My Cardiac Rehabilitation Facility is a bustling beehive of activity. There are three different levels of programs offered at New Heart Center for Wellness, Exercise and Cardiac Rehabilitation. My 36 week program (3 times per week) is specifically geared toward the rehabilitation of open heart surgery patients.
Thousands of Cardiac Rehabilitation Centers have opened their doors across the country and there is probably one near you. From my own beginning experience at New Heart, I can see that my personal cardiac rehabilitation program will put me back on a path to a full recovery in the least amount of time.
Down to the last employee at New Heart, they are a smiling, encouraging, and dedicated group of professionals. They are alert to your needs and graciously help you with anything that pops up. They treat everyone with respect, yet they do not baby anyone.
One of the best benefits of exercising in a Cardiac Rehabilitation Facility is that once you get going on a machine, you exercise continuously so that your heart rate gradually increases to your target heart rate. Reaching and sustaining your target heart rate while exercising builds a strong healthy heart.
While walking and exercising at home is great, there just isn't that intense focus that there is while you are doing your own specific cardiac exercise program at the Rehabilitation Facility. To me, there is more of a sense of accomplishment, and there you can precisely measure your progress.
For example, today, I doubled all my times, and I also increased the resistance level on a couple of machines. I'm still at very, very low levels mind you, but I found that my initial starting levels were just too easy for me today. This tells me that my heart, lungs, and muscles are getting better daily. Hallelujah!
There is a Doctor on the premises when we are exercising just in case someone gets into trouble. Also, there are from eight to ten exercise physiologists on hand to take your blood pressure, pulse oxygen level, and heart rate.
If you are diabetic, they test your blood sugar. Additionally, they check your heart rate monitor and enter you into the computer so that your heart activity can be monitored on the computer screen the entire time you are exercising.
This is quite comforting to me as I'm only four weeks post open heart surgery. While anything could happen, and even though I do still feel a little vulnerable, I feel extremely safe exercising in this controlled environment.
If the exercise physiologists see anything on your particular monitor output to be concerned about, one of them will come to you while you are exercising and ask how you are doing and test your blood pressure, heart rate and pulse oxygen while you are still on the machine. They may ask you to slow down or even terminate your session for the day.
I've already met by-pass, valve replacement, and valve repair surgery patients who are determined to reclaim their lives. So far, down to the very last one of them, these patients are pleasant and go out of their way to show newcomers the ropes. There is no time in this environment to feel sorry for yourself. Everyone is pretty much in the same boat here.
You can immediately recognize those of us in the cardiac rehabilitation program; we are all required to be hooked up to a heart monitor the entire time we're exercising. The monitor hangs around your waist or over your shoulder and the leads peak out from under your shirt or top. Additionally, like me, many still require oxygen while exercising.
Open heart surgery is indeed a great leveler. You'll meet people of all ages and from all walks of life. Good humor and camaraderie is always the air. All-in-all, a trip to rehab is inspirational and productive. It makes you feel optimistic about your open heart surgery recovery.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment