My initiation into the zipper club

Photo By Celena Wilson | Steve Lawson, Corporate Communication public affairs specialist, poses at his desk with his heart pillow after his return to work recently. The pillow was a helpful asset to aid in his recovery from open-heart surgery. (DoD photo by Celena Wilson, Corporate Communications)  

INDIANAPOLIS, IN, UNITED STATES

10.03.2018

Story by Steven Lawson 

Defense Finance and Accounting Service

INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 3, 2018 – There is nothing like open-heart surgery to put the brakes on an active lifestyle but the alternative would be no lifestyle.
When I last wrote in August, I was facing open-heart surgery of three bypasses and mitral valve repair. I am happy to report that is exactly what happened and recovery, despite a few unrelated issues, has been smooth so far.
As I related in my last article, I was lucky. I walked into the surgery with no major symptoms and no preceding damage to my heart. I was in fairly good shape before my surgery and that ultimately led to me being discharged from the hospital in four days, about three days earlier than we were led to believe.
While I knew this was necessary, I did not know many details about the surgery especially the survival rate for this is above 90 percent of all patients. I am not sure knowing that ahead of time would have helped. As I related to folks afterward, it wasn't so much the stopping that worried me as the starting. There is nothing like waking up on the other end of the surgery with them pulling a breathing tube from your mouth but realizing you can hear instructions and know that you made it through.
Anyone who has gone through this understands there is a nice six-inch scar on your chest that you wear the rest of your life, hence the zipper club. But the good news is that it eventually fades and it becomes just another "battle" scar. As I've said, it is much better to have it and talk about it than not.
Open-heart surgery has a way of forcibly reminding you that no matter what kind of shape you were in before the surgery, recovery is done at your body's pace. No matter what you feel though, the goal has to be getting up and around, walking as soon as possible after surgery.
Since I have been home, diligent walking and most recently cardiac rehab, has been the rule of the day. And listening to my body to determine when to rest and how much to take on. I can honestly report that my energy has just started to return over the past week, almost seven weeks after surgery.
Perhaps the most frustrating thing about the recovery process was the no-driving restriction. When I left the hospital I was given a nice heart pillow to wear over my chest when I was in a car. It's precautionary, both the pillow and the no driving, but necessary.
If there is a lesson to be learned about this, it is to make sure you listen to your body and not try to come back too soon. Without being graphic, there is healing to be done on the outside of your body where they placed tubes, made cuts and took veins to be used for grafting and on the inside of your body where they wired your chest back together.
The bones take the most time to heal. As a golfer, I know there is some season left to play, but my goal is to wait and try to swing a club next spring. There is no rushing this. Recovery will be slow and paced, but I'm OK with that.
My challenge to you, as it was in the first article, is not take any chances with your heart. If you've got a history of heart issues in your family, it's that much more important to get checked out. Even if you get a clean bill of health, you'll know you are OK.
This isn't just for older folks either, I met a lady in my cardiac rehab group who is 35 and had a heart attack. I'm 61, and while I don't consider that old in my mind, it happened to me as well.
Finally, thanks to everyone who reached out through the article or email, I'm doing OK. For those who went out a got a heart scan, I hope your score was good - this is one of the few tests where zero is a great score.
I am looking forward to slowly returning to a full pace of work. Lastly, if you have to undergo this experience, please feel free to reach out. It can be scary and sobering, but the end result is a longer life.
Editor's note: Steve Lawson returned to the office this week, working full-time hours. Everyone in Corporate Communications and all of DFAS is very happy to have him back and in good health. Feel free to like the story and comment a 'Welcome Back' message to the recent zipper club inductee.

• Date Taken: 10.03.2018
• Date Posted: 12.31.2018 18:00
• Story ID: 305948
• Location: INDIANAPOLIS, IN, US