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After you or a loved one undergoes heart surgery there is an expected cardiac surgery rehabilitation process. Understanding the process can help to make it easier on you and your loved ones. As such there are a few things to know about the recovery process.

It Takes Time

Rehabilitation for any procedure is a process and will take time. On average, cardiac surgery rehabilitation takes about six to eight weeks for individuals to return to normal activity. Depending upon the evasiveness of the procedure, it may take a shorter period of time, but your physician will guide you through the process and let you know.

Expect Changes

Those who have undergone heart surgery have reported certain changes, including:

• decrease in appetite
• trouble sleeping
• periods of sadness

To address all of these things it is important that individuals try to stick to routines and engage in activities that they enjoy.

Recovering from surgery has many consequences and byproducts that are less than desirable for a patient. Of course, there is the pain to deal with, and the road to recovery may be a long one depending on the type of surgery that was necessary.  There is also the fact that the patient will need to rely on medical staff and family members for quite some time before being able to move around and function by themselves. While needing to rely on people is certainly an inconvenience, it’s not life-threatening or a medical issue. Sternal wound dehiscence, on the other hand, is a consequence that may occur that is viewed as more serious.

Have you ever seen a picture of a person drawn by a child? Maybe you had the chance to appreciate the artwork of your own child or grandchild, or perhaps you remember doing such drawings yourself. No matter the little artist, it always seems like children draw people as mostly torso, with a head and limbs added almost as an afterthought. The focus is on the sternum, though the artists themselves don't yet think of it this way. If you're looking for sternum stabilization, it can often feel like you're the subject of a child's drawing--all the focus is, for awhile, on the sternum.

Pain becomes a stark reality with those who’ve just gone through surgery, especially after going through cardiac and thoracic surgery.  Pain medication provides some relief, but not enough. Those unexpected sneezing fits can catch us by surprise and simple movements that we make throughout our everyday lives can prove to be a hindrance. Who knew that making the bed could hurt so badly? Or a simple act of sitting down on the couch could cause so much pain? This is hardly unexpected after one goes through major heart surgery.

This is where Heart Hugger comes into play. With the help of Heart Hugger, a patient’s pain can be reduced in many ways.

Below are just three ways of how Heart Hugger can help reduce the pain: