Triple bypass at 67

by Lee
(Sydney, Australia)

I awoke at 3 AM with sharp pains in my chest. I thought it was something I ate. I got up and had a cup of coffee and a cigarette. Yes, I was a heavy smoker for 50 years.

After 1 hour I woke up my wife and told her I needed to go to the ER. After several tests they ordered an angioplasty. Three of the veins were 80% blocked with plaque and I was told I needed triple bypass surgery.

Shock.

Eight days later I had surgery. In ICU I some bad reactions to surgery and pain meds. Because of smoking I was kept on oxygen for 7 days to help with breathing. But what was worse was the morphine for pain caused illusion and nightmare even when I was awake.

I thought the nurses and doctors in ICU wanted to kill me and then I wanted kill myself. Next time I have surgery I am going to tell them "no morphine".

I was in ICU for 4 days because I was uncooperative.

Eight days after surgery I was transferred to a rehab hospital for 2 weeks before I finally got to go home. One month in hospital. Unreal. I am now enrolled in cardiac rehab program and I am doing well.

I talked to other people who had the same procedure and they went home after just one week. I have to make some major changes in my life. Couch potato, smoking, diet. But I am determined to live.