providing comfort and support to resume everyday activities and maintain a lifestyle of good health
FEBRUARY 2019 CIRCULATION OVER 2000
Bravehearts Newsletter
Happy February! I hope you are all warm and safe. I’m writing this as we await the first major snowstorm of the winter. I’m thinking about
Rose Malvino, our former newsletter co-editor, who is helping us with this issue from her new home in Flordia. She is no doubt sunning herself in her new surroundings (and likely laughing at us here ‘up north’). February begins our dues collection process. Our newsletter generally goes out to 2,000 plus BraveHearts; those who paid dues for 2018 and those having undergone recent cardiac procedures. This month we will send out over 6,000 newsletters to those listed above and to anyone who’s had a procedure in the prior four years who is not a BraveHeart. A renewal envelope in enclosed in this issue. Please remit your $20 annual dues as soon as possible.
A note from the President
As the Christmas holiday was waning, my annual holiday sinusitis attack /
sinus infection began to take hold. After a couple of days of feeling
generally lousy I developed copious amounts of post nasal drip with the
attendant cough and headache.
On Thursday, December 27th, as soon as I saw my grandchildren and their
parents off to the airport, I headed over to my friendly neighborhood
urgent care clinic to obtain a much needed regimen of antibiotic. My usual
MO for this kind of thing is that I begin feeling a bit more human after a
day or two. Not this time. By Saturday mid-morning I was rather
lightheaded and had pretty low blood pressure. Fran came home from a
meeting and said, “You look like crap, do you want to go back to the
clinic?” I replied that I was considering just taking a trip to the ER.
At about 11:30am, we hopped in the car and headed over to St. Francis.
There was no parking available anywhere near the ER, so we opted to park
in the garage on level 4. Upon entering the Emergency area I noted that
the place was packed. Apparently, the last influx of patients was over and
very quickly Rina Manno, RN checked me in, told me to put on a mask, and
take a seat she said that I would be called for triage in a little while. When
she found out that both Fran and I were SFH volunteers she made a point
to thank us for our time. After the next influx of sick people, nurse Dan
called me to his desk and triaged me there, since they were backed up
inside. He also thanked us for our volunteer service. A bit later a bed
opened up, so I moved into an emergency bay, put on my gown and
stretched out. Rina Manno wandered over and said, “Hey volunteer, I’m
your nurse. Let’s get your vitals and see where we go from here.”
My BP edged a bit closer to normal and Rina said she would send me for a
chest x-ray. Unfortunately I did not get the x-ray tech’s name. She thanked
me for my volunteer service and had me laughing all the way to Radiology
and back. She was another absolute sweetheart. Rina reappeared and said
that I would need two “sticks” — one to set an IV and one to draw blood.
She set the IV and introduced me to her partner nurse Nicole who would
draw blood and draw blood and draw blood. She thanked us for our time
‘A Saturday in the ER’ by Dan Siefert
(continued on page 6)
(continued on page 2)
Inside this Issue
Heartline……....….....
Survivor Story…........
Where in the World…
P2
P3
P7
Bravehearts Newsletter Page 2
Brooklyn &
Queens
Arthur R. Louise Quintuple Bypass 718-217-1297
Ken Luft Quintuple Bypass 917-627-6768
Vincent Parlato Double Bypass 718-833-8535
Nassau County
Donna Datre Mother of child with Atrial Septal Defect 516-396-0947
Charles Dombroff Triple Bypass 516-766-2636
Geoffrey Fenwick Double Bypass 516-293-2269
Howard Fisher Quadruple Bypass 917-880-8861
Earl Johnson Quadruple Bypass (off pump) 516-742-3263
Alan Karp Quintuple Bypass 516-681-2845
Donna Killough Mother of Child with Double Outlet Right Ventricle 516-674-0661
Carmen Santosus Double Bypass 516-676-8474
Suffolk County
Susan Eckers Triple Bypass & Angioplasty 631-368-0836
Alfred A. Hulse Quadruple Bypass 631-271-5323
John-Paul LaMothe Aortic Valve Replacement 631-897-2915
Gregory Ogeka Quadruple Bypass 631-878-0897
Kate Weibelt Mother of boy with Narrowed Aortic Valve PDA 631-246-5708
Eleanore L Christie Quadruple Bypass & Aortic Valve Replaced 631-226-1921
Gary Shafonda Quadruple Bypass 631-728-6682
HEARTLINE
Life in the Cardiac Rehab A note from the President
***Feel free to call any of these members to talk to someone who has traveled the same road as you***
(continued from page 1)
