This site is dedicated to all those people who have had heart problems and procedures from, Angiograms, Angioplasty, and bypasses as well, of course, as heart attacks.

And let's not overlook those who may be reading this and are waiting for or are scheduled for a bypass or other heart surgery. To you I can only say, relax as best you can and don't dwell on the negative. You will enter your surgery in a better frame of mind if you just accept what must be.

Heart attacks come in all sizes from small silent to big loud and goodbye. There's not much you can do about a silent heart attack since you don't know you are having one. And there's nothing much you can do about the latter. That great area in between is the area we are dealing with. The only advice of any value here is to get to a hospital as quickly as possible if a problem occurs.

Angiograms The only sure way to know what is going on with the vascular system providing blood to the heart is to have an angiogram. This is a procedure that allows an examination of the heart arteries to determine if there are any areas of restricted blood flow. This is the only sure way of knowing what's going on in there. The procedure is normally an out patient procedure lasting "approximately" an hour. The Patient is awake during the procedure and can actually see the pictures of the heart on a TV monitor. A period of approximately six hours is required to ensure proper closure of the entry area. It must be remembered that any invasive surgery carries with it certain risk factors. However the pobabilty of serious risk is relatively low, your cardiologist should advise you of any risk involved.

Angioplasty almost identical to an Angiogram. The difference being that the restricted artery is stretched with a balloon type device or a stent. The stent simply expands in the affected area opening the artery and increasing the flow of blood. The procedures are not always successful but usually worth the risk.

By-pass surgery is the alternative to Angioplasty if angioplasty was even considered as an alternative to begin with. The most concerning part of this procedure is the anticipation and the unknown. If you've come this far you may as well relax, take it easy and think about pleasant things.

Usually arteries are taken from other areas of the body, the legs and a mammory artery are used to bypass affected areas. The bypass procedure takes some four hours but don't sweat it you won't know anything about it for a couple of days. When you finally come around you will be as weak as the proverbial kitten, literally. In a few days you begin to gain a little strength and start to feel like you're going to make it OK. I might add that, amazingly, there is little or no pain, but don't cough. The average time in hospital for this procedure is six to eight days. However the recovery period is some what longer and varies from patient to patient. During this period the patient has much time to consider what has happened and this is the period when depression can creep in. This is the time when support groups should be considered as soon as strength has returned enough to participate in support group activities. Some patients won't need support some will think they don't need support but like a bowl of chicken soup a support group can't hurt.

It's somewhat comforting to know that you are not alone and others have been there before you. As a matter of fact you will find it rather surprising that there are more bypass patients than you ever imagined. I was beginning to feel that almost everyone in the world has had a bypass, and soon realized it was no big deal. Within six weeks you will be amazed at how you've bounced back.

I recently saw an article on heart attack statistics and it ocurred to me that heart attack victims are really not interested in statistics except perhaps survival probability stats.

Many things written about the heart and heart attacks include large doses of statistical data that mean absolutely nothing to the individual having a coronary or the individual who has had a coronary. The more immediate considerations are more of a personal nature and they should be. People who have not been there can only guess what goes on in the mind of a heart attack victim. For many, their world is literally coming apart and they can do very little about it or so it seems at the time.

Even those who have been there differ somewhat in their attitudes, anxieties and opinions as to what they find most important. My heart attack took place a few years ago and I'm sure my experience was different from others in many ways and certainly similar in many ways. I found that there is no standard response as to what you can expect after a heart attack.

Or for that matter after bypass surgery, those of you who have endured either a coronary, Angioplasty, angiograms or bypass surgery know what I mean and each of you had a different view and attitude afterwards.

A friend of mine was scheduled for a bypass and he was terrified. Many people had counselled him but he would not be reassured. A mutual friend asked me to talk to him about the upcoming bypass which I did. He said to me "Bill, I accept what you say but these people who are trying to tell me they know what I'm going through, don't have the foggiest notion." I was able to give him a little reassurance if only to the extent that we all must accept it in the best way we can, and each of us is different.

When my friend returned from his bypass, he looked hail and hearty and in great spirits, just three weeks later. He said to me, Bill, it was a piece of cake, I can't imagine why I was so upset and worried.

There are only two ways of entering a bypass situation, I'll wake up and survive or I won't.If I don't I'll never know about it, it's all in the attitude you go in with. And chances of survival are excellent.

People have actually frightened themselves to death considering the outcome of bypass surgery. Some people will do anything to prove themselves right.

Doctors and Society do more to scare the hell out of people with heart attacks than they really need to do. A heart attack is no small matter, to be sure, no laughing matter either, it is serious business. But does this mean that we must scare the living hell out of ourselves because of it? I don't think so.

An acquaintance of mine who also had bypass surgery, stopped me one day and asked how I was doing. I cheerfully replied I was doing very well. His response was, "don't get too happy you don't know what's down the road." Charlie thought it was better to be gloomy and anticipate the worst, I could never figure out why that would be an attitude to have. You can go happy or you can go gloomy the choice is yours.

One of the most dreaded fears we carry with us is the fear of a heart attack. Some publications rattle off statistics and probabilities and numbers numbers numbers. When you're the one having the heart attack the stats and the numbers are of little consequence. It is your world that is being threatened, not some large statistical number or population of overweight people or Type A personalities. It's you that matters when the old heart starts acting up, it's your world that is coming apart.

Over reacting to the danger

The fear of heart attacks is an overblown fear making matters worse than they really are. And they are already bad enough if you happen to be the victim of a coronary. You do whatever is necessary to accommodate such a situation, you don't need people around you being overly solicitous or wringing their hands on your behalf. In all probability you will survive the attack and whatever comes afterwards.

Yes you will have to change your life style to some extent. You are no longer the same person, physically, that you once were, but life need not stop for you. Most activities can continue, golf, swimming, walking, jogging and exercise in general can continue with reasonable care and caution. Immediately after an encounter with your mortality you want to begin to regain your strength. This is usually a slow steady process, a little at a time but with time and effort you will get back into a daily routine suited to you.

Remember we are not all the same and so it is impossible to make blanket statements that apply to all. One size does not necessarily fit all so you find a size that fits you. Only you can tell how you feel and that should determine your activity in most things including the big "S".

I don't know how husbands feel about their mates in that regard if the wife has had a heart attack. But I believe that women often feel afraid that there is too much activity involved in the act of making love for her mate after a heart attack or heart surgery. This is not a criticism of the ladies, they want you around for a long time and that is where their concern comes from. It's something couples must work out for themselves. A heart "problem" is not necessarily the end of everything, in almost all cases it is a new beginning, a second chance to start enjoying things you overlooked before your mortality got in the way.

Medically oriented Links This site is linked to various medical sites to help you find the kind of information relative to your situation. If you know of a site that should be included, please Email me at the address below.
Mended hearts Dedicated to inspiring hope in the heart patient and the families of heart patients.
The heart page This site will give you some detailed insights into heart problems and concerns, I highly recommend this site to anyone with questions about heart conditions.
The medical forum A site that will give you some answers to your medical questions

If you think this site is worthwhile E Mail me at; billk@netcore.ca with your comments or questions and we can start a Frequently Asked Questions page.