OPEN-HEART SURGERY

Relearning What I Already Knew Before

What you have to relearn after open-heart surgery

When I got the call that day, I never realized I would have open-heart surgery the following week. It wasn’t until I asked the nurse on the other end of the phone that I understood.

Yet, unlike me at the time, and even since, I did not do much research to find out what those three words meant. Open-heart surgery was the words that were now words I would use for over a year in almost every long conversation.

I did not watch any YouTube videos to find doctors discussing open-heart surgery.

I only read a few articles about the causes why people would need open-heart surgery, what the process looks like, the possible outcomes, etc.

I did not look for Facebook groups tailored for open-heart surgery survivors until the days after my operation when I was already home recuperating.

I am not sure why I did not do any of that, and I may never know at this point. I do know that I did not prepare myself for what was next.

Many things happen after you have open-heart surgery, and in my case, I had a planned surgery, so time allowed for more preparation and thought. Yet, did I know what to even think about? No, not really.

What I have found, among many things, is that I had to relearn many things that I thought I already knew how to do.

No, I am not speaking about physical things so much, though there are many of those, but it is the tasks that you do not see as apparent, but they are still there.

I have had to, among many things, learn or relearn to trust myself. Trust myself when I take a step. Trust myself, today’s emotions may not be the same tomorrow or even tonight, and I must say, “Okay.”

Learning to trust yourself that those many emotional days you have right after the operation may become distant memories, but they may also persist.

Just know that you had an operation you learned about in advance for some reason, and many don’t. One that some don’t get to think about.

For me, it is relearning to trust. Trust me and trust that I may not know what to do next; if I don’t, it will just have to be okay.

I have to trust myself when the brain fog kicks in; it is okay to acknowledge it and then ask whoever is around for help with the word for something familiar you are chasing or the name of someone you have met many times.

You must trust that you know your body better than anyone else and advocate for it daily.

Believing in yourself to know that your doctors and others may say you are “healed,” that if you are not, then you are not. Trust that you know better than they do.

This trust is hard, and I won’t pretend and tell you that it is easy, but I will tell you to expect this relearning of ways may, or most likely will, happen, and you will persevere. You will succeed.

Some Closing Thoughts

This past year has been the hardest of my life, yet I have learned so much about myself, having gone through it.

I want to mention that though I advocate for trusting in yourself more than anyone, your medical team’s talents and knowledge may have saved your life, so you must trust them, too.

Believe in yourself a bit more, ask questions and explanations, and then make an informed decision for yourself. Don’t let anyone take that decision-making away if you can help it.

Are you going through open-heart surgery or preparing to go through it now? Feel free to reach out in the comments below if you need someone to relearn with, commiserate with, or talk to.

Some Things About Me

I am a not-so-young adult blogger, aspiring writer, and sometimes a gamer and streamer.

I tweet a LOT on Twitter or X, or whatever it calls itself today. I post every once in a while on Facebook. And occasionally, I let my opinions be known to friends, family, and anyone else who will listen.

Other Stories, Poems, and Observations That I Have Shared

How to Connect with Me

You can follow me on Twitter (X) at https://twitter.com/MichaelThackerI.

If you want to connect on Facebook, the best place is https://www.facebook.com/RMichaelThacker/

Feel free to comment and share your thoughts, network with me, or post something you are relearning that you did not expect to. We can support one another in our journeys back to health.