We need the continued support of every member for the organization to function effectively. We certainly had some fun and very well attended activities in 2018 and are looking forward to more in the com-ing year. So please, remit any suggestions for trips or outings to [email protected]. In February we celebrate a few things. First and foremost February 14th is Valentine’s Day. This is the unofficial holiday of the BraveHearts as it celebrates the heart. Who among us is not involved in celebrating our own re-paired hearts? Of course, it as also the holiday celebrating love and is usually characterized by giving gifts of flow-ers and chocolate. Celebrate yourself this Valentine’s Day. Get a box of good chocolate. It must be dark chocolate because that is high in anti-oxidants and is sort of heart friendly. Enjoy the chocolate and celebrate your continued recovery. We celebrate the birthdays of both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, two of our greatest presidents. Of course, the nation lumps both together for the Monday holiday President’s Day. This allows furniture stores to advertise President’s Day sales. Happy shopping! The President’s Day holiday also marks a time bringing joy to every school boy and girl, winter break. This is a time to take your kids or grandkids to Disneyworld and spend a week waiting in line. I suspect that it also means our elder statesman, Dick Heinl will be off somewhere skiing. Whatever your President’s Day plans involve, may you enjoy! This month’s newsletter includes a survivor story, a spotlight article, and a story about Dan Siefert’s Saturday ex-perience in the SFH Emergency Room. Happy reading!
Mark
Bravehearts Newsletter Page 3
My story didn’t begin with a jolt but rather a
flutter on a nice Friday morning in September
2014. I was 47 and feeling great overall except I
had been experiencing some minor heart
palpitations for a few days that “just didn’t go
away,” so I made my way to my GP. What
started innocently, quickly ramped up that
morning with a trip to the hospital for an
emergency echocardiogram that revealed a
sizable aneurysm and an
emergency CT scan to ensure it
was not tearing. Reality sunk in
by the end of the day, I would
require open heart surgery to
remove and repair the
aneurysm in addition to
replacing my aortic valve that
had been damaged by it.
Wow, didn’t see that one
coming. All of this took place at
another hospital, but I knew
from friends and family that I
needed to quickly get to St. Francis. I was given
Dr. Shlofmitz’s contact information, but I was
hesitant to reach out over the weekend. What
happened next defines the great care and
integrity of the superb doctors and nurses at
St. Francis.
I put together a short email about my situation
with a request to be treated by his team and
sent it off to him around 9:15am Sunday. I was
re-reading my email for the inevitable typo when
my cell phone rang just 5 minutes later at
9:20. It was Dr. Schlofmitz, who asked a few
questions and instructed me to get my medical
info together on CDs and see him the next
day. I was blown away by the responsiveness
from the Chairman of Cardiology on a Sunday
morning. Things progressed quickly with him
and days later I was with Dr. Robinson who
would lead the surgical team. I kissed my wife
before surgery on an early Thursday morning
only to awaken with loved ones in the ICU
room with an NFL football game on
television. As the sedation wore off, I thought
“who plays football on Thursday afternoon?”,
only to be told it was actually Sunday afternoon,
three days after my initial surgery. I had no idea
just how serious things had gotten.
On Day 2, they had to open me
back up to address bleeding in
the surgical area. While
mending up in ICU, I developed
pneumonia and ended up with a
third surgery on Day 9 to
address clotting around the
heart. The decision was made
to keep me in the cardiac ICU
until I would be discharged,
which would unfortunately not
come for another two weeks.
The skillsets, professionalism, calm demeanor,
and hands-on care of all the many doctors and
nurses I saw moved me greatly over those
tumultuous weeks in the ICU. I got to know
them personally and it was a very emotional and
tear filled goodbye for me and my wife once I
was cleared to head home. Lucky enough I began
to heal quickly and get back to normal right after
the Christmas holidays.
Living nearby, it was a need, not a want, to visit
with them in the coming months. I was told by
the head nurse that they would love to see me
again, but never again as a patient. I took them
up on that and periodically stop by with some
goodies. It remains cathartic for me but I want
them to know that it was their tremendous and
attentive care that guided me through some dark
weeks. But I came out the other side to a clean
bill of health that remains to this day.
