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MARY RAINWATER
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PRMC rehab unit helps patients strengthen hearts
PALESTINE — After a massive heart attack in October of 2006, Palestine resident Bill Barnette was devastated about those things he might never be able to do again. But those thoughts quickly changed for the better after his rehabilitation at Palestine Regional Medical Center’s Cardiac Rehab.
Now in his third round of rehabilitation, Barnette is quick to tell others about how PRMC’s Cardiac Rehab has changed his life for the better — not just physically but mentally as well.
“My first heart attack came after I had to share some devastating news to my wife,” he said in a recent interview. “I had to get a catheter, and angioplasty and two stents.”
“That was my first introduction to cardiac rehab.”
From the very beginning, Barnette saw the benefits of using PRMC’s Cardiac Rehab program.
“I had lost weight and strength,” he explained. “At cardiac rehab I slowly strengthened my muscles, including the heart muscle, and I thought I was on the road to recovery.”
Then in April of 2007, Barnette was hit with sporadic coronary artery disease and COPD also reared its ugly head. He had to have another stent, as well.
“I immediately went back to rehab and was gaining strength when again, I had another cardiac infarction,” Barnette said. “I had two more stents put in and went right back to rehab.”
Barnette now goes to rehab three times a week for one to one-and-a-half hours and exercises on four to five machines — NuStep, an arm machine, treadmill, recumbent bike and others.
“It definitely aided me in surviving,” Barnette said. “If it wasn’t for cardiac rehab, I don’t know what I’d have done. It has given me a good quality of life.”
Barnette’s wife Maxine has been amazed at her husband’s progress while at cardiac rehab — both emotionally and physically.
“Before he went to rehab, it seemed that Bill had just kind of given up — he had a tough time emotionally,” Mrs. Barnette said. “He couldn’t drive or be left alone, and it was hard to accept his limitations.
“Now, he plays bridge with his bridge group and once a month with the Newcomers,” she said. “Instead of feeling like an invalid with no quality of life, he lives the life he always wanted.
“Cardiac rehab has really made a difference.”
The Barnettes agree that the camaraderie among the patients and nurses at PRMC Cardiac Rehab has been vital to the success of the program.
“The people here are more than just professionals; they really care about the patients as people,” Mrs. Barnette said. “They really love what they are doing; they cut up and tease with the patients.”
“The technicians offer excellent care and guidance,” Mr. Barnette said. “I would wholeheartedly recommend any who had cardiovascular needs use the cardiac rehab.”
“It has made a difference in a lot of people’s lives.”
About PRMC Cardiac Rehab
A patient’s stint in PRMC’s Cardiac Rehab usually begins with Phase II — a 36-session program where the patient attends rehab three days a week for 90 minutes of monitored exercise.
“Patients in Phase II must be referred by a doctor,” Cardiac Rehab nurse Andrea Sims, R.N. explained in a previous interview. “It is for people who have had a heart attack or bypass surgery in the last 12 months or who currently suffer from a stable angina.”
Phase III, for those who have a significant cardiac history or who have graduated from Phase II, does not require doctor’s orders and allows patients to exercise as often as they like.
“Phase IV, or the wellness phase, is open to anyone who wants to decrease health risk factors and exercise under the supervision of a health care professional,” Sims explained. “It is designed for the general public and no appointment is necessary.”
The primary goal of cardiac rehabilitation, Sims said, is to stimulate and strengthen the heart and improve quality of life for the patient. The patient also is educated about heart health and wellness.
“We educate them about medications, diet and exercise,” Sims said. “This program promotes a complete lifestyle change — it is not a 12-week fix all.”
Rehabilitation doesn’t just improve a patient’s physical strength, it also strengthens them emotionally.
Cardiac Rehabilitation Phase I, Sims said, is inpatient treatment and is not done in the rehab center. Phase IV does include a monthly fee.
For more information about PRMC’s Cardiac Rehab services call 903-731-2243.
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Mary Rainwater may be reached via e-mail at mrainwater@palestineherald.com
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