My old man had a heart atack. Help please.

[twyacht]

All the best on a fast recovery to your Dad, FQ. The only advice I have is DO NOT start telling your Dick Cheney Heart related jokes until he heals up....

 

[ellis4538]

Sorry to hear about your Dad.  My Dad, MIL and wife had BPS...

When they got home they needed help to get up and sit and lay down.  They were not supposed to put pressure of any kind to help them get up or down.  Food will not taste at all let alone good so they had to be nagged to eat.  My wife could eat anything she wanted to help supply enough nutrients (sp) to aid the healing process.  They had to be nagged/reminded to take meds.  I don't remember about Dad or my MIL but my wife had to sleep on her back only for several days!  It will take a while for the heart to settle back in its natural position.  They had to be nagged to exercise.  My wife had her operation in the winter so she could only walk in the house but that was enough.  A shower chair will be a help because balance will be bad sometimes.  He will need help with his shower whether he likes it or not, especially getting in and out.  Believe it or not, but our local hospital was MORE helpful than the Cleveland Clinic with info needed before my wife could home!!!!!

Hope this helps,

Richard

PS:  My wife's recovery was harder on me than it was on her.  LOL

PPS:  Almost, if not every member of my wife's family except for kids has had some form of HS and/or HA so it runs in her family BIG TIME!!!!!!!  FWIW

[Pathfinder]

I had quad bypass 10 years ago this May. I went in for an angiogram, and they would not let me leave the hospital. I was a couple decades younger than your Dad is.

Here's how it goes. Have a pillow for him to clutch when he cough or sneezes. That will help but it will still hurt like hell for a while (3-4 weeks?).

Unless his doctors say otherwise, they will want him up as much as possible, even if just standing up for a moment, before sitting back down. And he will need to walk - a lot. Within a few weeks it will be very easy for him - I was up to a couple miles within 2 months.

There will be cardiac rehab with stationary bikes,  and hand weights to bring full motion back to the arms, back and chest. Remember, your Dad got cracked open like a lobster claw, and they have wired his sternum together.

They took arteries out of my arm since the veins in my leg were too small, and the second worst part was when they removed the arm staples. First was the damn coughing - it feels like the whole rib cage is flapping open at first. The chest incision was closed with steri-strips, so removing those was a piece o'cake.

Surgery in May, clean bill from the doctor to go horseback riding on a wild remote ranch in Wyoming in August.

The meds they will put him on will help considerably with the whole family genetics/chemistry thing, which was part (only part) of my problem. My BP is 130/70, cholesterol in the 115-120 range, HDL/LDL in perfect ranges, etc.

Sorry that this happened, but it is one of the things they do well in medicine these days. Tell your Dad "Welcome to the Zipper Club" for me! 

It should give him a whole new lease on life.

[PegLeg45]

Sorry he had to have it, but like Tom said, he's 'fixed' now...just has to heal up.

My dad had a double valve replacement and a bypass back in 1998 and the cracked him from his goozle to just above the belly button, and now they do the same surgery through a scope in some hospitals.

As to the healing process, Path and Tom pretty much nailed everything my dad went through and was pretty much what I was going to say. Most hospitals will send a special pillow home with them....if they don't offer, ask them about it. I would suggest a shower chair (get them from any pharmacy) as he will tire out quickly at first.

I'll keep y'all in ma prayers.....Take care!!!!

[Big Frank]

Sorry to hear about it FQ. My dad had a 7-way bypass and he lived alone. I think my mom went to his place to help out. The only thing I remember for sure was the pillow he had to hug and cough. They actually wanted him to cough. Before the operation the doctor told my dad it was like gutting a trout.    A sense of humor always helps. The only problem my dad had after he healed up was he couldn't walk far and had a lack of circulation to his legs where they took the veins out. He was still in good health otherwise when he died from complications of surgery on his legs years later. A less extreme bypass shouldn't have that side effect.

[Sponsor]

[santahog]

Lots of good experience above.. DON'T PANIC..
One thing I might mention is that heart patients tend to fall in love. If he's not married, don't be suprised if you see something like that..
Prayers sent..

[tombogan03884]

Lots of good experience above.. DON'T PANIC..
One thing I might mention is that heart patients tend to fall in love. If he's not married, don't be suprised if you see something like that..
Prayers sent..

Where might I have seen that before ? 
                     

[tt11758]

Glad Dad came through in good shape.  Not much to add to what's been said, except to say that be prepared for the wonderful world of Cardiac Rehab.......that's where he'll be put through his exercise paces, under supervision and while wearing a wireless heart monitor, by a sweet-tempered little cardiac nurse with the disposition of R. Lee Ermey on a bad day.

This may well make him take stock of his own mortality.......something that can be a rude slap upside the head when it happens.  Be there to help him, but don't feel like you have to baby him or do things for him.  That will ROYALLY piss him off.

Again, I'm glad things went well.  Now you need to take a deep breath and remember that the scary part is behind you.

Good luck, bud.

[Timothy]

It sure wouldn't hurt to get yourself a stress test in the next few months either.  His heart problems didn't happen overnight!  You would be well served to get your own ticker checked out as well.

[Ping]

Prayers for you and your Dad FQ. Now that they have his ticker roto rootered and he is in decent shape, he should have plenty of years ahead of him. Him being in good shape will also help him to recover and heal at a quicker pace. Take care and good luck finding a dietician.