A Heart of Resilience

Kim Day woke up in the intensive care unit feeling groggy. It took her awhile to get her bearings. When she did, she was pleased to hear that her heart valve replacement surgery had gone well. But she was shocked to find out how long it had been.

“The surgery was supposed to last four to five hours,” said Day, “but it ended up taking 10.”

Aspirus St. Luke’s Cardiothoracic Surgeon Dr. Hebroon Obaid had suspected two of Day’s coronary arteries would need attention. He had let her know that he would be able to address this during her heart valve surgery with a bypass procedure. However, he soon found that Day’s heart would need even more TLC than they had thought.

Comprehensive heart surgery

“In addition to two bypass surgeries, Kim’s aortic root — the part of the largest artery in the body that connects to the heart — was smaller than usual,” Dr. Obaid said. “We addressed both the coronary artery blockages and the valve. However, the prosthetic valve was leaking quite a bit. I didn’t want to do anything less than perfect for Kim, so we did a second valve replacement. All these issues being addressed in one comprehensive procedure ensured the best possible outcome.”

The beginning of Day’s stay is still a bit of a blur for her. Recovering in the ICU, she often had trouble remembering what was happening.

“My family and I laugh about it now,” she said. “But my poor nurses! Apparently, I was combative and said some crazy things. Still, they were all so kind and gracious to me. I was given the absolute best care.”

Soon, she was moved to the cardiac care unit where she continued to heal. After two weeks, she was feeling much more stable, but started to grow restless. She knew an additional 10 days of cardiac rehab still lie ahead of her.

Rebuilding strength with cardiac rehab

“After a heart attack, heart surgery or another event that caused heart damage, patients greatly benefit from cardiac rehab,” said Sharon Bourdeau, Aspirus St. Luke’s supervisor of Cardiac Diagnostics and Rehabilitation. “For patients in our cardiac unit, specialists meet with them twice daily as soon as they are able to get moving.”

Determined to finish her rehab as soon as possible, Day pushed herself. Her physical therapists helped her regain her strength in getting up, walking, balancing and going up stairs. Dr. Obaid continued to visit her every day, offering encouragement and checking in on her progress.

“Truly, it was a challenge at times,” Day said, “but everyone was so encouraging. The physical therapists were excellent. They cheered me on when I didn’t think I could do something, and that was just what I needed. Dr. Obaid was just amazing, too, stopping in to see me so often. I truly can’t say enough about him. He was so reassuring, always telling me I was going to get there.”

Dr. Obaid was right. In a record-breaking five days, Day conquered the first phase of rehab. She was finally ready to go home.

Compassionate heart care at Aspirus St. Luke’s

A week after her discharge, Day began the second phase of cardiac rehab. This part of the program takes place in a group setting, offering patients the support of others who are in a similar situation. Day came to Aspirus St. Luke’s three times a week, learning how she could best care for her heart and participating in monitored exercise.

“I loved going to rehab,” Day said, “and after 12 weeks, I was done! And you know what? I got a membership so I can keep going to the gym there. We live in Superior, but I just love all the people there so much that I can’t imagine going somewhere else.

“I feel incredibly fortunate for my entire experience,” she continued. “I’m thankful for all my nurses who cared for me so compassionately. I’m thankful for the exercise specialists and physical therapists who helped me regain my strength, and for the constant support of my loving family. Finally, I am so thankful for Dr. Obaid. Without him, I might not be here. I just can’t say enough about all the wonderful people at Aspirus St. Luke’s.”

If you have any concerns about your heart health, schedule an appointment at Aspirus St. Luke’s Heart & Vascular Care – no referral is required. Call 218-249-6370 or visit slhduluth.com/heart