An Unusual Warning Sign and
New Lease
on
A
fter years of being
inactive, overweight and
fighting fatigue, the moment of truth
came for Priscilla Medina, 71, of Livermore.
Complaining of arm pain at night and a feeling
of indigestion, she saw her doctor and was
referred to ValleyCare Cardiologist B.J. Saw, MD,
who ran a series of tests. Within ve days,
Medina underwent triple bypass surgery. Her
arteries were nearly 90 percent blocked!
Following her surgery at ValleyCare Medical
Center, Medina participated in the My Heart’s
Content class, where patients begin their
cardiac rehabilitation while still hospitalized.
e program continued while she recuperated
at home, and very slowly she began to move and
exercise.
GOOD THERAPY
Once cleared to do so, Medina started the
Cardiac Rehab Program at ValleyCare,
beginning with nutrition classes and monitored
exercise. “Initially, I felt awkward about being
there, but the sta is very encouraging and
taught me so much about diet and exercise, I
loved the experience,” she says. “Plus talking
with others who are going through the same
thing is wonderful therapy.”
After passing phase 3 of the program, which
is supervised exercise, Medina signed
up at LifeStyleRx and loves it. Besides
feeling great, losing 40 pounds in the
process was also an incentive. “I love
to eat, and unfortunately I had been
eating a lot of high fat, carbs and
salt—the worst for your heart. Now, I
eat out a lot less, avoid fast food and eat mostly
vegetables, fruit and chicken,” she says. “But, at
the suggestion of a doctor in one of our Cardiac
Rehab classes, to avoid feeling deprived, I treat
myself once a week to whatever I want.”
STILL MOVING
A year later, she is still going strong,
participating in a tness class and working
out at LifeStyleRx ve days a week. “I used to
have every excuse in the book to just sit and do
nothing, too tired to participate in activities,”
she says. “Now, I play ball with my grandson
and go out with my daughters at the drop of a
hat.”
Medina is very enthusiastic about both
Cardiac Rehab and LifeStyleRx. “I learned so
much and feel so supported by the sta at
Cardiac Rehab and LifeStyleRx, I encourage
anyone with heart issues to get started,”
she says. “Before, when I was sluggish and
miserable, I thought it was just the fact that
I was aging. I had no idea I could feel this
good. I feel like I’m 50 again!”
Cardiac Rehabilitation
ValleyCare cardiac rehabilitation can help you heal your
heart. Visit
or call
925-373-8094
.
2
| Winter 2014
