On July 18th, my 89th birthday, I began the comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation program as per the recommendation of my extremely caring cardiologist, Dr. Lev Lubarsky. In the past 2.5 years since the passing of my beloved wife of 62 years, Lee, I have had multiple hospitalizations, which resulted in a carotid stent in July of 2021 and two heart stents (left main and LAD) this past March. I trusted that he knew what was in my best interest and began attending the sessions three times a week, commuting from my home in Northport. This is a great time slot for me as I've been retired from a union electrician job for the past 27 years.
Common sense told me that exercising and moving my legs would help my heart pump better, and it has! Since the first day of the program, the people have taken a personal interest in me and helped me be stronger and healthier. Veronica Barat, who has been guiding my exercise regimen, has modified the program for my shoulder condition (bone on bone and torn rotator cuff) and carefully monitors my blood pressure and heart rate.
The nutrition part of this program, run by Christina Di Lieto, has created much more mindfulness regarding my eating. I now think twice before I eat something, whereas before, I never gave it much thought. My one-on-one session with her and my daughter Amy really helped me learn how to make upgrades in my diet, which have resulted in my A1C levels going down since starting the program! Each week, I participated in a cooking class with Christina. She was very well-versed in all the preparations and how to do them. My wife always did all the cooking, and now I see how much goes into it!
I met with the licensed clinical social worker, Brittany Decker, who really took the time to ask me about my life and my history and really got to know me. It was very enlightening to learn about all the ways that stress can affect my everyday life. I no longer watch the news as a result, and I am learning ways to cope better with stress in general.
There are several other people who have been an integral part of my success with this program. A special thanks to Ashley and Jennifer.
The most rewarding aspect of this whole experience is that it gave me a wonderful community of people to be with. It's been a difficult few years between the pandemic and losing my life partner. This program has been such a gift and has given my life structure and a sense of purpose. I am so thankful to Dr. Lev Lubarsky for suggesting this program. I have complete and total faith in his skills and guidance as a cardiologist. I feel listened to, respected and very fortunate to be under his care. He has created a dynamic environment of support, compassion, learning and kindness. I am so grateful for this uplifting experience!
Sincerely,
George Martin
