Coronary Artery Bypass

I really have appreciated the good wishes and shared experiences. After I initially posted I felt a little like it was too self-centered to do that. But then I reasoned that I had friends here from whom I needed and could expect understanding. You certainly have fulfilled that expectation.

Thanks

 

Hi Bill: We remembered you at mass today. God's providence and mercy attend you in this as He has guided you thus far. Best wishes, J.

 

Bill – I’d like to pass along a couple of thoughts to factor in as you make your decision about how to proceed. The first is a controversy over on- or off-pump. There is a body of literature that suggests the traditional, on-pump CABG may cause neurocognitive impairment. On-pump refers to the heart-lung machine. A newer procedure called the opcab, which is touted to cause fewer neurocognitive changes, has the surgery performed with the heart beating and the blood oxygenated normally. Also, the MIDCAB for minimally invasive, procedure avoids the necessity of splitting the breast bone. A close friend, a pathologist, who required a CABG a couple of years ago, went to Mayo for the off-pump procedure. If you’re not already familiar with this information I suspect you’ll find plenty on the net. I’m glad you decided to reach out to the community, I for one don’t see it as self serving, and I hope this is helpful.

David

 

David: Thanks for that info. I do see the subjects on the web and will look.

Unk: Thanks! As another good uncle told me, "Bill, for you it's a win-win situation" (see Philippians 1:23)

[btw, if it's not, I'm coming back to haunt Bill Dayson ]

 

Hey Bill,

My prayers are with you. I have Coronary Artery Disease, myself. If I ever need a CABG I would probably check out the non-pump procedure.

Tom

 

Not as big a deal as it was a decade ago

CABGs (cabbages) are remarkably simple procedures. It is just a re-plumbing job. At least that is what one cardiothoracic surgeon told me.

Recent advancements have also demonstrated the effectiveness of minimally invasive off pump surgery equal to that of open heart surgery. If there is no rush for the procedure you may wish to investigate that option.
This link from the National Library of Medicine's Medline Plus website may be helpful.

The most annoying part of the any CABG procedure is the coughing they make you do afterward (you'll do some on your own too). Use a pillow against your chest when you cough and you will be more comfortable.

You will probably be out of the hospital in 3 or 4 days perhaps five. After a week after that you may feel like returning to limited work (unless you have taken up coal mining) . You will also notice that your chest pain has resolved - at least the cardiac chest pain, you will have some muscular and bony pain (if you had traditional style surgery) for a month or six weeks but that should be resolved by some pain meds or otc pain relievers.

CABGs are not an unusual procedure anymore; in fact the American Heart Association notes that more than half a million were performed in the US last year.

The goal of a CABG is to return the patient to better than his pre-surgical condition, free from chest pain and reducing the risk of MI - heart attack. It is seldom that a patient does not notice a marked improvement post surgery.

I hope this helps, and as any good Catholic would I'll work my beads for you.


(I was an RN full time for a decade before changing careers. I worked in a 'Chest Pain' ER for more than half of that. I've never had a CABG myself but a few more cheeseburgers and I'll probably need one.)

 

Bill:

Good luck.

marilynd

 

Bill - for future reference: Dr. Dean Ornish's Program for Reversing Heart Disease: The Only System Scientifically Proven to Reverse Heart Disease Without Drugs or Surgery

and

The Mcdougall Program : 12 Days to Dynamic Health

Take charge and don't let your elder years be completely medicalized.

Good luck.

Brett

 

Bill,

I join with the rest of the degreeinfo community in praying for you.

 

Bill,

You have been an inspiration to many here at DI and we pray for your speedy recovery.

[BTW, on a lighter note, did you check out your cardiologist's academic credentials?? ]

 

===


Thanks again to all for your insightful and encouraging words. I very much appreciate every remark.

Tom

 

I'm glad it was helpful. I'm around this stuff all the time but in my role as a psychologist; my next day of med school will be my first. If you review the on/off-pump issue with your physicians I'd like to hear what you learn if you don't mind. If Greg Gulick reads this perhaps he might be have some words of wisdom to share.

David

 

Good luck to you, Dr. Grover. Thank you.

 

An excellent sign that bodes well for your recovery. I know a couple of people who have had coronary bypass. As others had said, it's not an easy recovery at first. But all were up and around much sooner than they had expected. Surely it will be the same for you, especially since the need was caught before any heart damage.

In another post you mentioned that you thought it might be self-centered to post your concerns. Nothing could be further from the truth! Anyone is nervous at the prospect of surgery, whether they admit it or not. If someone came to you with concerns about an upcoming surgery you would not think of dismissing their concerns or of considering them to be self-centered. So why expect such reactions from others when you express your own concerns? If you think of it that way it seems very different, no? (Besides, if you simply stopped posting for a little while everyone would wonder who you were angry with. <just kidding>)

Best wishes for a speedy recovery!


Kit

 

Cehi and Kit

Thanks for your good wishes.

I go Monday morning (9-26) for what the doc thinks will be a quadruple bypass.

Thanks in part to the kind interest shown by friends here, I am not much worried.

I will get back in a week or so.

Thanks again,

Bill

 

We will be praying, Dr. Bill.

Looking forward to hearing from you again soon!

In Messiah,

Matt

 

Does anyone know how the operation went? It´d be nice to know Bill is ok. Regards