A bypass operation through the ribs
It was a bit of a shock when my husband, a sporty, young fifties, with a healthy lifestyle and a lot of exercise, had to undergo a bypass surgery. Here I wrote all these 2 blogs about earlier:
Fortunately, it became the less radical variant: a midcab operation. This means that the sternum should not open, but it manages to do it between the ribs. For this, some incisions are made: some holes on the left side and a slightly larger cut in the middle left on the chest. That way, surgery is done via camera.
The surgery took place in the morning. Such an operation lasts about four hours. Then you end up in intensive care, where you will be further ventilated if necessary. I was able to visit this department in the evening, although it is very limited in time and the visiting hours are strictly to follow. (Half an hour in the afternoon and 45 minutes in the evening.) He was awake, but still some groggy from the anesthetic and the painkillers.
The third day he was allowed in an ordinary room. After five days he was already home! The recovery went very smoothly, partly due to the excellent condition.
And now? Now comes the rehabilitation. Rebuild some fitness with a kinesist, under strict control of heart rate and oxygen supply. The disadvantage: he is not allowed to drive a car for the time being, so there must be some driving around. In a few weeks, a rehabilitation program will follow in the hospital. Even then he is not allowed to drive a car. Walking is strongly recommended. Unfortunately, it is not a walking weather! Today the rain falls with baking from the sky, alternating with hail and wet snow. But if the weather app predicts some dry hours, we're gone. Fortunately, we can just pull our door and we are immediately in nature.
