The following week I saw my first cardiologist, Dr. Pagan-Carlo. He took my vital signs and recommended that I get a stress test the following day. The test showed that my resting heart rate was fine but my stressed heart rate was abnormal. I went back to my cardiologist and he strongly advised me to get a coronary angiogram and potentially an angioplasty as well. I was asked then to make a decision and consent to the procedure. This is when I think the knowledge gained from working at the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation came into play. I wasn’t inclined to get any major heart procedure since I felt fine that day. But the symptoms and their potential consequences, which I had seen in a lot of communications materials at work, helped me decide that the smarter decision was to follow my cardiologist’s advice.

The recovery period was a huge learning experience for me. In cardiac rehab, I learned how to gradually regain my strength, to live a healthy lifestyle through good nutrition and stress management, to develop a way to cope with emotional challenges and appreciate the important things in life, like family and friends. The recovery and health improvements I have made to date validate all my effort and perseverance in changing my lifestyle.