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"Homeward Bound" Cardiac Surgery Discharge Information
An information booklet for patients who have had heart surgery. Like any major surgery, heart surgery places stress on your entire body. Naturally you are going to feel more tired than usual and be unsure about what you can do and when you can do it. This booklet will help you with your progress. It answers the questions most frequently asked by our heart surgery patients and their families.
- Introduction
- Getting Ready to Go Home
- How Will I Feel after Surgery?
- What Do I Need to Do before I go home?
- What Follow-up Appointments Will I have after Surgery?
- What about My Medications?
- How Should I Care for My Incisions?
- What Activities or Exercises Will Help Me Get Better When I Get Home?
- How Much Walking Should I Do?
- Exercise Tips
- Can I Climb Stairs?
- Three Rules to Guide Your Activity
- What Restrictions on My Activities Will I Have When I Go Home?
- Should I Have Visitors?
- What about Sex?
- What about Healthy Heart Eating?
- What about Alcohol?
- When Can I Go back to Work?
- How Can I Maintain My Health after Surgery?
- Appendix A: Checking Your Pulse
- Appendix B: Stretching
- Appendix C: Healthy Heart Eating Guidelines
- Appendix D: Selected Resources
- Appendix E: Relaxation Exercises
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- Note: The entire booklet is 12.4MB.
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