One year after suffering a devastating heart
attack that left him without a pulse for 31
minutes, 49-year-old Frank Holiday of Lusby
is poised to run his first-ever marathon after
completing the cardiac rehabilitation program
at CalvertHealth Medical Center.
“The most important thing I learned in cardiac rehab is how resilient
the body is,” said Holiday. “With the correct instruction, and a
willingness to keep at it and not quit … it is amazing how your body can
recover. I would never have believed it.”
The North Point High School welding teacher was playing
basketball with some students when he collapsed last fall. Later he
learned he suffered a heart attack known as a widow-maker, which is
almost impossible to survive. But thanks to fast-thinking students and
persistent teachers who performed CPR, he is around to tell his story.
"There were definitely warning signs."
“I had some shortness of breath and chest pain
under exertion,” said Holiday, who has a small
landscaping business. “I would walk up a hill
and be gasping … it would be so tight. I chalked
it up to age and being hot and humid.
“I was 48 … I would never have thought
in a million years that something was cooking
in there,” he said. Holiday was transported
by ambulance to MedStar Southern Maryland
Hospital Center in Clinton and then flown by
helicopter to MedStar Washington Hospital
Center, where he had double bypass surgery.
Statistics tell us there is a heart attack
every 40 seconds in the U.S. It is the #1 killer
of men and women. For this reason, it is
important to know the warning signs and to
take them seriously.
"They gave me the confidence to believe."
“I was at Washington Hospital Center for two
weeks,” Holiday said. “I couldn’t walk for weeks
afterward. Getting up off the couch to go to the
coffeemaker was draining and depressing.
“I thought cardiac rehab would be a great
way to build a habit of exercising again and see
what I could do,” he said. “I was actually looking
forward to it.”
One of cardiac rehab’s main goals is to
teach patients who have suffered a heart attack
or heart surgery how to exercise safely and
confidently so they will continue on their own
after they leave the program.
“For me, the program was empowering and
hugely informational,” Holiday said. “I learned a
tremendous amount about how blood pressure
works; oxygen saturation, what an EKG is
tracking, how far you can push yourself and
when you’re in the danger zone.”
"It is a revolutionary change in my lifestyle."
“The last time I ran, I was 21 years old,”
he said during our interview in July. “Last
month, I logged 127 miles, even with one
week off for vacation. I do a 30-minute
stretching routine, ab work, weights and
calisthenics … then running and training
for long distance.”
Holiday said he is filled with gratitude
for the cardiac rehab team. “You can tell
how much they genuinely care.”
After completing the cardiac rehab
program, he joined a local fitness center. “I
had the habit built, so I wanted to keep it
going. Now, I wake up at 4:30, work out from
5-6, drive to Waldorf for school and cut four
to five lawns in the evening.”
He has made other changes, as well.
“I am tracking calories. I’ve switched to a
heart-healthy eating plan…I eat a lot more
fruits and vegetables (and rice). I track my
blood pressure daily, measure my oxygen. I
pray every morning. I try to sleep 7-8 hours.
I exercise every day and go to church on
Sunday.”
He went on to add, “This type of
event has the potential to wake you up to
life. It has brought me to a razor-sharp
focus to what is right in front of me. I
know I am blessed and I am grateful. I live
with the reality that it could be yanked
away at any second. I live with this big,
giant scar. It is a part of me.
“Don’t get lost in what-ifs. Ask
yourself: Am I going to sit around and eat
a bag of potato chips and watch TV or
am I going to do something? There is no
shortcut to running a marathon … it is
one step after another.”
How to Recognize a Heart Attack
Some heart attacks are sudden and intense, but
others start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort.
Pay attention to your body and call 911 if you experience:
- Pain or discomfort in the chest
- Lightheadedness, nausea or vomiting
- Jaw, neck or back pain
- Discomfort or pain in the shoulder
- Shortness of breath
Symptoms can vary between men and women. The most common heart
attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women may experience
other symptoms that are typically less associated with heart attack, such as
shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.
Even if you’re not sure it’s a heart attack, have it checked out.
Don’t hesitate to call 911.
Minutes matter. Fast action can save lives – maybe your own.
Learn more at: Heart.org/HeartAttack