NJ man who survived heart attack receives special award
NEW JERSEY (PIX11) -- Hackensack University Medical Center's Cardiac Rehab Person of the Year award to Gerry Glass was just a slight bonus to the gift he received last May. Doctors saved his life, performing triple bypass of his totally blocked heart.
The 60-year-old Fort Lee, New Jersey, man has no doubt about the potential consequences. "Most likely I was going to die if I didn't do it," he recalled.
It's Glass' recovery that earned him the award. He worked out vigorously five days a week for 36 weeks at the hospital's rehab center.
"Rehab is like a marathon," he said, adding, "It's a long-term process, not a 100 yard dash. It's a lifelong commitment to improving your cardiovascular health."
Regina Mazur, a registered nurse who supervises patients, claims Glass deserved the special Rehab Person of the Year award. She said, "He was very consistent with his attendance. He made all the changes he did by reducing his risks of having problems down the road with his heart."
Hackensack University Medical Center treated 350 heart patients last year. Doctors continue to advise there are many factors to reduce the risk of heart problems.
"Eating healthy and exercising is super important. Keeping an eye on blood pressure and cholesterol are all very important, and anyone with a family history of heart disease is to take extra level of care," advised Dr. Steven Kanarek, a cardiologist.
Glass added, "I recommend you see a cardiologist even if you don't have a family history. It could still attack your heart and you should get screened."
Ringing the bell at the rehab center signifies that Glass has completed his regimen there. But he declared, "It's not over. It's just starting. After you have the surgery you have to continue working out to avoid having the problem down the road."
For years we've been told to eat healthy and maintain good exercise, but how many of us have really followed that advice? Doctors say it's never too late to start. With Valentine's Day around the corner, it's a good time to turn heartache into heartthrob.