Jim Van Backel
Take me to Cardiac Rehab at Alaska Regional Hospital:
They helped me build a new, healthier life
Jim Vanbakel sat on a display of Diet Cokes in the middle of the grocery store. His body oozed with sweat and a powerful headache hit him like a tsunami. He knew something wasn’t right; thankfully he made the next right move – he called 911.
“The ambulance was only four or five blocks away, so I heard it coming,” Jim said. “They gave me one shot of nitroglycerin, and I said, ‘That feels really good!’ Then the EMT replied, ‘If that feels good, you’ve got a problem.’”
His problem? A heart attack. While Jim hadn’t experienced classic symptoms like pressure in the chest or pain down the arm, tests at Alaska Regional Hospital’s Emergency Room revealed a piece of plaque blocked 99 percent of a branch in Jim’s left coronary artery.
Dr. Stanley Watkins, a leading cardiologist at Alaska Regional Hospital, carefully removed Jim’s blockage and placed a stent to restore proper blood flow.
“The whole thing went incredibly fast. I was at the grocery store around 8 p.m. and was in my hospital room done with surgery by 11 p.m.,” Jim said. “I knew the situation was serious, but I never felt like I was going to die. The hospital team knew what they were doing, and I felt reassured all the way.”
Cardiac Rehab: Rebuilding a heart healthy life
Three weeks after his heart attack, Jim began cardiac rehab at Alaska Regional Hospital, a physical therapy program focused on recovery after heart trauma.
“One of the first things to do at cardiac rehab is pick a goal. Mine was to haul a moose out after hunting in September. Carrying 150 lbs. of hind quarters isn’t easy do in the swamp,” Jim said.
Jim needed a plan to achieve that goal, so he diligently attended cardiac rehab three mornings per week, under the direction and supervision of Physical Therapist Cheryl Myers and RN Julie Dickerson. Over the next several weeks, he progressed in stamina, strength, endurance and confidence.
“The program was fun and healthy! I got to the point where I was running more than 10 miles an hour on the treadmill, and I really felt like I was in shape and back to where I was before the heart attack,” Jim said.
In addition to rebuilding his heart physically, Jim says the cardiac rehab program also boosted confidence and fostered comradery.
“Cheryl and Julie are the best. I’m taking their same positivity and energy and applying it in the way I live,” Jim said. “I say, ‘Take me to cardiac rehab at Alaska Regional Hospital’ because they helped me build a new, healthier life.”
Embracing health-focused lifestyle and career changes
To nurture the healthiest heart possible, Jim maintains the lessons learned in cardiac rehab; plus, he transformed his eating habits.
“No more red meat for me. I’m loving salads and olives and peppers and fruits and vegetables. I still eat some harvested moose and salmon, but weeks go by where I don’t eat any meat. It’s dropped my cholesterol down to 135! I sent those results to the Cheryl and Julie at Cardiac Rehab and said, ‘Look at this!” Jim said.
Jim also sent Julie and Cheryl a picture of his prized moose after hunting season. He achieved his goal!
Though Jim has achieved many health-related milestones, he’s not done yet. When Jim retires from his business career, he plans to earn a nursing degree and become a hospice nurse.
“I’ve spent a lot of time around nurses, and they drew me to their profession,” Jim said. “My occupation so far has been about business deals, but nursing is about real people with real problems – it’s about helping people.”
To prepare for his hospice nursing goal, Jim currently cares for patients as a CNA at a local rehabilitation center (he says he loves it!). And with his recent heart attack experience and recovery, Jim brings a healthy heart filled with compassion to the patients he serves.
