Doug's story
Be Strong-Hearted
It’s a good thing that Doug, 74, listened to his body. He began having chest pains and took himself to the emergency department at Holy Cross Health, where they ran a stress test.
The test revealed that he had major blockages in three arteries and ended up having triple bypass surgery in September 2019. He participated in cardiac rehab at Holy Cross and graduated from that program in January 2020.
“I noticed a difference immediately after surgery. I was feeling a lot better and that feeling continued as I participated in cardiac rehab,” Doug said. “I didn’t realize how bad I was feeling until my heart was fixed.”
Doug is a long-time athlete and in overall good health, but chose to make some additional lifestyle modifications after his health scare. He stopped smoking and is watching his sodium intake.
Today, Doug is active and enjoying life. He and his wife work out at the Zachariah Family Wellness Pavilion at Holy Cross Health and one of Doug’s favorite activities is cycling.
“I’m blessed to still be here. I’m thankful for the care I received and I’m enjoying life to the fullest.”