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Heart Surgery: Supporting Your Loved One Through Heart
Heart Surgery: Supporting Your Loved One Through HeartSurgeryYour loved one is having heart surgery. Although you aren’t the one having surgery, you will be faced withmany different emotions before, during and after surgery. No matter how you feel, you are there to support andhelp your loved one through this.“I wasn’t fearful for him-- I mean it was a major operation but I wasn’t fearful for him, I thought he wouldcome through it. So, we looked at it like thank goodness we learned that he had the problem and wewere going to solve it.”Before surgery go to meet the cardiac care team. Ask any questions you may have about the surgery andrecovery but also, ask any questions you think your loved one may have. They may be afraid to ask some ofthe more difficult questions and will need you as a second voice. Write down information about the surgery,both preparation and recovery. You will be given a lot of information and some of the details can get lost whenyou are overwhelmed.Help pack a suitcase for the hospital. Include an updated list of medications. Your loved one may be distractedand forget to take everything they will need. When you arrive at the hospital for the surgery you will be able tostay with your loved one for some of the pre-op preparation. Make sure you take their personal items, likeglasses, contact lenses, or hearing aids for safe keeping.Heart surgeries usually last from 3 to 6 hours depending on the type of surgery. But this does not include preptime and post-surgery recovery time, so you may have to wait longer for the surgery to be completed.“When Liz was in surgery for six hours, yeah, of course I was scared, But I think, the hospital staff wasamazing, you know. They kind of kept me informed, and, you know, once I saw her everything, youknow, everything was great.”In the waiting room you will be kept up to date on your loved one’s progress. To avoid any confusion, choosejust one family member to get updates from the hospital staff. Because this can be a stressful time for you andother family members, bring something to help you pass the time and take your mind off the surgery, if only fora few minutes. Try a book, magazine or craft to keep you busy.“He’s doing well. Everything went well. Good, good.”After the surgery is complete you will be able to visit your loved one in Intensive Care. When they’re is ready,they will be moved to step-down care to continue their recovery. Here the number of visitors will still be keptsmall in order to give them the time they need to heal.Wash your hands each and every time you visit. Don’t visit if you have a cold or the flu. Your loved one has anincreased chance of infection after surgery so do all you can to prevent spreading germs. It may not be easybut try to get some rest during the hospital stay. You will need your energy as a caregiver when they comehome. When it is time for your loved one to be released from the hospital, be there during the dischargemeeting with the discharge nurse. Incision care, medications, diet and nutrition, physical activity and the dateof a follow-up appointment will be discussed. This is a lot of information, but you will be given a dischargepacket containing written instructions. Ask any questions you may have. You will be the primary caregiverwhen your loved one gets home so be prepared.As a caregiver, if you notice your loved one seems depressed or sad, try encouragement or distractions to helptake their mind off their recovery. And just generally being there for support can be the best thing you can do.This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.HCHA10176B EN HeartSurgerySupportingYourLovedOneThroughHeartSurgery.pdf© The Wellness NetworkPage 1 of 2Heart Surgery: Supporting Your Loved One Through HeartSurgeryYou are getting through this surgery together. Heart surgery is a major surgery and your loved one will taketime to recover. Before, during and after surgery your loved one will feel better knowing you are there for them.And you will feel better giving your love and support to the best of your ability.“It’s actually a pretty nice thing to- to see somebody go from, being tired going up- up and down stairs,then post-surgery, you know, seeing her a lot healthier, and a lot happier all around as from a healthstandpoint. It’s great to be a part of that, as far as her recovery is concerned.”This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.HCHA10176B EN HeartSurgerySupportingYourLovedOneThroughHeartSurgery.pdf© The Wellness NetworkPage 2 of 2
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