Let’s talk multiple heart bypass surgery

[MnFn]

Yay! 
If you have had it done, I’d like to hear about your recovery and how long it took before you were shooting again.
Maybe PM me?

I can’t believe just a couple of months ago I was trudging 1/4 mile across plowed fields with my bow and quiver full of arrows, ghilli  suit, millennium chair, all with 100% blockage of my widow maker, 80% on the second  artery and 70% on the third artery.  Ok, I did have to take a break at about the mid way point, and climbing out of a ditch took me about ten minutes, but other than that, and with no heart attack??  (Not to mention  Covid and mini-strokes at Thanksgiving)  Just blessed, I guess.
Anyway, I’d like to hear from you.
Thanks, Gary

[Rando]

No words of wisdom here, haven't been through that...
But glad you've come through it thus far - sounds like you are blessed! Best thoughts & prayers for a continued recovery - I'm sure you'll be flinging arrows in the near future!
Randy

[ron w]

Holy cow - I hope the best for you keep us in the loop on your recovery !!

[Sam McMichael]

Good luck with your recovery. Hopefully, you will soon be pulling bows, and hauling hunting gear all over the place. Keep us informed on your progress.

[GCook]

First, thank God you are okay.
In 2007 at the ripe old age of 43 I had a 95+% blockage of the LAD.  They were able to stent.
Doc said only reason I wasn't dead is because God wasn't ready for me. 
Talk to Ronnie Newall.  He just had it done recently.

[BowMIke]

Gary,
Best wishes for a speedy recovery. Hope to meet you bear hunting in the future.

Mike (BowMike)

[Aaron Proffitt 2]

Had a stroke about 18 months ago . Clot straight from the heart and deep into the brain . Boom ...

I'm glad you're getting this addressed now instead of as a contingency . You've got this .

[Duker]

Gary ::: On 2/28/2019 I had quadruple bypass surgery.Was in the hospital for 7 days.Finished therapy sometime in July.Started shooting a 42# bow in time for deer season in September.

[Gusd]

Gary , I had 4 done in 2004 ,was in hospital
8 days total. Was lucky never had any symptoms
Dr. didn’t like EKG. Stress test showed trouble.
If you didn’t have heart attack you will recover
much quicker.This may not apply but I asked every
Cardiac nurse what doctor was best,they were hesitant
But would come back & tell me. I went with
their advice! Had no trouble since. Maybe luck?
Gus

[LC]

I had triple bypass 5 years ago. Same as above my yearly physical Doc didn't like my EKG readings.  He wanted to call me a ambulance but I said no. Called the wife she calmed me down and I drove myself to the hospital.

Long story short failed their stress tests miserably. Triple bypass next day. I met all their requirements for discharge on the second day. They said they had never released someone on the second day and made me stay till day three. They didn't even make me ride out in a wheel chair and I walked out to my car and wife drove me home.

I honestly don't remember when I started shooting my bow but I believe it was one month. My doc wasn't too worried about it. I started with some low poundage bows for sure.

[Deno]

All the best in your recovery Gary

Deno

[Green]

Had my first heart attack 7 years ago.  Two stents to keep her pumping.  At the time the doc said there was another problem, but we'd deal with that later.  4 years ago, quad bypass as the main artery had choked off down to 40% flow.  Was in the hospital a fun filled 7 days, was shooting my daughters 32# Sarrel's BlackHill's 7 weeks later. 

This surgery is no walk in the park.  Well, let's say the entire first month after the surgery, but after that you'll be awfully glad you had it!

[M60gunner]

I just had a “shock “ to my heart Friday. Seems I had a flutter causing my heart rate to shoot up to 133 bpm. I really didn’t notice anything out of wack. My family doc caught it while doing my “wellness “ check. I do have a bad value which will need replacement sometime and that may have been the cause of the flutter. Now I am on “light duty” until at least next Monday. I missed a 3 D which I understand was a success but hopefully I can do the 2nd leg in March

[Long Barrel Colt]

Your lucky indeed no heart attack = no damage to the pump station. You are blessed

[MnFn]

I don’t think luck had much to do with it.
I was up and walking the next day.  I am a blessed man for sure.

[Gene Wensel]

   Been there, done that. Had a triple bypass about 6-7 years ago. Blockages were 96%, 92% and 82% if I remember right. Had my surgery in March. I didn't pull a bow until July, then started with a 30 pounder. I soon advanced to my 55# with no trouble. Do NOT attempt drawing a heavy bow too early! I knew a guy who tried drawing his 70# bow too early. He ripped multiple staples from his sternum. They had to open him up again to fix him up.

[Bowguy67]

Can’t help you but glad it worked out. God bless ya

[Chuck Jones]

I noticed some shortness of breath last bow season. My daughter is a nurse practitioner and works in cardiac. She set up a series of tests for me with the best cardiac doctors. They found blockages close to what you had. I had a quadruple bypass a month ago. Just had my follow up yesterday. Doctor said not to pull a bow until 12 weeks after surgery, at least. Then I can start low and build back up. They said it takes 12 weeks for the sternum to knit back together.
I didnt have a heart attack or stroke, so I feel good so far. I walk 30 minutes a day and do several flights of stairs. It’s really hard to hold back from doing things that might hurt my sternum, as I feel better in some ways than I did before surgery.

Keep on the exercise plan and follow the doctors advice, and you will be shooting a bow by summer.

[supernaut]

Gary, hope it all works out for you and you have a full recovery! 


My father in law had a quadruple bypass done about 5 years ago and said he felt like a new man the very next day. He was pretty sore for a week or so but recovered great and by all Drs. accounts his heart is very healthy now. He did change his eating and exercise habits after the surgery. He's 77.

[MnFn]

That is amazing an amazing story LC!  At least based on my experience.  I was in for 6 days, left on the seventh.  My biggest problem was drainage.  They didn’t take the second tube out of my chest until the 5th day.  As i mentioned,  I was up and walking the day after I got out of icu (actually day #2). I am up to about 25-30 minutes twice a day now.

I have my old original bow, a 40# recurve that I thought I’d try to rehab with.
 I normally shoot 51#.  But I may have to rethink that, and start around 30#?   That would be ok as I could use another light weight bow for one of my grandkids to start shooting with. Just another reason to buy a new  bow. 

One concern I  have is residual pain in my bottom three fingers from those mini strokes after Covid struck me, in mid Nov. I saw a sports PT, about that and she seems sure it is fixable. But I have stopped most of my exercising routine until my pt starts for the by- pass stuff.  I for sure don’t want to go back and redo my sternum.
Thanks everybody for the responses.