Dierk Hohman on Recovering from CABG: Essential Lifestyle Adjustments for a Stronger Heart

Adapting your home and lifestyle post-coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is crucial for a successful recovery, encompassing physical rehabilitation, dietary adjustments, stress-reducing breathing techniques. A cornerstone of rehabilitation is attending cardiac rehab sessions three times a week, and not doing it “on your own.” These sessions provided me supervised exercise, education, and emotional support, crucial for rebuilding my cardiovascular strength and confidence. My sessions typically included a combination of stationary bike, treadmill, and NuStep exercises, all performed under close monitoring, gradually increasing as my body got stronger. During Cardiac rehab, they did real-time monitoring of my heart, and the data gathered was invaluable for my cardiologist. For example, I experienced high blood pressure post-surgery, which was carefully tracked during my rehab sessions, and they contacted my cardiologist, which allowed him to make adjustments to my medication. It is very important to listen to your body, and not overexert yourself.

Alongside exercise, a heart-healthy diet is essential. This involves focusing on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins and can be as simple as replacing lean ground turkey instead of ground meat and asking for “no butter or oils” when you go to a restaurant. Know what your daily recommended sodium intake is, because excessive sodium can lead to fluid retention and careful monitoring of food labels is crucial, as sodium can be hidden in unexpected places, such as BBQ sauce, canned goods, and processed snacks. Adopting a “heart healthy” diet makes it essential for long-term cardiac wellness along with consistent water intake throughout the day. It is important to have these foods at home and stocked when you are discharged from the hospital.

I also adopted proper breathing techniques into my daily routine, vital for my stress reduction during CABG recovery. Deep, diaphragmatic breathing can calm the nervous system, lower heart rate, and reduce anxiety, all of which are common experiences post-surgery. Techniques like box breathing (inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds) or 4-7-8 breathing (inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds) can be practiced regularly, especially during moments of stress or discomfort. Consistent practice of these breathing exercises not only promotes relaxation but also enhances overall well-being, supporting both physical and emotional healing.

Additionally, I highly recommend purchasing or renting a comfortable reclining lift chair and having it set up before you get discharged from the hospital so you can try it out and set it up before your surgery. This was helpful because I could not put pressure on my arms to assist in getting up and I was restricted from sleeping on my side.

Another helpful hint is Installing a handheld shower nozzle and getting a sturdy shower chair, especially since I couldn’t raise my hands above my head post-surgery. This was so simple to install, my wife did it herself and this put a lot less stress on her physically while she was helping me with my daily showering.