Jim Calpin —Survivor Story
Bravehearts Newsletter Page 4
I have been a member of the St. Francis
Hospital Cardiac Rehabilitation staff for over 22
years. But my journey to this profession was
not a direct one. I started off my professional
career as an Economist, having earned a
Master of Arts degree in Economics from
Osmania University in India. When I moved to
the United States, it seemed
only natural that I continue in
the world of finance and
banking. However, I have
always had a passion for
healthcare and for working
with people. So, after a few
years, I hit the restart button
and changed paths.
I earned a Master of Science
degree in Exercise Science,
specializing in Cardiac
Rehabilitation, from Queens
College in New York City. Going
back to school so many years after my previous
education, and in an entirely different country,
was certainly a challenge but I relish every
moment of it. They say it’s never too late to do
what you love and that is exactly what I was
doing.
After I finished my MS degree, I was able to
quickly start working in this field. I had
opportunities to work in different corporate
environments and healthcare facilities. One of
the more memorable was at John Jay College
of Criminal Justice, where I was hired to do
fitness testing for NYC police officers. It was an
amazing experience to hear their personal
stories and help them on their journey to a
better quality of life. I also worked at the
NYNEX Telephone Company and American
Express conducting fitness evaluations,
providing information on cholesterol, nutrition,
and blood pressure guidelines.
I enjoyed working with people
and, in my own small way,
helping then to stay healthy in
their highly stressful jobs.
One day, I had an opportunity
to visit SFH Cardiac Fitness
Center. As I walked around, I
was very impressed by the size
and the number of participants
exercising. The facility was well
organized, large in scale, and
specialized. I remember
thinking how wonderful it
would be to be part of this elite environment.
In January 1996, my wish came true and I was
offered a part-time position at SFH Cardiac
Fitness Center. My start here entailed
organizing an exercise program for the Heart
Study Research project which was headed by
Dr. Yadon Arad. The project focused on
cholesterol and the effects of Vitamin C & E.
Later, I was to take part in the Employee
Fitness Program for SFH employees. This gave
me the opportunity to meet many of the
healthcare providers
Spotlight on Sulochana Bandoji, MA, MS Senior Exercise Physiologist
(continued on page 5)
Bravehearts Newsletter Page 5
and employees that make up the heart and soul
of SFH. In June 1996, I was offered a full-time
position and later promoted to Senior Exercise
Physiologist. Working with the experienced
staff of RN’s, Physiologists, Managers, and the
Director; I have been fortunate to learn and
grow in my job.
One of my favorite aspects of being a member
of the staff here is that we are encouraged to
create, organize, and manage many community
programs. For instance, I was able to receive
certification as a PACE Instructor from the
Arthritis Foundation and co-manage the PACE
program for SFH Cardiac Rehab. I was also
certified as a Balance Trainer Instructor, after
which I ran a “Balance Training Workshop,”
introduced balance exercises to warn-up’s, and
received a Safety Award for reducing falls for
cardiac participants. I was certified as a Senior
fitness instructor and started the “Seniors on
the Move” community exercise program. I have
coordinated the “Increase Your Steps”
workshop for Cardiac rehab staff, Employee
fitness members and cardiac rehab participants.
Working at SFH Cardiac Fitness Center has
allowed me to go beyond the scope of the
traditional Exercise Physiologist role and work in
partnership with senior researchers and
administrators. As an example, I had the
opportunity to start a study on “sleep disorders
and obstructive sleep apnea” for Cardiac Rehab
patients. This study started in April 2005 as a
performance improvement project for fitness
participants, continued for two years, and was
published in AACVPR in 2008. I have also been
able to help bring yoga, a cherished practice in
my own fitness life, to patients at the center by
assisting the program director with the “Heart
Healing Yoga” series.
In my 22 years here, the highlights of my day is
working with interesting and talented people
and patients. Beyond the professional growth,
it is the patients and the lifelong friendships
with colleagues throughout SFH that have been
the greatest part of my experience.
Spotlight on Sulochana Bandoji, MA, MS
“The best and most beautiful things
in the world cannot be seen
or even touched.
They must be felt with the heart.”
~ Helen Keller
(continued from page 4)
Bravehearts Newsletter Page 6
prior to starting her vampire act. I’m not sure how
much blood she drew but I knew that it was far more
than I wanted to give.
