February is National Heart Month. The Cardiac Rehab Program at Memorial Hospital in Towanda is all about helping people recover from a cardiac event and to help them return to a safe and enjoyable life-style.
The Cardiac Rehab Program is an individually designed, medically monitored program for any patient who is recovering from a heart attack, heart surgery, heart valve replacement, angioplasty, angina, coronary bypass surgery or cardiovascular disease. Generally, any patient who has experienced a cardiac event can benefit from cardiac rehabilitation.
“Heart disease can be very frightening and dangerous. We want to help people regain their strength and confidence following a cardiac event,” says Diane Broschart, RN, BC, CCRN, Certified Cardiac Rehab Specialist.
“Our Cardiac Rehab Program offers monitored exercise, diet counseling and individualized treatment support to help participants achieve their personal health goals,” she said.
Memorial Hospital’s cardiac rehab is staffed by certified, registered nurses. These nurses have had extensive education and background in critical care and cardiac rehabilitation.
Here are some personal stories from people who have experienced heart disease and have made it a priority to reclaim full health and strength. “We invite others to learn from these experiences,” says Broschart. “It’s all about returning to an active, confident, fulfilling life-style.”
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But wait. He didn’t really retire. He currently works part time at the local American Red Cross office as a bookkeeper and reception professional. This work opportunity was made possible through the Area Agency on Aging training for seniors and Experience Works which is a program designed to improve the lives of older people through training, community service and employment.
David’s story with heart disease began in August 2014. He began to notice a dull pain located just below his ribcage. “I mentioned this to my dear wife and she insisted I see my doctor,” he said. Dr. Tim Hoffman did a thorough physical examination and ordered an electrocardiogram (EKG).
David says that some additional medical testing showed results that “something was just not quite right” with his heart. Doctors decided that a heart catheterization surgery would reveal the source of the problem. Sure enough, the cardiac surgeon discovered an artery that was completely blocked and successfully inserted a stent to open up the blockage.
“I never really experienced any pain after the procedure,” David says. “I think it may have slowed me down a bit. It seems like maybe the surgery decreased my strength some.”
Following his doctor’s advice, David decided to give cardiac rehab at Memorial Hospital a try. “I was, perhaps, a bit skeptical about it, but I decided to just go with it,” he said with a grin. Once he got into the cardiac rehab program and participated in the exercise options, he began to see his strength and physical endurance increase.
“I always felt safe on the exercise equipment because I was always monitored, and it gave me an idea of what my heart rate should be,” he said.
Of course, David is no stranger to exercise. When he was 44 years of age he began what would be a long career in distance running. He completed too many 5Ks to count. His first 10K was at the Camptown Races in Wyalusing in 1968. He completed three marathons at ages 53, 54, and 55. His last distance run was the Guthrie Gallop 5K in year 2000 at the age of 76.
David’s first words of wisdom when talking about his heart disease is: “do what your wife tells you and follow your doctor’s orders.” He knew that his family had a history of heart disease. Both of his parents as well as uncles on both sides of his family had heart disease.
“Listen to your body,” David advised. “If you think something is not quite right, get to your doctor for a checkup as soon as possible.” David is also very careful and particular with his diet. He rarely eats red meat. “Some of my favorite foods are poultry, fish, fruits and vegetables and skimmed milk,” he said.
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John and his wife Ginny have been married for forty-one years and they live at Lake Wesauking. They have two grown children, an eight-year-old granddaughter and two-and-a-half-year-old twin grandsons. John is retired following a successful career in global information technology.
John’s experience with heart disease came as complete surprise. Unlike many others, he never experienced any of the typical symptoms. His story began back in the spring of 2009 when his doctor prescribed a routine electrocardiogram (EKG). The results showed a little “out-of-the-ordinary blip,” John explained.
Several more cardiac tests followed. A heart catheterization surgery revealed a shocking eight blockages in John’s heart vessels. Open heart surgery was necessary to complete five bypasses around the blocked arteries. Veins from John’s thigh were utilized during the surgery.
