6 weeks after my triple bypass

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Soma

Senior Cook
Joined
Apr 8, 2011
Messages
323
Location
Ontario, Canada
I can't remember if I told you guys that I had heart scare, then surgery on Jan. 3rd. It's all been like a bad dream since then.
Coming home just 5 days after, in lots of pain the first two weeks especially, resting much, friends dropping in almost daily.....exhausted.

So now it's moving into my 7th week at home, post-surgery. I'm lucky to be alive, happy to be moving around without too much pain, walking daily (up to 40 mins per day now), taking only Tylenol. One leg suture hasn't healed yet, but otherwise am all patched up and ready to get back into life.

The toughest thing is the no-salt diet. It's actually a low-sodium regimen, which means reading a lot of packaging.

I honestly can't remember if I talked about this here yet, a little embarassed to be feeling so vulnerable.....memories are fuzzy, maybe due to all the meds and painkillers I took.
 
I can't remember if I told you guys that I had heart scare, then surgery on Jan. 3rd. It's all been like a bad dream since then.
Coming home just 5 days after, in lots of pain the first two weeks especially, resting much, friends dropping in almost daily.....exhausted.

So now it's moving into my 7th week at home, post-surgery. I'm lucky to be alive, happy to be moving around without too much pain, walking daily (up to 40 mins per day now), taking only Tylenol. One leg suture hasn't healed yet, but otherwise am all patched up and ready to get back into life.

The toughest thing is the no-salt diet. It's actually a low-sodium regimen, which means reading a lot of packaging.

I honestly can't remember if I talked about this here yet, a little embarrassed to be feeling so vulnerable.....memories are fuzzy, maybe due to all the meds and painkillers I took.

And if you do remember I welcomed you to the Zipper Club. You now have a scar that resembles a zipper right down your middle. It is sort of an exclusive club. I was able to go back to work in four weeks. Staying home was driving me crazy. How many crafts can one due and still hold on to their sanity. I was so used to getting up in the morning and heading out the door to work. I could see retirement was not for me.

I was in the hospital for ten days. I did have a couple more bypasses than you did. I went through a mini rehab session to see if I could handle stairs, cooking for myself, take a shower, etc. I did just fine. And I did have a housekeeper for the first two weeks at home. I didn't have the long scar down my leg where the doctor took the vein out. It was just a little scar on the side of my knee. It didn't even have sutures. Just a bandaid over it. Today I can't even find the scar. So of course my healing went mostly to my chest opening. The leg was just a minor inconvenience. The chest scar is white and very flat. I never think of it unless I come across someone like yourself. I wear scoop neck tops in the summer. Then it really stands out. Scars don't tan.

You will feel fine. Give yourself time. And don't ignore that three o'clock wall that all surgery patients hit. If you are feeling tired and sleepy at that time, take a nap. Don't ignore the pain. Pain will tire you more quickly than anything else. It takes a lot of energy to fight pain.

I had my surgery towards the end of October. By Thanksgiving I was climbing a very long steep set of back stairs to my daughter's home for Thanksgiving with no problem. We all joined hands to give individual thanks. I was thankful for just being alive.

Rest and enjoy life. :angel: And one for you. :angel:
 
I can't remember if I told you guys that I had heart scare, then surgery on Jan. 3rd. It's all been like a bad dream since then.
Coming home just 5 days after, in lots of pain the first two weeks especially, resting much, friends dropping in almost daily.....exhausted.

So now it's moving into my 7th week at home, post-surgery. I'm lucky to be alive, happy to be moving around without too much pain, walking daily (up to 40 mins per day now), taking only Tylenol. One leg suture hasn't healed yet, but otherwise am all patched up and ready to get back into life.

The toughest thing is the no-salt diet. It's actually a low-sodium regimen, which means reading a lot of packaging.

I honestly can't remember if I talked about this here yet, a little embarassed to be feeling so vulnerable.....memories are fuzzy, maybe due to all the meds and painkillers I took.

Hi Soma! You did let us know a couple of weeks ago, nothing to be embarrassed about. I know it's scary to be short on memories, I'm so glad you are doing better now. Keep up the good work and low-sodium is tough at first, nothing tastes right, but you soon get used to it.

Gentle Hugs
 
I am short of memory and thank G-d i have not had any surgery, don't worry about that. Worry about getting helathy and feel beter. Salt would be big problem for me, I love that white diablo.
 
Welcome to the world of label readers. Just remember packaged products are loaded with sodium. Flavor enhancers like bullion cubes are nothing but sodium. Mrs. Dash has a very large array of flavor enhancers that have no sodium in them. And they really do make food more tasty.

There is a surprise waiting for you. In a few months, when you eat something that someone else has made, you are going to want to spit it out. Even though they cooked as they always do.

I was never placed on a sodium or low sodium diet. I just chose it on my own. I use sea salt and a container of salt lasts me for more than a year. I use it mostly to flavor the water for pasta. It just never occurs to me now to reach for the shaker. It sits on the shelf next to the stove.

I am not a great advocate for canned veggies. But they now sell almost any veggie you could want salt free. And of course just about all frozen veggies are salt free. Those with a sauce, you have to read the label. Be careful what you buy from the freezer section. Foods like mac and cheese, Salisbury steaks with gravy, etc. are also loaded with salt. You can bet that any prepared foods have salt. Good luck. :angel:
 
I'm glad to hear you are on the mend, too. My parents were placed on low-sodium diets years ago. I used Mrs. Dash and lemon and other herbs in place of salt. I rarely add salt to things I make. I let people do that at the table. I often find foods are too salty now. And, this dietary requirement of my parents' was the start of making as much as possible from scratch (especially soups from homemade stock), growing heirloom tomatoes, and not using pre-packaged stuff. Good luck!
 
Soma, I do remember you letting us know and was just thinking about you the other day. I was going to ask if anyone had heard from you so I am glad you checked it. Take good care of yourself and stop in as you can!
 
So nice to see you back, Soma! Glad you're healing well, I'm impressed with your walking routine!
 
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