Owensboro Health | Lift | March 2019

Momentum • 3 heart Cardiac rehab is a community of care A big believer If the cardiac and pulmonary rehab at OHMCH sounds like a family, that’s because it is. Richard Shaver, a cardiac patient, has attended for almost two decades. “I didn’t know what to expect from cardiac rehab and didn’t know anyone who was coming,” he said. ”Once I got here, I found there were people I knew. I like coming because everyone there goes for the same reasons you are. It helps to compare notes. Now that I have been coming for a long time, I can tell other people what to expect. They may have something going on that I’ve experienced. We get in there and talk and laugh and it makes the time go by quickly.” By his own admission, Mr. Shaver is the cardiac rehab cheerleader. “One of the first questions I ask anyone who has had a heart issue is, ‘Do you know about cardiac rehab?’ I am a big believer in it.” For Mr. Shaver, one of the biggest benefits to cardiac rehab over a standard gym membership is the monitoring. Just a few years ago, he was being monitored in cardiac rehab when an abnormality was detected and sent to his cardiologist. As a result of this finding, he was sent for an EKG and a stress test. His doctor stopped the stress test prematurely and ordered a heart catheterization to look for blockages. A 98 percent blockage was found that could have caused a heart attack. Mr. Shaver credits cardiac rehab for preventing a heart attack and potentially saving his life. A staunch supporter General Freels — aka Theresa — runs a tight ship but with room for fun too. She agrees that the bond among the patients contributes greatly to their success. “Having connections makes people want to keep showing up,” she said. “For some of them, that’s the only reason they come.” The bond doesn’t just exist between patients. Theresa knows the struggles of each patient who walks through the doors of cardiac and pulmonary rehab, and she celebrates every success with them. While others were outside celebrating the 80th birthday of OHMCH last year, Theresa was in cardiac rehab celebrating the graduation of one of her patients — and she wouldn’t have it any other way. “The goal is rehabilitation, so we celebrate when we hit those milestones,” she said. Better together Once participants at cardiac and pulmonary rehab graduate, they can pay a monthly fee to continue coming three times a week to exercise. They are monitored once a week. The benefits of this exercise are evident in the improved health of the participants. Mr. Shaver has not had a significant cardiac event since he started coming 18 years ago, thanks to monitoring, and the same is true for Mr. Tinsley, who had two heart attacks before coming to rehab. Its success rates, which are high across the board, are partly due to good attendance and to the care that continues even after insurance releases the patient. The sense of community Theresa cultivates with her patients contributes as much to their success as anything. It’s what keeps them motivated to attend and to support one another. Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a community full of love and support to make cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation a success — and OHMCH has that in abundance. “Having connections makes people want to keep showing up. For some of them, that’s the only reason they come.” — Theresa Freels, RN OwensboroHealth.org/Muhlenberg Theresa Freels, RN, and Vickie Wolfe, RN, cardiac and pulmonary rehab nurses