Post-op crisis after bypass surgery

My dad underwent double artery bypass surgery two days ago. It was a pretty intense procedure because his heart isn't in the best shape to begin with. Does anyone here have any insight or advice on what the recovery process typically looks like for bypass patients?

Go ahead and mess around with this address...

That address is more than helpful! Thanks a ton!

The same thing happened to me back when I was 35.

The age gap is pretty big so I might not be the best comparison, but for me, it became a routine. Four days after getting out of the hospital, I went to a specialized rehab facility. It was kind of like being in the military—early wake-ups, workouts, walks around the perimeter, and stuff like 6.2 miles swimming and water exercises.
We learned everything we needed for the long haul there, from eating right and breathing techniques to using both hands (which is huge at first), staying positive, and a whole bunch of other things. Honestly, it’s been almost five years now, and I haven't been sick once since then—not even once.

Aside from some chest pain from where the ribs were cut, I've been fine. I work shifts running CNC machines (though they actually banned me from those shifts recently), where moving things over 45 lbs is pretty common. I also ride a motorcycle quite a bit, not just for fun—I'll drive a car all the way from Switzerland to Indianapolis in one go. I don't really watch what I eat, either, but so far, so good.

The biggest thing is just staying active. Just walking, walking, and more walking. If you get tired, rest up, then get back to walking.

If you're dealing with high cholesterol (like I was) or something else, you've just gotta follow whatever the doctor tells you.

Give my best to your dad, hope he lives a long, long time.

George Gray3,
thanks for getting back to me; your reply really meant a lot and gave me some peace of mind. I was wondering, though, if you know anything specific about the risks right after surgery? My dad is still in the ICU—the doctors told me his heart is pretty weak right now, so they have him on a heavy cocktail of meds to keep him stable. Every time I visit, my heart jumps every time he coughs. He can’t stop coughing, his chest gets tight, and honestly, it feels like he’s struggling just to catch his breath...
Best,

They taught me to cross my arms when coughing, and there's this specific move he needs to do when getting out of bed—it sounds silly, but he really should lean on his right side when getting up (the hospital staff probably needs to walk him through that). Right now, wires are holding his ribcage together; the bones will heal eventually, but until then, he’s gotta be super careful. Cross those arms when coughing, don't jerk his neck around, just turn his whole body slowly. Also, if he's in a car, he shouldn't make any sudden turns, otherwise it'll feel like his head weighs 200 pounds—every little movement is gonna hurt. And when he grabs a bottle, like a 1.5-liter soda, he should always use both hands. He also needs to watch his step so he doesn't trip.

As for the heart stuff, I honestly don't know much about it. I was lucky (or unlucky, I guess) that it happened when I was only 35, so aside from some twisted veins and carrying a few extra pounds, I'm okay.
I'm just on low-dose aspirin and Sortis, that's about it.

It's become such a routine now. They'll need to explain everything to him at the hospital while he's still fresh from surgery. Once they take all that gear off—and trust me, it looks like a bunch of random stuff sticking out from his neck to his chest—he'll be fine. Don't worry too much.

Once Dad gets home from the hospital, figure out where you want to go for walks with him. Wishing him all the best! You can shoot me an email if you want, I'd love to hear how everything turned out.

unicum2002@icqmail.com