Heart Surgery

[Fireaxman]

How long does it take to get back up a tree after they cut your chest open? Had Quadruple Bypass three weeks ago, and I sure do miss the climbing.

Any of you folks walked this road?

 

[skyhightree1]

Haven't walked the road but a family member of mine had hers about 4 years ago and dr said for them not to lift anymore than 15lbs for like 6 mos and no more than another amount for a year... I am not sure your chest goes back together they tie it together with wire i thought.

 

[Tree Pig]

How long does it take to get back up a tree after they cut your chest open? Had Quadruple Bypass three weeks ago, and I sure do miss the climbing.

Any of you folks walked this road?

Havent walked it myself but I do know someone that had a triple about a year and a half ago and is back in the bucket truck at 60 years old cutting away. Ive hear he will climb in the tree on occasion still also. Im am guessing it would be against doctors orders but he says he feels great.

 

[TackleTree]

No similar experiences here, but Sorry you had to get your valves lifted bro! Take it slow on the recovery. Be realistic, I know you miss it but give it some time.

 

[Fireaxman]

I think they have come a long way with this in the last few years, and I had an excellent surgeon. He gave me the "No more than 8 pounds and no driving for 4 to 6 weeks" lecture before I left the hospital, but on the follow-up yesterday he cleared me to drive and raised my weight limit to 15 pounds. That means I'm at least a week ahead of the curve for recovery. He said the sternum should be 95% healed in 12 weeks. Thanks for the good advice, TackleTree, but I really am hoping to beat the doc's estimate by at least a few weeks.

Still, its really painful just to cough, laugh, or sneeze right now. Gotta be really optimistic to think about pulling myself up a tree anytime soon.

Maybe by November? Wonder if they have a special cardio-rehab for climbers?

 

[TackleTree]

I think they have come a long way with this in the last few years, and I had an excellent surgeon. He gave me the "No more than 8 pounds and no driving for 4 to 6 weeks" lecture before I left the hospital, but on the follow-up yesterday he cleared me to drive and raised my weight limit to 15 pounds. That means I'm at least a week ahead of the curve for recovery. He said the sternum should be 95% healed in 12 weeks. Thanks for the good advice, TackleTree, but I really am hoping to beat the doc's estimate by at least a few weeks.

Still, its really painful just to cough, laugh, or sneeze right now. Gotta be really optimistic to think about pulling myself up a tree anytime soon.

Maybe by November? Wonder if they have a special cardio-rehab for climbers?

Tell your doc you want some physical therapy. Physical therapist love a challenge. I admire you gumption, I am the same way. thats why I felt compelled to warn you, but I am no doctor.

 

[Tree Pig]

I think they have come a long way with this in the last few years, and I had an excellent surgeon. He gave me the "No more than 8 pounds and no driving for 4 to 6 weeks" lecture before I left the hospital, but on the follow-up yesterday he cleared me to drive and raised my weight limit to 15 pounds. That means I'm at least a week ahead of the curve for recovery. He said the sternum should be 95% healed in 12 weeks. Thanks for the good advice, TackleTree, but I really am hoping to beat the doc's estimate by at least a few weeks.

Still, its really painful just to cough, laugh, or sneeze right now. Gotta be really optimistic to think about pulling myself up a tree anytime soon.

Maybe by November? Wonder if they have a special cardio-rehab for climbers?

Well thats great news 15 pounds means your clear to go ahead and lift most of the modern saws out there now. Keep the chin up youll get there just dont rush it. I had another buddy that had a quad several years ago who was back to stump grinding in under a year.

 

[Grace Tree]

