My dad's having heart surgery on wednesday- anyone BTDT?

[jubilee]

Just found out he needs a double bi-pass and valve replacement!!! :( And my poor mom is disabled and barely able to walk due to diabetes so she's unlikely able to care for him. They live 3 hours away from me, so I will be traveling quite a bit to care for them.

Honestly, I am not close to my parents, but I do love them and try to do the right thing. I will be there for the surgery on Wednesday and I don't know how long I will need to stay. My youngest son isn't able to come with me and I feel bad about that. DS will not do well being at home with DH. DS just really favors his mommy!

I will have to travel back and forth (3 hours one way) often to check up on my parents.... and I'm not looking forward to that. My parents claim to not know the answers to my questions, so I'm hoping someone can give me a ballpark guess-- (assuming no complications)

I have a few questions maybe someone knows the answer to.
How long will my dad be house-bound?
How long before he can mow the lawn, vacuum, etc?
How long before he can drive alone?
Any advice or other info?

Thanks so much for any prayers you will send to my dad and my family!! And thanks for even reading this message!

[mamahill]

I'm sorry I don't have the answers to your questions, but wanted to say that my grandpa had a quadruple bi-pass when he was 85! He was in the ICU for a couple days, but was just fine. He was in a regular hospital room for a few more days, and then released home. I'm not sure how long it took him to get up and around, but I think he was doing "normal" stuff in about a week after being released. But then, considering his age, it was amazing that he tolerated the surgery so well, and was up and around in a few days.

Your love and support will mean worlds to them both, especially your mother. My mom and I surprised my Grandma by showing up on her doorstep the day of the surgery (it was a sudden thing, and we live about 7 hours away). She just started sobbing and clapping her hands at the same time.

You baby will be just fine. Good for you for being such a good daughter. Best wishes for a quick surgery and recovery for your dad.

[jd11365]

Oh Julie, so sorry to hear about this. The good news is this procedure is so common now that it's like old hat to doctors and they have the system down quite well. In my family we've had everything from heart by-passes to a heart transplant. The biggest recovery issue is the breaking of the ribs. They have to crack the ribcage to get to the heart and that is the toughest and most painful part of the recovery. Just sitting up is nearly impossible afterward. The hospitals where my family had their procedures offered pillows (one was even shaped like a little heart) for them to use for support in bed. A firm travel pillow will work too. They kind of clutch it against their chest when trying to move and it offers extra support. I'd say it was about 8 weeks before a solid recovery give or take, but it's been awhile, so someone else might offer a more concrete timeframe. I would definitely have your mom hire a lawn service for a good 3 months as that requires a lot of physical activity and pushing can't feel good on the healing ribcage. I think driving was earlier though...when they were comfortable enough to do it...a few weeks or so depending on their level of pain. My grandfather was the type to try to do things immediately where my grandmother was one not to push things. I'm sure Logan will be just fine with DH...though he might watch a lot of TV, eat McDonalds and wear his PJs out to the store while you're gone...but he'll be fine...and DH will appreciate you that much more when you return! :-) Let us know how it all goes.

Jamie
Mommy to Kayla
May '03

[NEVE and TRISTAN]

Julie,
Huge hugs your way and the healthiest vibes to your father!!!!
I don't have the answers to your questions...someone here will, but I did want to tell you we are here for you if you need to chat. Please be careful making such a drive if you are tired!!!!! Having DS 3 hours away might make you try to drive a drive when you are tired and emotionally drained, just becareful...

Hugs,
Neve O
Neve
http://home.nc.rr.com/ourbabytristan
AKA "mama2be"-forgot password
and Baby Boy Tristan born @UNC
Feb 25, 2003
Brother to 3 pups "gees" and 2 kitties

[mclianne]

As others have stated, heart surgery is almost a "routine" surgery these days. I work at a Heart Hospital as an RN in Surgery. We do hundreds of heart procedures a year. While it may be "old hat to us", we are also very aware that it is anything but "routine" for the patients and their families.

Here are a couple of sites that can give you a little more info. I can answer questions regarding the actual procedures, but not so much the questions regarding the recovery time. Also remember that different surgeon's may do things somewhat differently. For example, if what you read on the web is that recovery time is say 12 weeks to "get back to normal" and your father can drive again after 8 weeks. His surgeon may have a different protocol saying he must wait for 10 weeks to drive.

Oh, and they usually go through the breastbone, not the ribs as per se...

Aimed at informing women, but has some good info-

http://www.womensheartfoundation.org/content/HeartSurgery/heart_valve_replacment.asp

http://www.womensheartfoundation.org/content/HeartSurgery/heart_surgery_options.asp


Some good info from Johns Hopkins-

http://www.hopkinshospital.org/health_info/Heart/Treatments/cardiac_valve.html

http://www.jhbmc.jhu.edu/cardiology/rehab/patientinfo.html

HTH...

[miki]

My dad had a quadruple by-pass about 15 years ago. He was in the hospital for a week total. As I recall, he had to go to see the cardiologist soon after for a follow up check, the results of which determined how long the doctor said he should refrain from more strenuous activity. But for a number of weeks after the surgery, he was in no shape to do anything like mow the lawn and he was 52 at the time.

Since you will be there for the surgery, you can look out for the surgeon when he comes to speak with the family post-op or at rounds at the end of the day and ask your questions.

[jubilee]

I really want to thank you all for the hugs, prayers, and info so far!! I did want to clarify that I have really good feelings about the surgery itself, and I am very hopeful that all will be well. It's the recovery that concerns me because my dad is usually the caretaker of my mom and the house, and now he won't be able to do that. I don't want him to push it and end up hurting himself. And I'm torn between my parents and my family both needing me.

