After Open Heart Surgery:Searching For Right Words

It was amazing to me that,even when I was in the hospital and unable to post for a while,people were still visiting the blog.That was most appreciated.
"A form of PTSD," or post-traumatic stress disorder,is what occurs to me when I try to characterize the post-operative feelings of open heart surgery patients.Many of them sustain long term physical and psychological impacts from the drastic and complex procedure which they have undergone.To be sure,most of them are glad to be alive,given the seriousness of their health problems.They have a second chance now,imperfect as it may be for a number of them.
In my own case,the valve repair was not totally effective.With some degree of emotion,I lay there one night realizing I was not perfectly whole.The diseased valve is still mildly defective,leaking a little blood.It had been nearly destroyed by illness,so that result wasn't too surprising for me.Sometimes the lesions are so severe,it isn't possible to fully reconstitute the valve,though making it strong enough to last at least as long as an artificial replacement.
The emotional aspect of the procedure cannot be overstated.A heightened sense of fragility is a permanent reminder to the patient of everything they've gone through,and,indeed,may be encountering again in their future years.
The sheer length of recovery is in itself remarkable.The incision alone may take up to a year to fully heal.It may itch and sting a bit until that time,and bears careful attention by both the patient and medical team.
For possibly years into the future,the patient,according to the anecdotal literature,may experience ocular migraines,or visual disturbances with or without headaches.Vertigo and lightheadedness may also be felt sporadically for a long duration of time.The exact causes of this are not well-understood.Usually further testing doesn't explain such continuing discomfort.That is why "a form of PTSD" may be an apt description of the elusive phenomena.
Eventually,most patients will resume the full range of their activities,but it must be emphasized that this may take far longer than anyone had envisioned.As well,their souls may be tinged with blue from time to time as they reflect upon their most unusual pathway through the busy world.