Heart Sick (3)

My cardiologist introduced me to a cardiothoracic surgeon who explained to me my conditions in detail; they found 1 blockage in my coronary arteries and 2 other narrowing ones. As I had a heart attack earlier, and failed to seek treatment sooner, my condition was classified a ‘heart failure’ case. The surgeon even mentioned I would have been qualified for heart transplant if I were in the US, but it’s not so possible in M’sia.

I had no other options but an open heart surgery called ‘Cabbage’. Yes that’s what the doc said and I was as confused… He actually meant CABG, Coronary Artery Bypass-Graft Surgery.

In lay-man’s language, they plan to:

1. knock me off by an anesthetist;
2. open up my chest;
3. stop my heart;
4. start the mechanical ventilation machine;
5. harvest 3 of the arteries and/or veins from elsewhere of my body (yes there are spare parts!) and graft it to the coronary arteries to bypass the blocked and narrowing ones;
6. restart my heart (and crossed their fingers).


He estimated my surgery would take 5-6 hours considering I was a heart failure patient, and would stay in the hospital bed for 10+ days after the surgery.

Worst case scenario for me? The doc said I’d die in the operating theater lah! I know Albus Dumbledore once said, “to the well organized mind, death is but the next great adventure”; but hey I’m not even prepared and too young to die!! (don’t tell me you don’t know who’s Albus Dumbledore… )

Doc: So, do you have any more questions?
Me: ..... I need a second opinion.


-HS