I had a heart attack and a stint put in a few years ago. Far different from open heart but here's a few observations from my experience. Things are now different. Your condition may in fact be better if the bypass corrected your problems. If your conditions were chronic then you may have damage that you need to know about. Try to evaluate things realistically. You do safety inspections on your gear to determine their condition; do the same for yourself. Get a stress test when they tell you to to see what kind of shape your in and then go from there.
Also, your doctors are more likely to view you as a "cardiac patient" rather than as an individual. I went to cardiac rehab as a concession to my wife. They had me lifting 1lb. weights even after I went back to work. When I explained to the tech that when I left there I was going to a tree job and climb 60 ft. in a tree and move thousands of pounds of wood she told me that next time I came I could move to 2 lb. weights. I never went back. You're probably getting a standard set of meds meant to "detune" your body to both take the stress off your heart and let it heal. Beta blockers to lower my blood pressure caused me severe depression and the all the cholesterol meds caused severe muscle aches. My cardiologist swore that there were no side effects. My personal doctor showed me the desk references that showed there were. I changed meds and cardiologists and the problems went away. You know your body better than anyone else. Don't try to be your own doctor but pay attention to the feedback your getting. If you get tired-slow down. If you have pain-get it checked out. It gets cold up here so I don't work from Dec. to Feb. because the cold can be a killer. Monday I climbed and wrecked a spruce and a cherry. Tuesday I did the same for a beech and did all the cleanup by myself. In the old days I would have done it all in one day but it was hot and humid and things are just different. I'm a believing Christian and I don't care one whit about dieing but I do remember the looks on the faces of my family when they were wheeling me into surgery so now I live my life with some consideration to their concerns. Best of luck to you. I'm 62, got my first social security check yesterday, and I'm going to climb a big dead maple today.
No complaints,
Phil

 

[adamc]

Fireaxman,

I work in open heart surgery for my day job, though post operative recovery is not my specialty. Congrats on your successful surgery and excellent recovery so far. Phil's advice is generally good... listen to your body and trust your instincts, but don't quit taking any medication without consulting your doctor.

I would suggest that you discuss in detail the kind of work that you do with your surgeon. Handling a chain say, climbing, lifting pieces of wood, stuffing a chipper, etc. are all activities that use a significant amount of upper body strength and apply loads in a lot of different ways.

Obviously, if any activity causes you pain, back off and obey the restrictions your surgeon places on you. Your sternum (breast bone) is indeed held together with stainless steel wires and stressing them before your sternum heals can cause them to break or pull through the bone leading to a much longer healing time, increasing your risk of infection and even possibly permanently weakening your sternum.

For the first 6-8 weeks, you will probably also find that you are less energetic, more easily tired and a bit less mentally sharp. All of this is independent of any pain medication. For some people these effects are hardly noticeable, for some they are significant. Pain medication, beta blockers and other medications all have side effects. For some people, they are minor but for some they are significant. Be aware of the side effects, give yourself time to get used to them and if you find them to be intolerable, talk to your surgeon or cardiologist about adjusting or changing them.

As already suggested, I would also look into physical therapy and make sure the physical therapist know the kind of activities you participate in (again, be detailed and thorough). The physical therapist will provide therapy tailored to your activity and can give you advice on how to avoid injury while working.

Last but not least, don't be afraid to ask for a second opinion, another doctor or another physical therapist if you are not happy with their treatment. It is not too much to expect for them to take a few minutes to listen to and understand your unique job activities, concerns, etc. and to take them into account and explain why they are prescribing a particular drug, treatment or therapy.

Speedy recovery!

Adam

 

[Fireaxman]

They say money doesn't grow on trees, but you certainly find something a lot more valuable hanging from those limbs. There's something more valuable than Gold - in the advice and encouragement of men with common interests.

Adamc and Small Wood- you each have a very good understanding of what is happening to me and have each given me some very good advice. They've got me on Metropolol to keep my blood pressure down, and of course its also keeping my spirits down as a side effect. I know I'll feel a lot better when I can get off it, but as I've been warned - dont rush it. I took myself off the pain killers during the day time because without the pain to remind me of my limitations my reflexes were making me do things I shouldn't - yet. So, (Duh!) my chest hurts.

On top of everything else there was a 5 man crew taking down about 20 mature loblollies for the new home owner just in back of my house, and all I could do was sit on the back porch and watch. Nuts. I should have had a piece of that! And, some of those trees did not have to go if they could have just been cleaned up a little.

Ughh! I said I wasn't going to complain. I'm Greatly Blessed. We caught this before there was any damage to the muscel (Angina and Shortness of Breath forced me to the stress test and angiogram before I had a heart attack). St. Paul says "Set your mind on what is Good,...". My prospects for full recovery are good, and the fellowship on AS is good. Thanks again for the advice and encouragement.

