How painful is heart surgery recovery?

by jamesscot84 Thu Mar 17, 2011 6:09 pm

I am having a single bypass and mitral valve replacement surgery on June 25th. I was born with a heart defect and have had congestive heart failure pretty bad for a couple of years now. There is no avoiding it now and I am scared to death!! I am very afraid of the pain of the sternum cut afterwards and how it heals, etc., especially being a woman...if you know what I mean. Is it unbearable? How long until it gets bearable? Thank you for any and all advice.

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