[boatme98]

I'm talking full blown, split the ribs, pull it out, and stuff it all back in surgery.
I want to know how long you waited before shooting handguns.
It's been 6 months for me but I'm not sure if I should start blasting with my new .357 yet.
I need to practice. I know I'm rusty after so long.

[Mosin]

I was stabbed in my heart. Wasn't a bypass, but it was full blown, split the ribs, stitch the heart, manually start the heart, see it all back together.

I was out for 2 months, but I was also only 19 at the time.

I'd ask a doc, or just pay real close attention to your body, don't over do it.

[PanBaccha]

Same here in the top portion of the heart at age 17. No rib separation. But my four yr. old son later went through open-heart surgery. He didn't make it.
Best advice to you is to lay off the urge for shooting anything that has a strong RECOIL.

[Mosin]

In sorry to hear about your loss Pan... Prayers inbound.

[Zombiegirl]

Both of my Grandparents had bypass surgery. Within six months, they were both back to doing normal activities and were back to normal. I could see where you'd be nervous about it. Itms a big surgery. Start with a small caliber and work your way up. If you get sore, stop. The only way you'll know is when you try. Good luck!!

[gunsmoke11]

Six years ago I had a quad bypass and was back to doing everything except smoking within two months. The wierd thing is that for many months I felt like I was in someone else's body. It's just a strange feeling that's hard to explain. I guess the brain knows that a machine was pumping the blood while the heart was stopped. It was the scariest thing I ever went through.

[boatme98]

I know I went back to work too soon.
I'm in the mining industry and the work is heavy. I'm constantly carrying 40-70# buckets, 12 hrs. a day. My chest aches from probable overexertion. Haven't cracked the sternum, the doc thinks it's scar tissue stretching.

[Mosin]

Originally Posted by gunsmoke11

Six years ago I had a quad bypass and was back to doing everything except smoking within two months. The wierd thing is that for many months I felt like I was in someone else's body. It's just a strange feeling that's hard to explain. I guess the brain knows that a machine was pumping the blood while the heart was stopped. It was the scariest thing I ever went through.

Yeah! For a while afterwards, I swear I could feel like someone's hands had been in my chest. Like when someone grabs you hard, and you can feel it after they let go.

[winds-of-change]

I have had the experience of standing up next to the anesthesiologist and observe an open heart surgery. It was incredible. I truly felt I had seen a miracle. They stop the heart with iced salt water, repair it, put it back in and zap the heart directly with 'mini paddles' then close up. The sternum gets closed with wire. Truly, it was an incredible thing to see and the anesthesiologist was great at giving me a 'play by play' of the surgery. It was certainly a chance of a lifetime.

On the other hand, my Mom had open heart surgery and it was a good six months or so before she felt fully healed. Maybe even a little longer.