 

[RUBE]

Hey fireaxman, welcome to the zipper club and hows those coughs doing? The little heart pillow is for being able to wipe the tears from both eyes at once. WOW those coughs are WAY understated. They open you up like a lobster and than use the stainless steel wire to hold you back together. It is close to a broke bone. LET THE CARTILAGE HEAL! Do not try to push the limits on this one as it is very soft and till it can bridge the gap and harden you just have to wait it out. If you push it to fast it WILL separate and you WILL have to start all over.
Im not sure of the bypass portion but after they cracked me open it was close to 3 months till I started to really get back at 'er and rebuild the bod.
I knew things were well about 7 weeks after when, my physical therapist as I called her, a 115lbs gal climbed me like a tree grabbed the back of my head and thru her knees on my shoulders and than slowly slid her knees down my chest on a slow slide south. I was smiling and thinking if its gonna blow there is no better time to have it go. All held together nicely and it was at that moment that I realized I was good to go.
Metropolol is a beta blocker and meant to reduce the pressure so you dont blow a seal. Sucks but there again wait it out. Im fairly certain you dont want to start over. As for the pain meds try to get off of those darn things as pooping is a whole lot easier without 'em. But keep a few around for those bump and bruises days that will come later when you do get back out. AND you will. You may want to keep active with something as sleep is kinda hard if all you do is nap. Research tree stuff, if your not a cert arb you now have plenty of time to read the book. Open up that rainy day file and to do list and see if there isnt something possible to do. Reconnect with folks that you have been meaning to get ahold of, forever. Or just get outside and walk around and enjoy the trees without getting the urge to start cutting on them. Go find some champ trees or just find a big one and lay around in its shade.
Just remember "And this to shall pass"..... and it will

Those fricken coughs will pass as well. Damn those things hurt!

 

[Curlycherry1]

Just a point of interest for any folks out there that might face surgery for cardiac problems in the future. There is a medical device called the DaVinci robot that is coming on strong for Cardiac procedures. It allows the surgeon to do a lot of work labroscopically so they do not have to crack open your chest. It is being used more and more and lots of cardiac surgeons are getting trained on the system. It is made my Intuitive Surgical Company in Ca. You can check them out by searching Intuitive Surgery. They have lots of information about what can be fixed using the minimally invasive surgery (MIS). If you are faced with surgery in your chest, ask about DaVinci options. People have been able to assume normal lives in weeks rather than months after having DaVinci surgery.

For prostate cancer the DaVinci is used in over 80% of the surgeries now and will be at 90% probably by the end of the year.

Disclaimer: I own a lot of Intuitive Surgical stock and so far it is going to help me retire much earlier than I originally thought. I also have 3 stents of my own.

 

[StihlRockin']

Get a stress test when they tell you to to see what kind of shape your in and then go from there.

That's great advice...

...if you want to die.

My father HATED those stress tests. My mother too. The night before my dad went to the hospital at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, he was crying. I told him it will be ok.

That same day he was home late and I never seen him that exhausted before. The next day before I left for lunch, he said that he's going to stay in bed all day.

Long story short, he died in my arms 1 1/2 hours later.

The doctors always tell you to "take it easy", "don't lift more than...", etc, blah, blah, blah. Yet a stress test is the total opposite of all that.

Take stress tests at your own risk.

Good luck and great to hear you're on your way to healing fast!

StihlRockin'

 

[capetrees]

No personal experience on the surgery but the guy I work with had triple one year ago and he still isn't 100% and yes, he was quite active and strong. It takes time and don't forget, it took you how many years to get to the strength you were prior to the operation. You're not getting it back in one big move. Over time you'll get back into it but don't rush it.

 

[chemist]

My dad had a triple in 2002. I know that is a long time ago, but he's 65 now and we're not missing a beat! (no pun intended)

He took it really easy for the first couple of years. I think what you have to keep in mind is that you will be back to 100% if you take it slow... if you rush it, you may never get back to 100%

take it easy, let your body heal, and you'll be stronger that you were before.

 

[Curlycherry1]

That's great advice...
Take stress tests at your own risk.
StihlRockin'

I was the exact opposite. For months I had a pain when I exerted and yet every EKG, enzyme test and everything else they did in the ER during 2 visits and at my regular doc said that it could not possibly be my heart. I was 44 at the time, not overweight, had low BP, low cholesterol, I did NOT fit the profile at all. Out of desperation I demanded a stress test. They did want to give me on but I insisted that it be done soon, and no later than Friday of that week. The got me on that Friday afternoon.

