CARDIAC REHABILITATION GRADUATE MAKES EXERCISE PART OF HER LIFESTYLE

Bright and early every Monday and Wednesday, Cathy Schlickman can be found gazing out the window of UnityPoint Health – Finley Hospital’s third-floor gym as she pumps away on the recumbent bike or hurries along on the treadmill.

The Dubuque resident is a regular gym-goer now, after graduating from the Cardiac Rehabilitation program in June.

“I realized what’s important,” Schlickman said, after her health scare early this year. “You only get one shot at your health, and I understand what the repercussions are if I don’t work at this.”

At the tail-end of a two-week vacation in Costa Rica with her husband Don in April, Schlickman wasn’t feeling well. A clinic prescribed antibiotics and fluids for dehydration.

On the way home, she thought maybe she was having a panic attack from her fear of flying. She also had back pain and a general feeling of discomfort.

“When we got to Chicago, I told my husband we need to get to the hotel because I don’t feel very well,” Schlickman said. “When we got there, I said 'I’m going to bed', which was probably the dumbest thing I’ve ever done. I should have gone to the hospital.” Her symptoms were concerning, so when she arrived back in Dubuque, she called her primary care provider, Angela Kelley, DO, of Grand River Medical Center. Blood tests confirmed something wasn’t right, so Schlickman’s next stop was the Emergency Department at Finley Hospital.

More tests were run, and an appointment was scheduled with Finley cardiologist Tauseef Khan, MD for the next day.

“He said, ‘I think we’re going to go in and check things out. You didn’t do real well on your stress test so we need to check it,’” Cathy said. “I didn’t think anything of it, it’s like ok fine do what you need to do. I came out of that procedure and hereI had to have stents put in – I had almost 100 percent blockages.”

Dr. Khan told her she could have had a heart attack while she was on vacation.

“It’s so important to not ignore the warning signs that something is not right,” Khan said. “Listen to your body and if you have any symptoms of heart trouble, be sure to go to the hospital.”

Symptoms can include pressure, fullness, or squeezing pain in the center of the chest, spreading to the neck, shoulder or jaw; chest discomfort with lightheadedness; fainting; sweating; upper abdominal pressure or discomfort; lower chest discomfort; back pain; unusual fatigue; unusual shortness of breath; dizziness; and nausea.

Following the procedure, Cathy was scheduled for 36 sessions of cardiac rehab, which provides an opportunity to form positive habits, increase aerobic fitness, and learn about risk factors like diabetes, smoking, and diet.

During the program, Cathy had another procedure to clear any leftover blockages, but never skipped a beat in the gym.

“She was always pushing herself,” said Sydney Breitenbach, a cardiac rehab specialist at Finley Hospital. “It was awesome to see that internal motivation that she had. Her commitment to her health has been really inspiring.”

Cathy is enjoying her routine so much that she’s in the process of buying her own exercise machine for her home.

“It’s a good motivator for me,” Cathy said. “I push myself to try to get 10,000 steps every day, so this is a quick way for me to get half of them in really fast. I leave here sweaty, but I feel good and feel proud that I pushed myself.”

With a nearly 90 percent patient satisfaction rate, Finley Hospital is the best place to go for heart care. Learn more at unitypoint.org.