@texan1
I had a dreadfully long recovery. I had to go on disability retirement and leave my job permanently. It took two years before I could even tap my chest where my incision is without it causing pain. My right shoulder in the back, I think it's called the scapular muscle got messed up in the surgery when they cut me open and pulled my arms back. Something happened back there and it has never been the same. So I've had trouble with it ever since then. It hurts badly if I make certain movements to this day. I did not have that pain before my surgery. When I came too from the surgery I was in so much pain that the pain medicines did not help it. My chest after surgery hurt so bad I felt like I had a concrete truck parked on my chest. I was sure I was dying. I even asked my nurse if I was dying and she said no don't say that. I have never ever had pain like that in my whole life. Even my small bowel obstructions weren't that painful and they are absolutely horribly painful. I guess that's most of it really. I'll never have open heart surgery again. I'd rather die first. Which I probably will as I also have a thoracic ascending aortic aneurysm.