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Two months after my open-heart surgery, through my cardiologist’s
referral, I was cleared to begin a physician-sponsored cardiac
rehabilitation program – a program of exercise and risk-factor
education for individuals recovering from serious heart procedures and
heart disease.
Some patients are healed enough to begin sooner, some later. The gym
facility where I live in Santa Fe, NM, called the Center for Living
Well, is spaciously housed in the basement of our one hospital. In the
last thirty years, thousands of cardiac rehabilitation programs have
sprung up far and wide in the U.S. alone, all featuring similar
characteristics.
In my book, The Open Heart Companion: Preparation and Guidance for
Open-Heart Surgery Recovery (Open Heart Publishing, 2006) I advise,
"systematically increase your walking every day, to the point where you
can visualize and look forward to the strength retraining and aerobic
stamina offered in a good cardiac rehabilitation program. Once your
doctor finally approves you for cardiac rehab, you will discover what
may be a new experience, or the reawakening of an old pleasure -- going
to the gym!"
Beginning a cardiac rehabilitation program is truly an exciting moment.
I was finally up to moving my body for real. I knew I had made tangible
progress or I wouldn’t be there. I was assigned an exercise
physiologist, or case manager. After a general orientation (completing
a detailed questionnaire, learning to take my pulse, oxygen usage and
rhythm monitoring guidelines) I was given a personal exercise
worksheet. Preferably three times a week for one hour, I was to track
my gentle progress forward in a customized program -- using the
treadmill, bike, stairs, UBE machine (aerobic ergometer), and so on.
Adding weight training to the regimen was to come later, at the
discretion of my case manager. In addition, numerous classes
(stretching, therabands, free weights) and support groups (smoking
cessation, stress management, osteoporosis and diet education) were all
available in the package. Once a month there was an “Ask the
Cardiologist” Q&A hosted by one of the New Mexico Heart Institute
cardiologists. Most of all, the staff were caring, devoted, highly
attentive, good-humored professionals. There was a palpable air of
camaraderie and developing friendships that evolved into a memorable
support group experience for me.
I was accepted into the program provided I agreed to wear a wireless
heart monitor during exercise. What a good thing! My heart was still
ricocheting in and out of irregular rhythm (atrial fibrillation). There
was always someone at a computer screen monitoring my rhythm. If, as is
more likely with exertion, my a-fib returned, even if I didn’t notice,
a nurse or exercise physiologist would check in with me. How was I
feeling? Did I feel lightheaded? Did I need to slow down? Maybe end my
session for the day? Your pulse is x, let’s check your blood pressure.…
Since a patient’s inclination may be to push through (my common
approach in the past), the permission to simply stop, give yourself a
break, can be welcome. I felt completely taken care of. With so many
dedicated professionals around me, and the new friends I was making, I
could never run too far into trouble. Although physically challenging
at times, the cardiac rehab environment made for a positive,
confidence-returning experience.
In the book, Heart Attack: Advice for Patients by Patients (Yale
University Press, 2002), most of the eleven contributors go out of
their way to rave about their cardiac rehab program experience. “The
highlight of my day…”, “I credit the program with getting my life back
on track…”, “I’ve been a member now for ten years and I know it is
keeping me healthy…”, “My wife is now in the program with me. We’ve
made some great friends….” The social and emotional support received
can be priceless. Rather than returning to one’s previous gym or yoga
class, many heart patients take advantage of ongoing membership in
their cardio-directed program.
Copyright (C) 2006 Maggie Lichtenberg. All Rights Reserved |