“My cousin had heart surgery when he was just five years old. I remember this very well as it was a tragedy in the family. After the surgery I noticed a complete change in his character: lack of concentration, aggressiveness and memory loss. Trying to convince his mother by that faced me with complete denial from her side. I thought I was wrong until I read more about heart patients. They do change and the family members as well. After all it’s a death experience."
I started researching this subject shortly after this incident. Heart patients change after surgery which affects all parties involved namely the patient as well as the family members. This change in character is scientifically proven and directly related to post surgery depression and anxiety of facing death. In order to overcome these psychological crises a cardiac rehabilitation program is necessary to help patients and their families overcome these life-changing circumstances and face their emotional traumas. The basic idea of the rehabilitation program, which is an essential practice abroad, is to have patients and family members share their experience and related emotions with other patients in form of a group therapy.
Since this program is not a familiar or common practice in
Sherin, 28 years
Sherin is a fighter and a brave young woman. She had a complicated heart surgery eight years ago followed by a miscarriage and a depression after the surgery. Now she is about to have a second open heart surgery yet is too scared to go through it. Cardiac Rehabilitation Program would help patients like Sherin as well as their families to overcome related trauma. In a visit to Sherin she expressed the importance of sharing her experience with similar case patients and that feeding positive emotions reflects on her mental state.
For more information or donations please contact or visit:
National Heart Institute
Kit Kat, Imbaba,
Tel: 33052971/2
