JEFFERSON PARISH, La. — It's in this workout space where people are given a second chance. And it's where Danny, Phil, Bill, and Carl got to be friends. Actually, their hearts brought them together.
“I was just so excited by my experience. Can you believe that, quadruple bypass and you get excited about your experience? And so I was so excited about that, I said, ‘I want to be around these people,” said Bill Adams, a former cardiac patient who is now a cardiac rehab volunteer.
All four are survivors of serious heart problems. All four went through the East Jefferson General Hospital three-month cardiac rehab program. And now all four decided to volunteer to help the newcomers.
“We are essentially, you know, their cheerleaders, encouraging them, you know, you're going to, this is, this program is going to work for you. It worked for us,” said volunteer Phil Hoffman, who had a heart attack in December of 2021 and open heart surgery.
“Some people are scared. ‘I mean I just had a heart attack. You want me to exercise?’ Some people are mad, because they had a heart attack, or ‘Why am I here?’ volunteer Danny Albert remembers new patients saying.
The volunteers say as a cardiac patient you can go through depression, you may have survivor's guilt at the prime of your life, you're facing a lack of independence, and you've also faced your mortality.
So, the rehab veterans help patients relax with humor.
“Sometimes they'll tell you, ‘Well, how many minutes do I have to do this?’ I said, ‘100 minutes.’ And they kind of laugh at me. And I go, ‘Oh no, no, no, no. It's only 14.’ And it kind of breaks it up a little bit for them,” volunteer Carl Moore said.
Doctors say this constantly monitored rehab, along with diet education classes, lessens depression, stress, and anxiety, keeps patients out of the hospital, or reduces time in the hospital.
“And those who have had heart attacks, and open heart surgery, actually live longer if they go through cardiac rehab,” explained Dr. Gary Menszer, a cardiologist who is the Director of East Jefferson General Hospital cardiac rehabilitation.
Susie is a patient and says the volunteers have been so encouraging on her road to recovery, that she now wants to be one.
“If you do, do this program, and you work at it when you leave here, after 12 weeks, you're going to feel a significant difference in what you can do physically. It does change your life,” added Hoffman.
The East Jefferson General Hospital cardiac rehabilitation center is open to all heart patients.
You have to have a doctor's referral, and it does take insurance. For more call 504-503-4145.
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