Dad has triple bypass + valve replacement surgery today and I’m terrified.
My father is 57 and got a stent put in following a widow maker heart attack about nine years ago. He’s rather stubborn and only attends his cardiology appointments a few times a year and does everything in his power to avoid stress tests and whatnot.
A month ago he finally did one and they found “abnormal activity”. After doing some more tests, they concluded that he had another blockage in his heart, so they made him an appointment with a cardiovascular institute.
We get there, he goes into surgery for his stent, and about twenty minutes later the doc pulls us aside and tells us that it was unsuccessful and that we’re now looking at a bypass surgery.
That in itself is an awful thing to hear, but my father called me last night with even more devastating news: he needs a new heart valve as well, and they’re doing everything in one go.
I’m scared of complications during the procedure as well as afterwards during the recovery process. My father is a very active man, so I know doing nothing but laying around for a few weeks is going to depress him. I’m also worried sick about how he’ll view his physical body after this. He’s not a fan of scars, much less a huge one spanning all the way down his chest.
Also… is the ticking really that audible? I feel like that might drive him insane considering he can’t even stand the tick of a clock.
How can I support him mentally and physically through the recovery process? I already googled it, but it would be fantastic to hear from somebody who has been through something similar themselves or has helped out a loved one in a similar situation.
I’m 21 and scared shitless. I don’t wanna lose my father. Best wishes y’all.