How to Prepare for Open Heart Surgery.

Open Heart surgery is a life changing event for many people. Whether having a CABG (coronary bypass graft), valve surgery, or any other procedure, it is to your benefit to be fully prepared and knownledgeable of this event. This means taking charge of your preoperative, intraoperative, and post-operative courses of care. It is YOUR body!

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Access to the internet or go to the library.
• The motivation to be the owner of your body
• A support system before surgery and especially after surgery!

1. After finding out your diagnosis, do your RESEARCH! Go to your public library and/or do your research on the internet! Google it! Research the surgeon and the facility where you contemplate having your procedure. Larger surgical facilities may have the experience to handle your particular case. If your case is unusual, seek out specialists that have good success rates (both the surgeon and facility).
2. If time permits before your procedure,fortify your body! Drink vitamin infused fluids, increase your protein intake, take vitamins, decrease your salt intake. These measures may help in the healing process and assist in battling infection.
3. Have a support system in place before surgery and in the postoperative period! This is especially true for women! Depression is common after a heart surgery, particularly for women. Also women have more strokes than men after heart surgery, as well as death!
4. Get up and moving right after surgery because you want to get out of the hospital ASAP. Why? Because of the potential for acquiring a super infection! If your body is fortified beforehand you have a better chance of fighting infection.

Tips & Warnings

• Develop a relationship with your registered nurse (RN) who truly acts as your patient advocate. He/she can direct you to support services!
• Ask and determine with your cardiologist and surgeon WHAT YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE WILL BE AFTER the surgery!
• Your cardiologist, surgeon and RN work for you. Have them explain anything you do not understand.