Those links had really good info on the heart! And, Neve, I will be careful about driving when tired. I've fallen asleep at the wheel before, so I know it's a real scary danger.

[Laurelsmom2002]

I have to second Lianne, recovery questions are best answered by the surgeon, and his staff, I work in home care as an RN and all surgeons are different, but usually housebound is for about a month- usually they will send home care rn to see them during recovery, but if your mom is not able to help him it might be a thought to have him go to a rehab center or have family stay there during the initial first weeks, since usually if there are no complications hospitals d/c you 5-7 days post op- depending on how well he stabalizes. And the initial first 2 weeks are usually pretty rough since their house is bigger than the hospital room and they feel like they can do more and push themselves -which is good to a point- but usually for the first week they "feel like they got hit by a truck" and if they tire themselfes out too much to cook and are not eating protein rich diets they wont heal as well. They also may take their medications off schedule if they're too tired to remember.
Mowing/pushing/lifting is usually surgeon derived but I would think 3 months would be a good time to hire a lawn care comp, with the understanding it may be longer. He may be recomended to go to cardiac rehab for 3 months after his initial 6 wks post op and they may let him do heavy stuff after that, but not all pts need cardiac rehab.
Driving is usually determined at the surgeon visit after surgery and d/c home- which is usually 6wks post op- they have to sit in back seat (in a car w/ front air bags) until then
If he's smoking- he needs to quit now to increase his healing, smoking will slow down the new bone formation.
HTH

[jubilee]

Thanks for the info! I wish I could get my dad to stop smoking, but my nagging doesn't work. He smokes a pipe and thinks that is different than cigarette snoking. The worse problem is his drinking (I won't even go into that mess).

I am the only family, so if someone needs to stay with them I am up a creek! My parents don't like being around babies/children and I can't leave my sons for weeks at a time. They also live in a dump and refuse to let me visit them and don't want my sons around. But they certainly need my help. I am in such a struggle. I can't be both with my parents and with my kids at the same time.

I also don't think they can get home health. My dad's retired military, so the VA is covering the surgery. Uggh.

[jubilee]

Thanks for the info! I wish I could get my dad to stop smoking, but my nagging doesn't work. He smokes a pipe and thinks that is different than cigarette snoking. The worse problem is his drinking (I won't even go into that mess).

I am the only family, so if someone needs to stay with them I am up a creek! My parents don't like being around babies/children and I can't leave my sons for weeks at a time. They also live in a dump and refuse to let me visit them and don't want my sons around. But they certainly need my help. I am in such a struggle. I can't be both with my parents and with my kids at the same time.

I also don't think they can get home health. My dad's retired military, so the VA is covering the surgery. Uggh.

[jd11365]

Gee Jule..I'm so sorry you have to go through all of this. My mom is single and I'm an only child, so I sometimes wonder how I will deal with such an issue...and this is definitely an issue of an only child. Sending big hugs your way. Make sure you have 'puter access while you are there so we can help keep your chin up. When is the surgery?


Jamie
Mommy to Kayla
May '03

[JLiebCamm]

Just to confirm what others have said, people have amazingly quick recoveries from coronary bypass surgery. I'm a PT in an acute care hospital and work with these patients frequently. We often see them as early as the afternoon after their surgery to get them out of bed! It's important that you know that it may LOOK really scary in those first 24 hours after surgery because (at least at my hospital) they keep them on the ventilator for a while and have them attached to every tube and line under the sun. It's all protocol and does not mean anything negative. Many patients are discharged home after 5-7 days; others go to inpatient rehab if their insurance covers it. Although I don't know the precise answers to your questions because I don't see these patients in the later phases of their recoveries, I do know that your dad won't be housebound when discharged but will be advised to avoid strenuous activity (like mowing and vacuuming). At our hospital outpatient cardiac rehab starts 6 weeks post-op and after that many energy-consuming activites can be resumed. Most patients drive themselves to cardiac rehab, but I'm not sure how soon after surgery they start.

Good luck and I'll say a prayer for your family.

[Laurelsmom2002]

Talk to the social worker at the VA, they do provide home health-definately nursing/ and therapy when needed- some vets can get 4hr aide services too- which sounds like it would be real helpful- in the light housekeeping department. If he has medicare and the VA wont do the home health, then medicare will become primary insurance and will pay for 100% home care - as long as he is homebound and still requires skilled observation/teaching. Medicare won't pay for custodial care though, so you might get them to help w/ a aide for bathing 2-3x a week for a short time. It is also possible to do a combo of both ie have medicare pick up the nursing and the VAMC pick up the aide services. I will say that not every vet "qualifies" for the aide, and I'm not sure what the criteria is- but the social workers there will. Be real honest w/ them and they can be very helpful. They are horribly overworked and overloaded, so you might have to be a squeeky wheel, but its worth it.
I was also worried about your mom, if your dad has been primary caregiver, her sugars may get wacky if she changes her routine in meals/meds due to her decreased mobility. She could also go into short term rehab too if she's unable to care for herself at home and dosen't have a caregiver available(or she won't let them) This may require a 24hr hospitalization to get medicare to pay for it. So if her diabetes gets unstable, its an option.
HTH

[sntm]

Julie -- pm me if you want more info. I've scrubbed in on a few bypasses and have spent several months on the cardiac surgery service (floor and ICU). I've also worked at a VA hospital and might be able to answer questions about that too.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever
trying-to-conceive :)
PREGNANT! EDD 6/9/03
mama to Jack 6/6/03

[kristine_elen]

No experience, but good luck w/everything!

[starrynight]

I don't know much about the surgery but wanted to send hugs and prayers your way.