Recently after my one-month post operative visit to my cardiac surgeon I went to a local Sam’s Club in Oakwood to get a few bake goods that could be thrown in the oven. They have been life savers creating easy meals in about 45 minutes to an hour. They have chicken pot pie, stuffed bell peppers, enchiladas, and lasagna.
The baked goods are in the rear of the store so I figured the walk would do me good. Exercise to gain my strength but not too much to wear me out as running out of gas has taken me a couple hour nap to recharge things and feel normal again.
Armed with my new best friend, a red heart shaped pillow (to hold against my chest when I cough) headed into Sam’s for my first public encounter since mid-December. It was a slow walk holding onto the buggy to keep my balance but felt good to be out of the house for a bit. You can only stare out the window so much before cabin fever sets in. The many birds, squirrels, and cats help break the monotony but being out and about does the soul good.
We slowly made our way through the store toward the back section where meats, dairy, and vegetables were located. I still cannot pick up anything (over a couple of pounds) so I’m limited in what I can do except hold on and guide the buggy from display to display. I had moved away from the baked good section to the fresh salmon area as Maria looked over the selection.
While I am standing there holding my pillow and trusted friend, I see a man in a baseball cap approach me, arm outstretched to shake my hand. He said, “Welcome to the Zipper Club”. At first, I was not sure what he meant but quickly caught on that it was a select group of people that have had open heart surgery. He asked how I was doing, how long post-op, and if I was having any problems. I said, a month, was doing so much better and it was great to be out of the house for a little bit.
He was telling me how his surgery was 4 years ago and that it took him over a year to “feel” right again. He told me his main fear was just after surgery when he was coughing (he had previously been a smoker) that his chest felt like it was going to explode as when he coughed the two bone breastplates would move and make noises. I told him mine was doing that also and that Dr. Janko had said it would be another 4 to six weeks before it fused back together. It is slightly unnerving to feel it move when you cough, roll over in bed, or extend your arms out. It is much better today than the first two weeks post-op but still has a strange feeling about it. We talked for about five or six minutes before he told me to take care and wandered off back in the store.
The Zipper Club, I found during Google searches is a website created to share experiences with other heart warriors, tell your story of what happened in your open-heart journey and to support each other during this journey. I have found several web pages that deal with survivors of open-heart surgery and issues they may be having.
During open heart surgery, you get a breathing tube down your throat, doesn’t hurt going in but is nasty coming out while you are in a fog in the recovery room. One good thing is you are hazily realizing as you kind of hear instructions and you made it through the surgery and are alive. For several days you can hardly speak, and you are coughing up to clear your lungs.
They also hook you up to a heart/lung machine where they stop your heart while doing their work, cut your legs open to harvest veins, and for me, quadruple bypass surgery. I wasn’t worried about the heart stopping but a little worried about Dr. Janko getting my heart to re-start. I now have a 9 ½” cut (scar) in my chest (hence the zipper club) and it will eventually turn into another “battle scar” of life. It is much better to wear this scar and can talk about it as opposed to not being around anymore. The goal is getting up and walking around, healing at your own body’s pace.
You should be getting your heart looked at by a cardiologist to make sure you have no existing problems of getting it fixed quickly if you do. I have always been A-typical with no symptoms of any kind so everyone needs to get checked out.
I am honored to be a new member of “the zipper club” and will be happy to make people aware of heart disease and avenues of fixing and healing oneself while Traveling Life’s Highways.