Aa
Quaduple Bypass Today
I have some questions about bypass surgery.
This morning I was awakened by a phone call from a hospital nurse telling me that my father was rushed there this morning for a heart attack and was going to have to have surgery. It took me about 2 hours to go the 160 miles to this hospital (no speeding tickets) , but they had already started the surgery before I got there. I gave the time frame because that seemed really fast for surgery to me, but I was to find out that they considered it "emergency bypass surgery".
A little background info about my dad. He's 54, overweight, doesnt exercise, smokes, and has diabetes. These are what Im going call the "quadruple threat" (pun intended). He has had 1 minor heart attack in the past that we know of.
A nurse came down and sat with me for a while, and was able to tell me that he had a 100% blockage of a left main artery and 99% narrowing of another artery. The surgery took 7.5 hours and the surgeon came out and confirmed what the nurse had told me. He also asked me that since I was the Point of contact and from out of town, would I be staying the night? This question worried me because I felt he was implying that he felt something would happen and that i need to stay close. Should I have been worried? I couldnt stay because I left on a whim this morning and left my 13yo weiner dog and another dog at home alone.
He also said that he would be on a ventilator and still asleep for AT LEAST 24 hours. Hes concerned about his lungs and is waiting for a pulmonary specialist to see him tomorrow. Again, is this a cause for concern?
The doctor then went on the advise me that because of this, I may not want to see him tonight. I could understand that advice i were a young child, but Im an adult and nobody else was going to be there to see him. Left a bad taste in my mouth.
Any thoughts are definately welcomed.
The doctor also said that he is concerned because my dad lives alone and is going to need a lot of help for a few weeks after the hospital stay and even more help with lifestyle changes. Ive decided that im going to do everything I can do get him to move down with me and then when he does, im going to be his lifestyle change drill instructor. 54 is way too young to die from heart disease.
This morning I was awakened by a phone call from a hospital nurse telling me that my father was rushed there this morning for a heart attack and was going to have to have surgery. It took me about 2 hours to go the 160 miles to this hospital (no speeding tickets) , but they had already started the surgery before I got there. I gave the time frame because that seemed really fast for surgery to me, but I was to find out that they considered it "emergency bypass surgery".
A little background info about my dad. He's 54, overweight, doesnt exercise, smokes, and has diabetes. These are what Im going call the "quadruple threat" (pun intended). He has had 1 minor heart attack in the past that we know of.
A nurse came down and sat with me for a while, and was able to tell me that he had a 100% blockage of a left main artery and 99% narrowing of another artery. The surgery took 7.5 hours and the surgeon came out and confirmed what the nurse had told me. He also asked me that since I was the Point of contact and from out of town, would I be staying the night? This question worried me because I felt he was implying that he felt something would happen and that i need to stay close. Should I have been worried? I couldnt stay because I left on a whim this morning and left my 13yo weiner dog and another dog at home alone.
He also said that he would be on a ventilator and still asleep for AT LEAST 24 hours. Hes concerned about his lungs and is waiting for a pulmonary specialist to see him tomorrow. Again, is this a cause for concern?
The doctor then went on the advise me that because of this, I may not want to see him tonight. I could understand that advice i were a young child, but Im an adult and nobody else was going to be there to see him. Left a bad taste in my mouth.
Any thoughts are definately welcomed.
The doctor also said that he is concerned because my dad lives alone and is going to need a lot of help for a few weeks after the hospital stay and even more help with lifestyle changes. Ive decided that im going to do everything I can do get him to move down with me and then when he does, im going to be his lifestyle change drill instructor. 54 is way too young to die from heart disease.
I'm so very sorry. You have been in my thoughts.
I'm so sorry to hear about your Dad. Yes, he was young for this to happen. But his body just had too many things going on at once. Heart surgery is stressful.
Please don't be angry with yourself for not being there. I know that happens because it happened to me. My Dad was dying from congestive heart failure and cancer. He was in a hospice facility for a few days to give us (as his caretakers) a bit of rest. We visited him every day and the day before he was to come home again, he passed away. I felt terrible for being so "selfish" and having him in there at all, even for a few days. And I felt terrible that I wasn't there at the very moment his heart gave out. But the timing was what it was and I couldn't be there every second. I miss him a lot but I also know how sick he was and I'm glad he's not feeling that any more.
You have a lot to do now and that will distract you. Take your time, enjoy the memories as they pop up when you least expect them.
Please don't be angry with yourself for not being there. I know that happens because it happened to me. My Dad was dying from congestive heart failure and cancer. He was in a hospice facility for a few days to give us (as his caretakers) a bit of rest. We visited him every day and the day before he was to come home again, he passed away. I felt terrible for being so "selfish" and having him in there at all, even for a few days. And I felt terrible that I wasn't there at the very moment his heart gave out. But the timing was what it was and I couldn't be there every second. I miss him a lot but I also know how sick he was and I'm glad he's not feeling that any more.
You have a lot to do now and that will distract you. Take your time, enjoy the memories as they pop up when you least expect them.
Sadly, he passed away in the ICU. Everything was great until last night and then things started hitting him like a freight train. Acidosis, fluid on lungs, renal failure. Heart stopped 3 times and they got it back going. 4th time wasnt successful. I knew something had happened as soon as the phone rang at 2am.
I volunteer at a cardiac ICU wing of a hospital and be of service to families waiting for a loved one's heart surgeries to be completed. The doctor's statements to you weren't unusual.
Bypass surgeries generally last between 4 and 8 hours. The fact that the doctor is concerned about his lungs suggests that some issue beyond the norm is suspected. However, often a breathing tube is left in place for 24 hours. I have often heard doctors advise loved ones to go home, get rest, etc after the surgery, and know that they want the patient to sleep without interruption. Keeping the blood pressure low after the surgery is important, and they will keep him sedated and quiet the first 24 hours. I'm betting that your doctor just wanted to know where you would be in case of an emergency.
Your father has lots of risk factors. I was the same, sort of a 'poster boy' for cardiac risk, and it caught up with me, too in my 50's. I've been able to correct those behaviors and am much heart-healthier now. Your father will need lots of TLC combined with tough love in the months ahead. It sounds like you have a good plan in mind.
Best wishes and please keep up informed as he recovers.
Bypass surgeries generally last between 4 and 8 hours. The fact that the doctor is concerned about his lungs suggests that some issue beyond the norm is suspected. However, often a breathing tube is left in place for 24 hours. I have often heard doctors advise loved ones to go home, get rest, etc after the surgery, and know that they want the patient to sleep without interruption. Keeping the blood pressure low after the surgery is important, and they will keep him sedated and quiet the first 24 hours. I'm betting that your doctor just wanted to know where you would be in case of an emergency.
Your father has lots of risk factors. I was the same, sort of a 'poster boy' for cardiac risk, and it caught up with me, too in my 50's. I've been able to correct those behaviors and am much heart-healthier now. Your father will need lots of TLC combined with tough love in the months ahead. It sounds like you have a good plan in mind.
Best wishes and please keep up informed as he recovers.
You are reading content posted in the Heart Disease Community
Is a low-fat diet really that heart healthy after all? James D. Nicolantonio, PharmD, urges us to reconsider decades-long dietary guidelines.
Can depression and anxiety cause heart disease? Get the facts in this Missouri Medicine report.
Fish oil, folic acid, vitamin C. Find out if these supplements are heart-healthy or overhyped.
Learn what happens before, during and after a heart attack occurs.
What are the pros and cons of taking fish oil for heart health? Find out in this article from Missouri Medicine.
How to lower your heart attack risk.
