Kicking into high ( heart ) gear through the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program
By Carla Slavey
Becky Pitman admits that initially she had to be dragged into the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program .
“ It ’ s been a very pleasant experience . One I didn ’ t want to do originally ,” Pitman laughed . “ I came in kicking and screaming , but I have enjoyed it .”
The program , created by Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital , started up November 2021 . It has helped numerous patients in the region – some from as far away as Louisville or Georgia – improve their heart health after suffering an illness or emergency . In Pitman ’ s case , it was a series of heart attacks over the course of four days last May . Pitman , who is 64 years old , said she didn ’ t even know she had been having heart attacks .
“ I thought I had strained my neck , because in women it presents so much differently . My chest didn ’ t hurt . I had headache , weakness , and upper arm pain , and I just kept thinking , ‘ I have really strained my neck .’ But after about four days I thought maybe I better go get it checked out .”
She said she went to a Lexington-area emergency room , because her cardiologist is in Lexington . Once there , they ran tests and checked for enzymes in her blood . That ’ s how they found out her problems weren ’ t with her neck . “ They said , ‘ No , you ’ ve had a heart attack ,’” she said . Even scarier , medical staff told her that her heart had been damaged from the attacks . “ The front wall of my heart was not working at all ,” she said .
She ended up having two stents , and through that and medication they were able to get the front wall of her heart working “ sluggishly .”
But after following the exercises and guidelines from the Cardiac Rehab Program , Pitman said her last checkup showed that she had full heart function
Charge nurse Brittany Robertson demonstrates how to use one of the weight machines in the Cardiac Rehab gym . Photo By Carla Slavey
February 2023 SEKY - Life in Southeast Kentucky • 25