Cardiac rehab is finished!
The heart attack was January 27, 2013 and it took until today to finish the rehab but it got done. We’ve both learned quite a bit and I doubt that we’ll ever go back to our earlier way of eating.
What a journey this has been – and I hope it’s done now.
I know that there’s always something else right around the corner but I hope it doesn’t hit us too soon.
It’s started finally! Tuesday, March 26, 2013 was DH’s first day in Cardiac Rehab, just over 8 weeks post-op. This was an “intake appointment”, and much longer than the normal ones will be.
We got to choose when the future class would be – either Monday-Wednesday-Friday at 7:00 am or Monday-Wednesday-Thursday at 1:00pm. Anyone who knows me knows that I chose the afternoon class. I just didn’t want to get up that early and have to deal with early morning rush hour each of those days.
Diana, the intake nurse was very nice – in fact, everyone we met was.
First things first – money. We found out that his insurance would pay for most but that there would be a $15 copay each session. However, we did get a parking voucher saving us $5 on the parking garage.
Description unavailable (Photo credit: pennstatenews)
We got a packet of information on all kinds of things, including food guides – what to eat, what not to eat. Hooray!
I noticed a poster showing the image (right) for choosemyplate.gov. I looked at that site when it first came out – and I’m looking again!
Diana was the one who set up the class times, as well.
Next was Claire, a nurse. She checked all the meds and vitamins that DH takes. She said that saw palmetto interfered with one of his prescriptions and she suggested we take the list to CVS so that they can look for other interactions.
She did an EKG, checked pulse in several locations, looked at the scar, checked blood pressure on both arms (sitting and standing), listened to the carotids.
BP was 136/64 right, 112/60 left, 119/70 standing left.
She made an appointment with the dietician for Wednesday April 17 at 2:30, after a rehab class.
Turns out that there are patient meetings on the second Tuesday of each month. We’re getting very busy with patient meetings, Mended Hearts and rehab plus doctor appointments!
They were out of t-shirts his size so we got one that was very large. Another one will be forthcoming…sometime.
These shirts are special because they have a pocket for the portable EKG machine over the heart in addition to the obligatory logo on the back. As luck would have it, DH was wearing a t-shirt with a pocket.
DH was hooked up to the EKG. I gathered that he’ll do that himself in the future.
Next up – Shelly, an exercise physiologist. She talked a bit, asked DH how often he got new shoes. She said that it should be every 6 months. Who knew?
She said to drink water every 15 minutes while exercising.
DH started off slow – Treadmill 5 minutes; Bike 15 minutes; Walked on indoor track for 4 laps
When he was done, we went to the Healthy Heart Cafe for a bit of lunch.
Wednesday, Day 2
We got there in plenty of time. DH turned out to be the only person in this class, at least for now.
He did his exercises but was told he needed to eat breakfast in the future – his blood pressure was too low.
It’s becoming a habit – when he was done, we went to the Healthy Heart Cafe for another bit of lunch.
I had bought him a Groupon for a local garden shop as a Christmas gift. Of course, I had no idea then that he wouldn’t be doing much gardening this year. In any event, it was going to expire on March 30, so we went there after rehab and got a few things 🙂 They may all become house plants – we’ll see!
Absolute exhaustion by the time we got home.
DH finally starts his cardiac rehab today, just over 8 weeks after his triple bypass.
Cardiac rehabilitation (rehab) teaches you how to be more active and make lifestyle changes that can lead to a stronger heart and better health. Cardiac rehab can help you feel better and reduce your risk of future heart problems.
In cardiac rehab, you work with a team of health professionals. Often the team includes a doctor, a nurse specialist, a dietitian, an exercise therapist, and a physical therapist. The team designs a program just for you, based on your health and goals. Then they give you support to help you succeed.
If you have had a heart attack, you may be afraid to exercise. Or if you have never exercised, you may not know how to get started. Your cardiac rehab team will help you start slowly and work up to a level that is good for your heart.
Many hospitals and rehab centers offer cardiac rehab programs. You may be part of a cardiac rehab group, but each person will follow his or her own plan.
Doctors often prescribe cardiac rehab for people who have had a heart attack or bypass surgery. But people with many types of heart or blood vessel disease can benefit from cardiac rehab. Rehab might help you if you have:
Often people are not given the chance to try cardiac rehab. Or they may start a program but drop out. This is especially true of women and older adults. And that’s not good news, because they can get the same benefits as younger people. If your doctor suggests cardiac rehab, stay with it so you can get the best results.
Medicare will pay for cardiac rehab for people with certain heart problems. Many insurance companies also provide coverage. Check with your insurance company or your hospital to see if you will be covered.
In cardiac rehab, you will learn how to:
Exercise is a big part of cardiac rehab. So before you get started, you will have a full checkup, which may include tests such as an electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) and a “stress test” (exercise electrocardiogram). These tests show how well your heart is working. They will help your team design an exercise program that is safe for you.
At first your rehab team will keep a close watch on how exercise affects your heart. As you get stronger, you will learn how to check your own heart rate when you exercise. By the end of rehab, you will be ready to continue an exercise program on your own.
Starting cardiac rehab after a heart attack can lower your chance of dying from heart disease and can help you stay out of the hospital. It may reduce your need for medicine.
Cardiac rehab may also help you to:
Changing old habits is hard. But in cardiac rehab, you get the support of experts who can help you make new healthy habits. And meeting other people who are in cardiac rehab can help you know that you’re not alone.
Adapted from CardioSmart.org
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