Life can throw many twists and turns at you, which Susan Doeden of Jeffers, MN, experienced earlier this year when she had an unexpected heart attack. “I did not see it coming. I didn’t know I had heart issues and a lot happened all of a sudden.”
Through Cardiac Rehabilitation at Windom Area Health, Susan was able to make healthy progress and regain her confidence and motivation to live life to the fullest.
Fears and Uncertainties
For Susan, the surprise of the heart attack marked a significant turning point in her life. She was rushed via ambulance to Sioux Falls, where she had a stent put in. Following the heart attack, there were many questions and concerns from her and her family, consisting of her husband and six children. Susan shared that she experienced a lot of fear and uncertainty following her heart event, “I didn’t have much information about what had happened to me and I was scared. Could I get up and clean my house? Do I sit down? Am I going to have a heart attack in the middle of vacuuming or mopping the floor? I just didn’t know what was safe to do.”
Luckily, her Cardiology team provided her with the next step in her healing journey. Susan explains, “I had the stent put in and then they recommended I do Cardiac Rehabilitation, so I jumped in and did it!”
Choosing Care
Choosing a location for her Cardiac Rehabilitation was very straightforward. “I chose to use the services at Windom Area Health (WAH) because they were closer for me. Much more convenient than driving to Sioux Falls from Jeffers three days per week!” The shorter travel time allowed her to dedicate more of her day to other important activities, such as spending time with her family, or enjoying her hobbies of reading and crocheting. Susan shared, “Crocheting is a hobby, but I call it therapy because it’s very therapeutic for me!”
A Supportive Team
When at Cardiac Rehabilitation, Susan worked primarily with Lacy Krueger, Cardiac Rehabilitation Coordinator, as well as additional certified team members who helped her throughout her time in the program. Susan had high praise for the entire team she worked with, “Everyone was friendly, polite, and non-invasive. They encouraged and motivated me.”
Her tailored program consisted of work on the treadmill, NuStep, and some light weights for arm strengthening. Over the weeks, she saw progress as her exercises were slowly increased, “They added a little faster pace to the treadmill, then a little more incline, and added more resistance on the bike.” In addition to her exercises at her appointments, Susan was also given an exercise log to take home and fill out as she did her workouts throughout the week on her own. She explained, “I felt responsible for filling it out, which meant I actually had to exercise at home and record what I was doing. It helped me be accountable.”
Susan also emphasized the sense of safety her care team provided her, allowing her to build up her confidence again. “Knowing they were monitoring my heart during my exercises, monitoring everything, so if something did go wrong I was in the hospital and I would be okay. They gave me that feeling of safety and it encouraged me so that I was able to do more at home again,” she explained.
Momentum and New Goals
When she graduated from the Cardiac Rehabilitation program, Susan received a free month membership to the Wellness Center at WAH and left with a renewed sense of confidence. Her main priority is to maintain the progress she made through Cardiac Rehabilitation and continue that momentum moving forward. “My goal is to get stronger and go hiking locally this coming spring. It’s something new for me!”
She added, “My life has improved a lot since going through the Cardiac Rehabilitation program. I don’t think I would have started working out on my own or extended myself as much as I have.” The program made a very positive impact after life threw her for a loop with her unexpected heart attack.
“I would recommend the Cardiac Rehabilitation program at WAH to others. Everyone was great: friendly, upbeat, encouraging, and motivating. It was such a good experience.”