During the course of our conversation she mentioned
that the patients seemed to come in waves of about 20
at a time. She told me that because of the extra load
almost everyone was working additional hours. She
introduced me to Stefan Muehlbauer MD, Chairman of
the Department of Emergency Medicine. Dr.
Muehlbauer came in on a Saturday afternoon to help
out in the ER. The first thing he said after saying “just
call me Stef” was thank you for your volunteer service.
He examined me and explained in detail what he saw,
how he would treat it, what medications he would
prescribe and how my recovery should progress. He
advised me which members of my medical team I
should contact and at what time frame.
Despite the overcrowding and the general frenzy going
on, every medical professional I dealt with, and some
who just said hello as they passed by were remarkably
friendly and upbeat. I can promise you that in their
shoes I’m not sure I could have been as nice a person.
After five days all of the meds had taken hold and I felt
sort of like myself. I got a phone call from Rina asking
how I was and what doctor’s appointments I had
scheduled.
As most BraveHearts know, St. Francis is really one big
family and this experience sure reinforced that.
A Saturday in the ER by Dan Siefert (continued from page 1)
“You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time. ~ Abraham Lincoln
GROUNDHOG DAY What is the meaning of Groundhog Day and why do we celebrate weather predictions from a plump marmot?
When is Groundhog Day 2019? Groundhog Day always falls on February 2. This traditionally marks the midpoint between the winter solstice and spring equinox. Connection to the Weather Around this time, farmers needed to determine when to plant their crops, so they tried to forecast whether there would be an early spring or a lingering winter. It was not held as a good omen if the day itself was bright and sunny, for that betokened snow and frost to continue to the hiring of the laborers six weeks later on Lady Day. If it was cloudy and dark, warmth and rain would thaw out the fields and have them ready for planting. Our Groundhog Day is a remote survivor of that belief. According to legend, if a groundhog sees its shadow on this day, there will be six more weeks of winter; if it doesn’t, then spring is right around the corner. For centuries, farmers in France and England looked to a bear; in Germany, they kept their eye on the badger. In the 1800s, German immigrants to Pennsylvania brought the tradition with them. Finding no badgers there, they
adopted the groundhog to fit the lore. Pennsylvania’s Punxsutawney Phil has announced springs arrival since 1887. Other groundhogs also have carried on the tradition, including Ontario’s Wiarton Willie. Though we recognize that animal behavior isn’t the only way to judge planting dates, the tradition continues, often with a wink and a smile.
SO, WILL THE GROUNDHOG SEE HIS SHADOW? It depends on whether February 2 is sunny or cloudy!
Bravehearts Newsletter Page 7
Remember the children’s program that use to be on public television called “Where in the world is
Carmen San Diego?” They would follow world explorer Carmen and her side-kick Diego to various
parts of the world, leaving hints for the viewers. The object was to guess “where in the world” they
were.
The correct answers for January: 1. Caldera of Mt Etna, Sicily 2. Dubrovnik Croatia 3. Leaning Toer
of Pisa 4. Petroglyph National Monument , New Mexico
Here are four new ones. A couple of these may not be so easy. Guess the location and/or attraction.
Email us with your answer: [email protected] Those with the correct answers will be
named in our next issue along with the answers.
Where in the World...
2
4
1
3
Bravehearts Newsletter
Contact us at: (516) 562 - 6785 or Email: [email protected]
Join us and become a member of the
BraveHearts!
Please return the enclosed envelope
with your $20 dues.
New members always welcome!
Refreshments served after meeting!
Location: St. Francis Hospital, lower level waiting room in the DeMatteis Pavilion – use the main hospital entrance and ask for directions at the volunteer desk.
BraveHearts Officers
President - Mark Trantel
Vice President - Jim Jaffe
Vice President - Fred Strobel
Treasurer - Emile Letendre
Secretary - Dan Siefert
BraveHearts Board Members
Karin Caprariello
Michael Carillo
Aurora Collins
Dino Guiducci
Rich Heinl
Doris Letendre
Joe Romuno
Mae Romuno
Georgiana Silva
Sr. Pauline Gilmore, FMM - Spiritual Advisor
Newsletter Contributors
Editor - Dan Siefert
Photographer - Jim Jaffe
Doris Letendre - Travel Coordinator
Date: Sunday, February 24th
Time: 1:00pm
Speaker: Deanna Levy, AuD
Topic: Aging and Hearing Impairment