Testimonial - Healthy Heart Habits [Ted Smith]

This video shares a patient testimonial about recovering from heart surgery through cardiac rehab and building healthy heart habits. It highlights how supervised exercise, education, and supportive care help patients regain strength, improve endurance, and confidently return to daily life after a cardiac event.

  • Cardiac rehab supports heart recovery: Supervised exercise helps patients safely rebuild strength after heart surgery or cardiac events.
  • Consistency leads to measurable progress: Patients can significantly improve endurance and physical ability within weeks.
  • Convenient local care matters: Receiving care close to home makes it easier to stay committed to recovery.
  • Education and preparation build confidence: Clear explanations help patients understand what to expect throughout rehab.
  • An open mindset improves outcomes: Patients who fully engage in cardiac rehab often experience better results and recovery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Healthy heart habits are lifestyle and medical practices that help strengthen the heart and reduce the risk of future cardiac problems, including regular exercise, heart-healthy nutrition, medication adherence, and participation in cardiac rehab. These habits support recovery and improve long-term cardiovascular health.

Cardiac rehab is a medically supervised program that helps patients recover after heart surgery, heart attacks, or other cardiac conditions through structured exercise, education, and monitoring. It is important because it improves strength, reduces complications, and helps patients safely return to normal activities.

Patients who have had open-heart surgery, heart valve replacement, heart attacks, or other cardiac procedures should consider cardiac rehab as part of their recovery plan. A healthcare provider typically recommends the program to help restore endurance and improve heart health safely.

Alternatives include exercising independently, working with a personal trainer, or following general fitness programs, but these options do not provide the same level of medical supervision and heart monitoring. Cardiac rehab offers structured guidance and safety that is especially important after a cardiac event.

Skipping cardiac rehab can lead to slower recovery, reduced endurance, and a higher risk of complications or future heart problems. Without supervised exercise and education, patients may struggle to safely rebuild strength or maintain healthy heart habits.

Video Transcript

My name is Ted Smith and I'm from the Flandreau area. I work as an electrical engineer for Sioux Valley Energy out of Colman.

What services did you receive at Brookings Health System?

I had cardiac rehab here. You come in, and you basically exercise under supervision after heart surgery. I had open-heart surgery at the Mayo Clinic to replace a mechanical heart valve, and I had to come to cardiac rehab after that.

Why did you choose Brookings Health System for cardiac rehab? 

It's probably the most convenient for me. Instead of driving to Sioux Falls or some of the other locations, it's very convenient. The second is I know the care is good here. I've had different things with the Brookings Health System before, and I think the care is very good here in Brookings.

How was your experience with the Cardiac Rehab Department?

They're fantastic to work with. They're just the nicest people, and they were just absolutely great as far as setting up, you know, appointments to when you could see them, and the times when you could come up and do your actual cardiac rehab. I had very good results. When I first got there, I could not do 10 minutes on the bicycle at any speed. And by the time I was done, I was doing 10 minutes on the bike, 10 on the treadmill, and 10 minutes on a stepper machine. So in a matter of eight weeks, that was great.

What did you appreciate most about your cardiac rehab services? 

The way you felt at home from the first moment you walked in. They made you feel at home, you know, they explained everything what was going on. Did a very, very nice job of explaining what was happening, what was going to happen, what you were going to see, you know, over the course of the next eight weeks. And just did a very nice job of making you prepared for everything you were going to see.

What advice would you give to someone after a cardiac event? 

You need to come in with an open mind. If you come in and say, you know, "I don't need this," or, "This isn't for me," you're not going to get the benefits that you could get out of it. If you come in with an open mind, and say, you know...you know, you may say, in your head, "I don't know about this," but come in and say, "I'm going to do my best and going to get the most I can out of this." You will get the most out of it then.

Would you recommend Brookings Health System for Cardiac Rehab? 

I would recommend the Brookings Health System for cardiac rehab. They were absolutely fantastic. Just everybody from the...everyone from the person that did the admitting in the hospital to the folks that worked in cardiac rehab. It was absolutely great.

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