

Honestly, take it easy. Your body will let you know when you are ready to get back into the swing of things. You've got to let your body heal and rest internally before pushing things.

Build up your stamina slowly. Take all the time you think you need, and then take a little more. Otherwise, you could damage things.

Good luck!

Glenn
 
You have my prayers. I hear protein powder is good, because it will help build up connective tissues. My ex had an operation (not heart) and the Dr. mentioned that. Do not know if that will help you or not. Sounds like you have a great attitude.
 
Great! Take it easy for awhile. You don't want to strain your sternum. Even though the wire sutures are strong, you don't want the two pieces to separate.
I know two people who had that happen and the only way to fix it is surgical.

I am surprised that the surgeon used a vein from your arm for grafts. Usually they take the saphenous vein from the left leg.
Of course, it's been 12 years for me. Things may have changed.

I was also surprised that the incisions didn't hurt. The percocet that they gave me may have had something to do with it. My back and sides hurt though.

It's not called CABG for nothing. :D

cabgwnew.jpg
 
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