My Sunday writing on CABG

It's about 8.00 am and I have already finished my breakfast of oats and a cup of tea with skim milk (it really taste awful). Now what shall I write or share with you that would be helpful. And the best topic that I can think of at the moment is sharing with you my experience of undergoing a CABG operation. I have been searching for blogs which can help me clear all my doubts that I have on my mind and there don't seem to be much on the web.

For those who has been diagnosed with heart problems or had a heart attack and the Doctor has informed you after angiogram, boy you sure do have a lot of blockages and we can't do angioplasty due to blah....blah....blah... and they refer you to a surgeon. He will talk to you on what he is going to do....so to say the best option based on the reports and the condition that you are in. In my case I was relieved to know that I had 3 major blocks and look at the bright side, I was in a position to discuss with the Doctor on the CABG and I didn't just existed off this face of the earth on 06.09.09 (that's when I had my heart attack). Anyway getting down to business, he told me that there was a risk factor of 3% etc... etc... but I just asked him what his fatality was? And my Doctor told me it was zero out of 400 odd operations that he had performed. So that settled it and the other thing that I asked him was the cost of the operation? I had my savings and I guess I don't have a choice and when it comes to the matter of the heart, I rather spend what it takes and that too I am having a surgeon who had operated on our ex-Prime Minister twice, so what more credentials do I need?

So the date was fixed by my surgeon and it was on 17.09.09. I was discharged 1 week before the surgery and was told to take rest. How could I take rest, when I knew that I had 3 blogs and I was a walking time bomb? Anyway I manage to get things done, went to Putrajaya to get my wife's citizenship done and the following day, to sort things out with EPF and later y banking works.

On 16^th of September 2009, I checked in to Subang Jaya Medical Centre, we took a cab and the driver was very kind to wish me all the best. The Doctor explained the whole procedure and the nurses also showed the ICU, where I would be placed after the surgery. It was all like a dream and I just let everything flow by and I never doubted my operation and the Doctor. I know that I would be fine.

The operation went on schedule at 9.30 am and I was wheeled out by 4 pm. I did manage to say something to my wife. It was like a dream, I remembered nothing, just went to sleep and when I woke up everything was done. I was on morphine and it really took away my pain. For the next 2 ½ days I was in the ICU and the nurses took very good care of me and I was on my way to recovery. I was transferred to the normal ward on the 3^rd day. I had solid food minus the salt and oil but it was a good feeling that I was alive.

After the 7^th day I was discharged from the Hospital and I was at home. I was uncomfortable at first but then I got better and I could move around. I started my 30 minutes walk from the first day I was at home and my diet was like this:

Breakfast

2 slice of wholemeal bread with a little olive oil margarine or iddly sambar

A cup of tea with skimmed milk

Half bowl of oats


10.00 am

Tea – black

Low salt biscuits
 

Lunch

Brown rice

Chicken curry with less oil and no coconut/Fish curry/Tofu/Dhall

Vegetable

Fruits


3.00 pm

Tea- with skimmed milk

Low salt biscuits


Dinner

Same as lunch


9.00pm

Skimmed milk

Oats



So that gives you an idea of what I am eating. I read on the net that we should use maximum 1 tablespoon of cooking oil per day and cook with less salt. I had to take it easy with the fruits as I am a diabetic too and fruits that you should avoid would be:

1. Mangoes
   
2. Dragon fruit
   
3. Red apple
   
4. Grapes
   
5. Orange
   

I guess green apple and guava in moderation is ok but you have to check your blood sugar on a daily basis so that you can decide what to eat and what not to eat.

Above all I think what is important is that you have to take complete rest. And before I forget, for 3 weeks after surgery, please make sure that you don't wet your incisions, only have a sponge bath. Walk for 30 minutes and do your breathing exercise for your lungs.

Is there any questions that you have, please feel free to ask....