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.

After Open Heart Surgery:An Appreciable Journey

For one who has had conventional,chest-splitting open heart surgery,expectations should be tempered by reality.This person is not going to be able to leap back into their previous life all at once.Healing from such a major intervention is a gradual,multi-dimensional process.
Visual disturbances are a signature event for many open heart patients.Whether attributable to the large number of medications being taken,the after-effects of anesthesia or being on the heart-lung machine for several hours,this can be one of the most disconcerting aspects of recovery.These patients may experience auras or silent migraines,which are bright spots,double vision,or a combination of visual effects-possibly for months.
Auras or silent migraines are often referred to as ocular migraines.Most often,they are not accompanied by headaches in the open heart patient.Such migraines without pain are also referred to as acephalgic migraines.The patient may be referred to a number of specialists,according to the anecdotal literature,but end up with little to show for it.
Another effect the open heart patient must accept is attacks of fatigue.Of a sudden,they feel an overwhelming need for a nap,which they are best advised to accede to.These fatigue episodes,like ocular migraines,may alarm the patient,but are signs that the wounded body needs to focus on regrouping itself,rather than on a slate of activities the patient may have planned for the day.
For an extended period,the main job of the open heart patient is the restoration of health in itself.Other considerations need to be set aside so the patient may be successfully reconstituted.