Kevin Harris and his family were vacationing at Walt Disney World in December when he felt the first chest pains. Upon his return home, his primary care physician referred him to a cardiologist, who performed an angiogram at Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital and discovered 90 percent blockage in Harris’ left main artery. Harris had a quadruple bypass the next day: Jan. 23. There’s no doubt in Harris’ mind that he wouldn’t be here today if not for that surgery.
“When you hear about so many people dropping dead from heart problems, it’s just amazing I survived,” said Harris, who is retired.
However, it’s the months that followed that really made a difference for the 55-year-old Western Springs man. Harris underwent cardiac rehabilitation three times a week for three months at the David and Ann Lawrence Center for Cardiac Rehabilitation at Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital. In June he moved across the hall to cardio and muscle strengthening with exercise physiologist Wayne Guccione at Adventist Paulson Rehabilitation Network. Harris, who’s lost 48 pounds and counting since his operation, said he’s a new man.
His about-face has made such an impression on his wife, Pam, that she joins him three times a week at Paulson. Both rave about how they now have more energy and feel better than they have in a long time.
“The surgeon saved my life, but cardiac rehab changed the quality of my life,” Harris said. “The doctors, nurses and therapists there gave me quality of life I didn’t have before.”