SURVIVING BYPASS SURGERY

on his toes. He and Salemae, his dance partner and wife, take private lessons in Mount Dora. On Saturdays, the couple attends dance night at Hawthorne, a retirement community in Leesburg, where they elegantly and gracefully perform the cha cha, fox trot, swing, tango, and waltz. Studies indicate ballroom dancing improves heart and blood vessel function of patients with heart disease.

“Not only does dancing help me keep physically fit but it also helps me keep my mind active because you have to learn all the steps,” he says. “I feel fortunate that I can participate in all these physical activities.”

Now, he’s encouraging other bypass patients to do the same. Burkholder is a member of Mended Hearts, a national support group offering hope to heart disease patients and their caregivers.

During his chapter’s monthly meetings at Florida Hospital Water-

“I constantly see people who are having a heart attack or on the verge of having a heart attack and near death,” said Dr. Duane Cook, a cardiovascular surgeon with Leesburg-Ocala Heart Institute. “I perform surgery on them, and two months later they come back and tell me they feel 10 years younger. They find life is worth living again.”

Dr. Mark Rothschild, a cardiologist with Heart of The Villages, shares some tips to help openheart surgery patients make a full recovery and live healthy lifestyles.

1) Join a cardiac rehab program, which helps patients increase cardiovascular fitness and the heart’s functional capacity.

2) Strongly consider the Mediterranean diet, which consists of eating plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables and whole grains.

3) Use olive oil or canola oil instead of margarine or butter.

4) When it comes to exercising, walk for a minimum of 30 minutes per day and gradually increase your time and distance. Listen to your body and don’t overdo it.

5) If osteoporosis makes walking difficult, consider swimming or water aerobics