At first, Louise thought the pain in her chest was simply heart burn.
“It was a Saturday morning and I was sitting around having coffee,” she recalls. “All of the sudden, I had what I thought was heartburn. I hadn’t eaten any breakfast, so I thought heartburn was a bit odd. I took some antacids anyway, but that didn’t help.”
Then, all of a sudden, Louise started sweating and got very nauseous. She googled “heart attack in women” and told my husband that based on the symptoms she was reading, she thought she was having one.
“We went off to the hospital and after some testing found that I did indeed have a heart attack,” she shares. “I had a stent put in the very next day.”
From there, Louise recovered from her stent surgery and began her heart-healthy journey in the cardiac rehabilitation program at Mercy Health – Willard Hospital.
“Cardiac rehabilitation is an important step of managing heart disease,” says Scott Garner, RN, clinical exercise physiologist. “Through exercises and behavioral health modifications, our team gives patients the support and education they need as they commit to a heart-healthy lifestyle. It is truly rewarding to see people feel better while achieving their health and wellness goals.”
“I worked with Scott for six weeks in cardiac rehab II, where I worked on the treadmill, bike and elliptical. He’s wonderful,” adds Louise.
Today, Louise maintains her heart-healthy lifestyle by regularly exercising at the Mercy Health Wellness Center in Willard, OH.
“I didn’t realize it, but my husband told me I was always short of breath. Now, the days when I come home from rehab, I have more energy than ever,” says Louise.
The wellness center is an important place for the Willard community because it is an extension of our cardiac rehabilitation department. It provides a safe and secure environment for patients to continue their journey towards a heart-healthy lifestyle while keeping ties back to the place where their journey started.
“If I could give anyone a piece of advice that’s had a heart attack, it’s to participate in the cardiac rehab program. It has helped me physically, but also mentally. It also doesn’t hurt that I have a great time when I go, the staff have become family,” says Louise.
Learn more about the cardiac rehabilitation services we offer at Mercy Health.