John’s cardiac surgeon told him that his heart disease was the kind that they commonly refer to as “the widow-maker.” John is happy to be alive. With the encouragement and advice from his doctors, John attended several weeks of cardiac rehab therapy at Memorial Hospital.
Five years later in February 2014, his doctors were detecting a significant heart murmur. John’s cardiologist recommended a second surgery to replace an aortic valve leading to his heart.
This surgery was also followed by several weeks of cardiac rehabilitation therapy at Memorial Hospital. John said that the cardiac rehab experience was positive because he was introduced to several types of exercise equipment. “I was never a person to exercise, at least not with this type of specific equipment,” he said.
Once he completed his cardiac rehab experience, John joined a local gym where he faithfully goes to exercise at least three times a week.
Keeping up his strength and endurance is important so he can enjoy riding his Kawasaki 900cc motorcycle with his buddies with the Goldwing Road Riders Association of Bradford County.
“Throughout all of my heart-related problems, I never experienced any symptoms,” John says. “That’s why it is so important to have regular checkups with your doctor and always ask your doctor to prescribe an EKG. That’s what saved me.”
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Brad has always taken his health seriously. Anyone who knows him would say he is a great example of true health and fitness.
During the summer and fall of 2013, Brad began to notice “a bit of a pain the center of my chest.” The pain would only last for a few seconds and drinking a glass of water would seem to take the pain away. The pain sensation would generally occur during heavy physical exertion such as digging up a water line. “I figured it was just a natural consequence of getter older. I didn’t really give it much thought, especially since drinking water would make the pain go away,” he recalled.
In December, he had an appointment with his healthcare provider. Brad mentioned to his provider that he was experiencing the occasional pain in the center of his chest. A nuclear stress test was ordered just to make sure that Brad’s heart was healthy.
Brad’s stress test was in the morning and on the same day in the afternoon he received a telephone call to schedule an appointment with a cardiologist the very next day. The stress test uncovered “closed up vessels.”
On December 27, 2014, Brad had heart catheterization surgery. His surgeon found three arteries with 95% blockages. Stents were put into place to open up the blocked arteries. The procedure took about two-and-a-half hours.
After an overnight stay in the hospital, Brad was looking forward to the remedy back to health and wellness. His doctors recommended cardiac rehab therapy at Memorial Hospital. “I knew a little bit about cardiac rehab because both my mother and my father-in-law went through the program years ago,” Brad said.
Because Brad was no stranger to physical exercise, the first cardiac rehab session was easy. “I was quite familiar with the exercise equipment. The best part for me was that my heart rate was always being monitored by the nurse. The monitor would keep track of my pulse rate and that way I knew that my exertion level was effective and safe,” he said.
Since completing the cardiac rehab program, Brad continues to exercise. He works out every morning for about an hour.
Brad has a passion for sports, especially slow pitch softball. He already has plans to travel this summer with a softball team for competitive play. He often plays the left outfield position and always enjoys the shortstop challenges as well.
Brad’s wife, his family and their friends were really surprised that heart disease could happen to him. “This experience has emphasized for me the importance of listening to your body, regardless of age. If something doesn’t feel right, get it checked out. Don’t wait,” Brad advised. “For me, being in good physical condition to start with may have been a mask to realizing I had a problem.”
Heart Attack Warning Signs
According to the American Heart Association, some heart attacks are sudden and intense; the “movie heart attack,” where no one doubts what’s happening. But most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren’t sure what’s wrong and wait too long before getting help.
Here are signs that can mean a heart attack is happening from the American Heart Association. See more information at www.heart.org:
• Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
• Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea/vomiting or lightheadedness.
Learn these heart attack warning signs, but remember this: Even if you’re not sure it’s a heart attack, have it checked out (tell a doctor about your symptoms). Minutes matter! Fast action can save lives; maybe your own. Don’t wait to call 9-1-1.