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June 15, 2006 Issue

Lichtenberg, Maggie. The Open Heart Companion: Preparation and Guidance for Open-Heart Surgery Recovery . Open Heart. Jun. 2006. 208p. index. ISBN 0-9776063-0-9 [ISBN 978-0-9776063-0-6]. pap. $20. HEALTH

"The breastbone is divided, then the protective sack around the heart is cut open. The heart lies naked, most often stilled as its functions are turned over to a heart-lung machine for several hours while arteries are reconfigured or valves repaired or replaced." In this guidebook to open-heart surgery, recent patient Lichtenberg discusses her path to finding resources that helped her through her own ordeal. She provides practical information on preparing for your hospital visit and what to expect during your stay. Where this book excels-and many hospitals fail-is in sharing insight on what you can expect in the transition from hospital to home and how to best manage the four- to eight-week period of home recovery. Lichtenberg offers excellent guidelines and checklists for people at various stages of surgery that will help them organize their entire experience and think about surgery as more than just time spent in the operating room. This book does an excellent job of encompassing patient-center concepts and helping readers become knowledgeable about hospital processes and procedures that can often cause stress and discomfort. Highly recommended for public and consumer libraries. -