(OC) Two years ago today I survived an extremely risky surgery that every doctor thought would kill me. I was 93lbs, today I am 193lbs. I’ve come a very long way, I am thankful for life every day I wake up.

When the chest is opened and the heart’s muscles, valves, or arteries are worked on, this is called “open-heart surgery.”

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute NHLBI Trusted Source says that coronary artery bypass grafting is the most common type of heart surgery for adults (CABG). During this procedure, a healthy artery or vein is attached to a coronary artery that has become blocked. This lets the new artery “go around” the blocked one and bring fresh blood to the heart. Traditional heart surgery is also called “open-heart surgery.” Many modern treatments for the heart can now be done through small cuts instead of big ones. Because of this, calling it “open heart surgery” could be misleading.

When do you need open-heart surgery?

CABG surgery may need to be done on an open heart. A coronary artery bypass graft may be needed for people with coronary heart disease. Coronary heart disease happens when the blood vessels that bring oxygen and blood to the heart muscle become narrow and hard. This is also known as “hardening of the arteries.” When fatty material builds up on the walls of the coronary arteries, this is called hardening. Plaque makes the arteries narrow, which makes it hard for blood to flow. If the heart doesn’t get enough blood, a heart attack could happen.

People who are also getting open-heart surgery are:

• Fix or change the heart valves that let blood flow through the heart.

• Fix any parts of the heart that are broken or don’t work right.

• Implanted medical devices that help the heart beat normally

• Put a donated heart in place of a broken one (heart transplantation)

How are open-heart operations done?

The National Institutes of Health is a reliable source that says a CABG takes between three and six hours. The person is given medicine to make them sleepy. This makes sure that they fall asleep and don’t feel any pain during the procedure. The doctor makes a cut in the chest that is 8 to 10 inches long. The surgeon cuts all the way through or just a part of the breastbone to get to the heart. After the heart is seen, the patient may be hooked up to a machine that bypasses the heart and lungs. The device keeps blood from going to the heart, which lets the surgeon do surgery. In some newer techniques, this tool is not used.

How to Get Ready for an Open Heart Procedure

Tell your doctor about all of your medications, including over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and herbal remedies. If you have herpes, the flu, a cold, or a fever, let them know. Your doctor may tell you to stop smoking and stop taking blood-thinning medicines like aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen two weeks before the procedure. Before the procedure, you must talk to your doctor about how much alcohol you drink. If you usually have three or more drinks a day and stop drinking a few days before your procedure, you may have withdrawal symptoms. This could cause problems that could be fatal, like seizures or tremors after open-heart surgery.