I did the test all the while the staff was looking at me as if to say "why the F are you here?" I got done with the test and they sent me to the waiting room for the normal 15 minute post test wait before sending me home. Keep in mind I passed the test and was practically running on the treadmill. All of a sudden they are preparing a room for a dude that is going to get some really bad news. They took me to that room and told me to remain calm and that they were rushing me to the hospital. I had major blockage of my left anterior decending (LAD) artery. They call those the "widomakers." The following Monday I had surgery and stents were placed in the one spot on my heart that was blocked. Nothing else had any obstruction at all.

When you hear about folks in their 40s and 50 dying of a heart attack it is almost always the LAD artery that is blocked. There is no warning, and there is no recovery from it whatsoever. You drop and you are dead, end of story.

So a stress test saved my life. If I had continued my ways a piece of plaque less than 0.5mm in diameter would have ended my life. The smallest chunk would have caused me to drop in my tracks and even if someone was right there ready to do CPR my cardiologist told me it would not matter.

No other test showed I had a problem. 2 ER visits and 3 visits to my family doc showed nothing. I had not done any damage to my heart so none of the tests could show a problem. Only a radiograph of the blood uptake via a stess test could show it and it did.

 

[Treetom]

Fireaxman,

You're an inspiration, man. Take 'er slow.

Treetom

 

[Fireaxman]

...So a stress test saved my life. If I had continued my ways a piece of plaque less than 0.5mm in diameter would have ended my life. The smallest chunk would have caused me to drop in my tracks and even if someone was right there ready to do CPR my cardiologist told me it would not matter.

No other test showed I had a problem. 2 ER visits and 3 visits to my family doc showed nothing. I had not done any damage to my heart so none of the tests could show a problem. Only a radiograph of the blood uptake via a stess test could show it and it did.

Me too. Family doc said he did not think anything was wrong, but agreed to "let" me take the stress test "... just to ease my mind". He did not even arrange for a cardiologist to be present for the test. Two techs sat back on a couch shooting the breeze while I was on the treadmill, until one of them noticed my heart rate was up to 193 bpm and started paying attention. I stopped before I experienced chest pain because I was worried that no physician was present in case I got in trouble. The techs just told me I "... did Great, no problems, Metabolic Efficiency Rate 15 and a 12 is good". Then I did not hear anything for 4 days, so I figured everything must be fine. Finally decided to call the office to follow up and learned the bad news - my family doc had gone on vacation and had not gotten the news from the cardiologist. Angiogram next day, heart surgery couple days later. Obviously, I'm not too impressed with the "System". You got to be careful, choose your doctors wisely, and follow-up.

I feel for you, StihlRockin. I was holding my Dad's hand when he died. I guess you just got to weigh the risk vs the benefit, and then try to reduce the risk as much as possible by choosing the best care team possible and staying alert. Grace of God has a lot to do with it too I'm sure, but its awful tough to know where He is going or what He is doing.

Anyway, it was a good thing I took the test.

There are a lot of risks on the Angiogram, too. On one of Dad's angiograms, the doctor poked a hole in a major artery and he almost bled to death inside his body cavity. He survived that, but it killed a nerve leading to his right leg that eventually caused him to stumble, fall, and die of a stroke induced by a closed head injury. Lots of risks. No gaurentees. None of us going to get out of this alive.

I got another day or two out of it. Best I can expect I suppose. One day at a time.

 

[Fireaxman]

Hey fireaxman, welcome to the zipper club and hows those coughs doing? The little heart pillow is for being able to wipe the tears from both eyes at once. WOW those coughs are WAY understated. ...

Those fricken coughs will pass as well. Damn those things hurt!

Yup! And dont you love the poor little "Repiratory Therapists" that come in with their "Bronchiodialater" and "Spirometer" to MAKE you cough. Poor kids. I'll bet they get very few kind words from their patients, but you got to remember they are just trying to help.

And then one day I sneezed! I just THOUGHT the cough was bad. And then one day some well meaning visitor brought in a U-tube video of a cat stuck on a ceiling fan and made me laugh until I was literally curled up in a fetal position crying like a new-born.

Anyway - thanks for the re-assurance and good advice.

 

[fireman]

Fireaxman Ive been a fireman paramedic for 20 yrs take your time don't push it or it will not heal correctly and will set you back to square one.If it doesn't heal correctly you may have chronic pain and permanent damage.You will know when the time is right and take it slow.I had a ruptured appendix and went back to work to soon and boy did I feel it.I now your feeling cannot sit still and want to be in those trees like I did but please take your time.Be safe and good health.