A HEART TO HEART conversation with heart patient, SHIRLEY DESNOYERS.
A HEART TO HEART conversation with heart patient, SHIRLEY DESNOYERS
It was just one year ago when Shirley Desnoyers was making her way through the Miami airport and "exercised induced asthma" kicked in.
"Who the heck has ever heard of excised induced asthma? I was in trouble," remembers Shirley.
The 70-year-old massage therapist and self- proclaimed health enthusiast describes the scene as a near 9-1-1 moment. Turns out, exercised induced asthma is a condition that could have prevented Shirley from seeing her 71st birthday.
"I've always walked, been very active, health is my life, that's why I was so darn mad, 'what do you mean I've got heart disease!'," says Shirley.
On February 7th, she addressed a room full of women at the Dosher Memorial Hospital Foundation Heart to Heart event and began by thanking God, her doctors, Cape Fear Heart Associates and Dosher's nationally certified cardiac rehabilitation program for saving her life. "If anyone had asked me last year about my cardiac health, I would have declared I'm fine. Surprise! I now have two stents in the L.A.D.A.- medical shorthand for "left anterior descending artery" or as most of us lay folks call it "the widow maker"," she said. Shirley was ordered to 36 sessions with the Dosher cardiac rehab program located inside the Dosher Wellness Center. That's three times a week at 7:30 a.m. "The nurse said she didn't know anyone who wanted to go to rehab as much as I did. It's absolutely beautiful, a beautiful facility and the staff is very thorough, they spend a lot of time on your history and your goals," said Shirley.
Shirley's goals were simple; to hike the Colorado mountains with her grandsons.
Then, came surprise number two.
In the middle of a rehab session, Shirley was on the treadmill and the staff noticed some abnormal rhythm changes. "I was hoofing it, she said slow it down, here's a nitro tablet, we're not waiting let's get you to the hospital," recalls Shirley. Back to the heart cath lab she went where doctors made sure the stents were where they needed to be and functioning at the highest level. Today, Shirley is enjoying the benefits of a better working heart.
"It's just astonishing when your heart is pumping how much better everything works. I was struggling every day, looking up to heaven saying what is going on," Shirley said.
Today is a new day. Shirley just received the best blood work she's ever had in her life and just returned from hiking in the Colorado mountains with her grandsons.
"Once I knew the stents were in there and good to go, I pulled out my hiking boots and I was on an airplane," Shirley said.
At the Feb. 5 Dosher Foundation Heart to Heart event Shirley had a little heart to heart with the women in the room.
"Listen ladies, don't think you're fine. I urge each and every one of you to pay attention to your body's signals. You know deep down when something isn't just right," she said.
Shirley also talked about hidden DNA/genetic health bombs in all of us and advised the attenders of the event to make a list of their family history.
As for Shirley, that hike in Colorado with her grandsons and her new and improved heart was worth every bit of work she did in her 36 sessions with the Dosher cardiac rehab program.
"We had snow, it was beautiful, my grandsons were so excited, they said, 'nana, nana come up here when you get around this curve, wait until you see the view!'", Shirley laughs.
On March 12, Shirley Desnoyers turned 71!
The Cardiac rehab program at the Dosher Wellness Center she participated in is nationally certified by The American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR). AACVPR-certified programs are recognized as leaders in the field of cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation because they offer the most advanced practices available.
"We are blessed to be surrounded by not only a beautiful place to live, but by top quality facilities and top professionals and my family and I are very thankful," said Shirley.