1) Trust your doctor before and after Surgery. Avoid hearsay. Agree that every family has a person who has been through an open heart surgery but Do not believe people who would say that so what,it was just a heart surgery!
Doctor may not be God but he/she and the team are doing their jobs to near perfection and during surgery they are The God/Goddess Incarnations.
Have more faith in team & do not let others find faults,where none exists.
2) There will not be a dramatic recovery after 5 days. Success rate is more than 99% only if we are a bit careful about basics which are told to us in the hospital or we get to read from books meant to be given to every patient at the time of discharge from hospital,which is on 5th day if all goes well.
Some hospitals are strict with numbers of visitors in ICU, and visitors can stay with patient for a minute only.
It helps our patient and others in hospitals to stay germs free, which visitors bring along with them.
2a) Appetite goes down due to heavy antibiotics.
Do take liquid diet which has more of digestible simple proteins e g toned milk, curd,boiled eggs, soups and lots of water or ORS plus normal daal- roti-chawal & seasonal fruits and vegetables which suit the constitution. Restrict fats as we know that bad fats lead to blockages but good fats like a spoon of desi ghee/pure butter + a katori of assorted nuts is a good source of good fats and proteins.
3) Chest bone, Sternum is cut and sealed after surgery. Painkillers of Opium variety are given as routine painkillers cannot ward off bone pain which is at par with pains suffered after fractures and repair.
Opium does affect sensorium and ability to take decisions. Keep mind free from stress of taking important decisions, one may regret later.
4) Less salt and less sugar despite BP and blood sugar levels being in Normal range.
5) Inhale Oxygen as a therapy.
One may notice some swelling on the feet due to being on medications for a long time before and during the surgery. Taking more of Citrus variety of fruits acts like a natural diuretic (these diuretic as medicines lead to loss of Potassium which can be risky for the heart,operated or not operated).
Be on natural diuretics like fresh lemon water with a spoon of honey, green tea, regular ginger tea, plain water etc to flush out toxins from the body.
It takes about 8 weeks for internal stitches to heal,though outwardly the skin looks smooth after 2 weeks.
Have a heart.
Hobbies like gardening, going for a walk with friends,attending parties ,being socially active etc can wait for at least 2 months.
Travel by Air for sure but not earlier than 3 months as low levels of Oxygen can affect the heart.
If every precaution about diet,rest,fruitful work,exercise and healthier lifestyle is followed religiously, one may get a new life by getting operated at the right time instead of relying upon alternate therapies.
Do not create conditions to land up in hospital after few years with same symptoms.
Do meet your doctor for sure, Just to Say-Thank You.