Spending time in RiverView Health’s Cardiac Rehab Department is good for anyone’s heart as you listen to the light-hearted banter of the participants and staff members. However, there may be fewer jokes these days after the graduation of one of the department’s repeat patients. Dave Bina, a well-known retired Crookston band director, completed his 36th and final Cardiac Rehab session on Jan. 28. In jest, Bina suggested a graduation celebration with caramel rolls. Quick to match his wit, Cardiopulmonary Rehab Coordinator Wanda Sorum, BS, RRT, offered him rice cakes. Cardiac Rehab is a supervised program that helps people improve their cardiovascular health after a heart event, procedure, or diagnosis. It teaches people how to make long-term lifestyle changes, which can help them live longer, healthier lives.
The program includes
Exercise: Supervised physical activity, such as exercise on a treadmill or exercise bike
Education: Learning about healthy eating, taking medications, and quitting smoking
Counseling: Stress relief and mental health counseling
Goal setting: Working with a team to set goals for becoming more active, maintaining a healthy weight, and improving sleep habits
“Our patients gain a lot of confidence in what they are able to do in their daily lives regardless of the condition at which they begin Cardiac Rehab,’’ Sorum stated of the monitored outpatient program. “It is shocking to most when they have heart issues. It is not something we think about failing us, so when they have a cardiac event, it is life-changing for the patient. It is wonderful when they graduate, and they are confident in what they can do and have the tools to continue to keep their heart healthy and strong.’’ Bina said he feels much stronger since starting the program, which has given him peace of mind for his future health.
Making Connections
While Bina enjoys sharing his humor with those he encounters, he takes his heart health seriously. Over the years, he has undergone a six-vessel heart bypass surgery and had a stent placed. He is thankful to say he “gets’’ to be 75 in November and is grateful to be alive to spend time with his wife, kids, and grandkids. His recent graduation from RiverView’s program is his third; he also graduated in 1996 and 2010. His name and graduation dates appear on the “graduation pole” among the equipment in the Crookston facility. Bina enjoyed the RiverView program each time he needed to go through it, reporting, “The best part in coming back is that I get to connect with the staff and others going through similar situations.’’
Sorum agreed, noting “Our patients find themselves joining a welcoming community of cardiac patients who have experienced a cardiac event, and they can answer questions as only someone who has walked in their shoes can understand.’’ Bina is also a fan of the cardiac team, saying, “The staff are like angels…They talk about lifestyle, diet, not sitting around, and attitude. These folks are very efficient in keeping track of your progress and pushing you, but not in a mean way.’’
Program Specifics
RiverView’s Cardiac Rehab program operates on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Along with Sorum, the team consists of Stephanie Korynta, RRT, Brook Lambert, CEP, and Alecia Perry, RN. To qualify for the program, individuals must have experienced one of the following events: Heart attack, Stent placement, Angioplasty, Chronic Angina, Heart surgery, Heart transplant, Valve Repair, Valve Replacement, or Heart Failure. Rehab typically begins one to two weeks after the patient leaves the hospital, although patients can start the program up to a year after the qualifying event. Participants usually attend sessions three times a week for eight to 12 weeks. “We look at patients’ progress toward the goals they set for themselves and discharge when they reach their goals,’’ Sorum stated.
While Bina said his kids are a little nervous about him leaving RiverView’s program, where he is closely monitored during exercise, he plans to follow a personalized program designed by RiverView’s Cardiac Rehab Team at a fitness facility in Crookston. He may even buy a watch to help monitor his vital signs if he can find one with a Mickey Mouse theme. “It’s all about maintenance,’’ Bina said, reflecting on what he’s learned in RiverView’s program. “You’ve got to be smart, pay attention, and listen to your body.”
All About Heart; Make Sure Yours is Up to Speed
February is American Heart Month; Cardiac Rehab Week is Feb. 9-15; and, of course, Valentine’s Day is Feb. 14. It’s a month full of hearts and, hopefully, heart health. This month is a great time to look at the state of your heart. Making heart-healthy lifestyle choices and taking control of your cardiovascular risk factors can help prevent or slow the progression of heart disease.
Heart disease statistics are alarming: Approximately 800,000 people in the United States have a heart attack each year and someone dies from heart disease every 34 seconds. However, there is hope; modifying or reducing your risk factors can prevent heart disease in up to 80% of cases.
If you have experienced heart-related health issues and would like more information about RiverView’s Cardiac Rehab program, please call 281.9411 for assistance.
Dave Bina recently “graduated’’ from RiverView Health’s Cardiac Rehab program.
