Heart Hugger Harness

[Patrick Haley]

My surgery to replace the Aortic and Mitral valves plus the maze procedure is scheduled with Dr Patrick McCarthy of Northwestern Medical for early November. My question is has anyone heard of the Heart Hugger sternum harness or used one? Are the results as good as the manufacture claims for comfort, pain control and faster healing? Question number two, do the guided imagery tapes really help before going into surgery?

Thanks

Patrick Haley

[Ross]

Yes Patrick, we had them on the home page for awhile and someone here was selling theirs not too awfully long ago. I guess they do work nicely, but they aren't really necessary. Heck go here and click on links, HH is still there!
http://www.valvereplacement.com/

People do say the guided imagery tapes help them too, so yes to that also.

Give old Pat McCarthy a hug for me and tell him it's from someone he saved in 95 back in Cleveland. I wish he'd never have left, but now your in one of the best, if not the best, possible hands to be in!

[Kate]

Dear Patrick,
I never tried the heart hugger but had great luck with the guided imagery tapes. I just listened once a day prior to surgery and found that it really helped reduce my stress before, during and after my procedure. I'm not sure what the rules are where you are, but at the Cleveland Clinic, visiting is extremely limited in ICU (only a few minutes 3 times per day). During that time, the tapes were very comforting indeed! Best of luck to you! Kate

[BTMax]

I didn't use the harness but have held on to the pillow I was given at the hospital like it is my lifesaver. I am 8 weeks post op --aortic root replacement and AVR. I didn't do the guided imagery tapes beforehand but I'll bet they are helpful to get you in a good frame of mind. I loaded up my Ipod with lots of music that I find relaxing. I kept it with me from day one in the hospital and it helped tremendously-especially at 2AM when sleep did not come easily. One CD I especially love is called Massage for Healing. The music is very therapeutic. I know there are also some great Healing Harp CDs.

[JohnnyV_46]

No Harness here either. They give everyone a big firmly stuffed Teddy bear to hug if you need to cough or sneeze. I have a big heavy pillow that is filled with some type of beans...that worked best for me. Take all the Percoset they'll give you!! Tomorrow will be 5 weeks for me post-op. I am to the point where I can take extra strength Tylenol during the daytime but I still have Darvoset for nite time when Trying to sleep. Guided meditation and relaxation tapes do help. I wouldn't be afraid to ask them for something for anxiety. Its a piece of Cake tho. Waiting is the hardest part. The surgery part is really easy!!! Cause you won't remember it. Recovery is another thing. Try to arrange to have family or friends with you 24/7 until your released. You'll need them. I'm talking about someone staying in the Hospital with you.

[Randy & Robyn]

I would buy one of those heart huggers for after my surgery if it would allow me to lift more than the 5 pound limit. I already know what you guys would say to that... :D

Randy

[Dennis S]

I didn't need mine very much, but it was very, very superior to everything else when I needed it. Send me your address and I will be happy to mail it to you, as I am 6 weeks past surgery and don't need it anymore. The pillows are better than nothing, but don't compare to the heart hugger.

After you get it you can send a couple of bucks for postage if you want to. You can e-mail me at newmexicoamigo.mac with your address.

[RCB]

Patrick,
I am glad to see you have an appointment and you will be well on your way
to recovery by Christmas! What a good way to start the New Year :D
As Ross said, you are so lucky to have Dr. McCarthy. When I was at my local cardiologist appointment he mentioned one of his patient had just had valve surgery and a Maze by Dr. McCarthy. The pt. was 4 months out from surgery, doing fine and in NSR! I expect the same report from you. I know
you do just great.

[George]

I have a hearthugger that was provided to me by one of our dear friends on this forum (you know who you are). My surgery was 2 weeks ago today. Frankly, I never used the device, on the advice of the nurse practitioner who tended to me during the ordeal. Her opinion was: 1. They tend to ride up on your back as you move around in bed & 2. They have the potential to cause chafing & sores. My thought on it is this: You will have lots of EKG wires & various IV lines attached to you, as well as a gown that tends to want to bunch up a bit as you are repositioned for various things. Of course the nursing staff sees to it that you are as comfortable as possible. It just seems to me that the hearthugger would just be another thing to keep untangled & deal with. Trust me, I'm all for avoiding pain as much as possible, but to me the coughing is easily dealt with with a pillow. My heart shaped pillow has become very special to me. It is signed by friends, family, hospital staff & prominently by Dr. Albert Starr. :D Just my opinion...your milage may vary ;)

[Dennis S]

I never routinely wore the heart hugger. But I kept it handy when I felt a cough coming on. I did wear it during my first walks at the hospital & at home. I left it loose but ready to grab if I needed it. When I needed it, I was glad to have it.

Maybe this is weird, but I could usually tell when a cough was coming.

[Kay]

Hi Patrick,

Yes to both questions! I found the HeartHugger fairly useful the first few days home from the hospital -- and then I was stricken with the cough from hell! From that point on, I don't think I could have made it without the HeartHugger. With just simple coughs and sneezes post op, the pillow is fine, but when it is a non-stop coughing attack the support from behind and around the sternum that the HH provides is much better. Some 3 months after my surgery I had serious delayed complications from surgery and had to get out the HH again! For me, I feel it was well worth the money and a vital contribution to my healing.

As for the guided imagery tapes, for me they were a Godsend. I was paralyzed with fear over the ventilator and how long I'd have to have it down my throat while awake. I found a tape by Belleruth Napperstack on Cardiac Surgery and I was calmed down after listening to it one time! I listened day and night for the week before my surgery and although I still hated every second awake with that tube, I did fine. Many hospitals, including the Cleveland Clinic, play her cd's in the OR. My hospital refused even though I begged! But they did play it over and over for me in recovery. After surviving the tube, I purchased her weight loss cd's and have lost weight effortlessly just by listening to them.

The site where you can hear samples of the cd's is healthjourneys.com.

My prayers are with you as you prepare for your big day. Yours will be just as I am celebrating my one year anniversary!

[Big-Chuck]

my heart hugger was a hospital blanket folded up and stuck in a hospital pillow, which was folded over and taped closed. Worked perfectly for all those bad times when the truck went by again.