I Had Triple Heart Bypass on 5 Jul 2021 ❤️ On the Road to Full Recovery & New Lease of Life

I just had my triple heart bypass surgery after angiography revealed that I have three severely blocked arteries - one 100% blocked, one 90% blocked and one 70%. Not dead man walking but I was a walking time bomb.

The 5 to 6 hour surgery on 5 Jul 2021 at National University Heart Centre, Singapore was successful 🙏 I was discharged on 11 Jul 2021 to continue recuperation at home. 

My eight day stay in hospital started on 4 July 2021, checking in at a general ward to prepare for the operation. After the operation on 5 July, I was transferred to the ICU or intensive care unit. On day 3, I progressed to HDW or high dependency ward. 

On day 4, while in the high dependency ward, I had irregular heart rate and palpitations (1 in 3 heart bypass patients have this). I was given two rounds of magnesium and potassium drips which stabilised my heart rate. 

In the night of day 4, I had a few more heart palpitation episodes which required more drips. I also developed a fever and was put on antibiotic drips. 

9 July 2021

My condition gradually improved and I regained my strength slowly with the help of doctors, nurses, and support staff. 

By day 7, I felt better except for dull pain in the chest incision and chest cavity. The pain was bearable with Panadol as long as I did not cough or shifted my body too much or abruptly. I was able to walk about slowly for short distances of 30 metres. My fever subsided - stabilised at around 37°C.

Even in such circumstances and bland hospital food, I regained my appetite by day 3. On day 7, I weighed 71.3kg, almost the same weight on admission day. 

Coronary arterial bypass graft is one of the most severe, invasive surgeries. It involves cutting open the chest and rib cage to access the heart. During the procedure, the heart is stopped and the patient put on life support with a heart lung machine.

The blocked arteries are bypassed with artery or vein grafts harvested from the arm and / or leg. One end of the graft is attached to the aorta (main artery) and the other beyond the blockage. Once the grafts are secured by stitching, the heart is restarted. The rib cage is then sewn back together with stainless steel or titanium wires at the sternum.

The next step is the recuperation process which would take up to six months for full and complete recovery.

First stop after the operating theatre is the ICU or intensive care unit. 

When in the ICU, I am at 5% of my usual strength. My mind was groggy from all the anaesthesia and lots of medicines coursing through my body from various drips. There were also tubes draining fluids from my chest and bladder. I was very well looked after by a caring and attentive ICU nurse.

Physiotherapy started from day 1 in ICU - I walked with the physiotherapist's support from the ICU to HDW or high dependency ward some 30 paces away. 

My next stop was in a general ward for observation and preparation for discharge.

My sleep was erratic. Lying on my back for 7 days, I fell in and out of sleep at random times of the day and night. I had some vivid, fantastic dreams including a couple of times I was being "rescued" / escaped from the ward. My rescuers even brought clothes for the escape 🤦‍♂️

12 July 2021

Apologise that I informed very few people until now (day 8) when I am discharged from hospital, feeling better and of clearer mind (though I still need to settle into normal sleep patterns). 

The most important purpose of this update is to record my heartfelt thanks to National University Heart Centre, Singapore. The system, facilities, logistics, staffing are mighty impressive. Everything works like clockwork with heart. 

Special thanks to Dr Jai Ajitchandra Sule and his team, all the nurses, and support staff at NUHCS who were fantastic - professional, dedicated and caring. Thanks also to my cheerleaders for your continuous prayers, well wishes, love, and kindness. 

I owed my new lease of life to all of you together. 

Now, I look forward to living every day with gratitude and love.

This is my first blog post after my CABGx3 surgery. I hope to have many CABG anniversary posts in the years to come.

Oh, Johor Kaki is going to eat and live in a new way to get the best out of life 💪

Day 14 Update (18 Jul 2021)

Making good progress over the past 7 days. First night home (11 Jul 2021), I couldn't sleep at all with discomfort in my chest when lying flat on bed, on my back. Improved day by day, now I can lie flat with little discomfort. I am still on Panadol.

Appetite is good. Eating lots of fish, vegetables and fruits to replenish calcium, protein, magnesium and potassium, etc.

The stitches are dry and healing. Redness almost all gone.

Walked slowly on treadmill for 20 minutes yesterday. No difficulty at all. Could have walked longer but I wanted to pace myself.

Averaged 750ml on the spirometer (compared to 250ml on day 1 after operation and 1500ml before operation).

Still have heart palpitations but only a couple of episodes a day and they are mild and pass quickly (less than 5 minutes). Heart rate ranges 60 to 120 per minute (most of the time in the 80s). Highest recorded heart rate is below 120 per minute.

I feel good, confident and alert.

Update Day 25 (31 Jul 2021).

Overall, recovery is smooth. All the external cuts (chest, arm, leg) are 95% closed and dry. The last dry remnants of stitches almost ready to fall off. Am able to lie flat on bed. Lungs are clear.

Still have heart palpitations but these are now milder and come only occasionally (once or twice a day as far as I can feel myself). I am on blood thinners to prevent stroke in case of blood clot from palpitations. 

I walk on the treadmill twice a day for 30 minutes each session. Being able to walk briskly are the highlights of my day now. (I still haven't exercised outdoors. Targeting that for week 6.) Averaged 1,100ml on the spirometer. My weight is stable at 70kg.

Appetite is good except that I miss the more robust flavours of restaurant / hawker food. Routine is eat, read, watch movies, exercise, wash, nap and sleep. 

Morale is high, outlook is positive. After recovery, I aim to be stronger than before my surgery.

🙏 ❤️