Trevor LaCost and his family have lived in Lamar for a long time. Whenever they need medical care, they come to Prowers Medical Center. “We’ve always had good care at PMC,” he said. “They’ve always been there for us when we needed them.”

But this spring, on April 4th, LaCost was experiencing more concerning symptoms than the typical sore throat or minor injury that had brought him, his wife or one of their three children to the medical center many times in the past.

LaCost was feeling tightness in his chest and was struggling to breathe. LaCost’s father and brother both died of heart attacks. He knew he needed to go to the emergency room.

The ER physicians and crew at Prowers Medical Center determined LaCost was having a minor heart attack. They stabilized him and arranged his transfer by helicopter to a Colorado Springs hospital, where he underwent a minimally invasive procedure to have a stent placed in his blocked coronary artery. He was back home the next day.

Three weeks later, LaCost, who owns Arkansas Valley Diesel, started cardiac rehabilitation at Prowers Medical Center. Cardiac rehab is an exercise program overseen by Dr. Richard Book and run by cardiac nurse Kristen Castle. Sessions last about an hour and include supervised exercise and health education. A customized plan is developed for each patient and generally includes both aerobic exercise, such as walking on a treadmill, and some strength training with dumbbells and weight machines.

While they are exercising, cardiac rehab patients are continuously monitored. They wear portable devices that measure their heart rate and rhythm. This ensures that their hearts are safe and responding well to the activity. The staff also checks patients’ blood pressures, blood oxygen levels and, if needed, blood glucose.

“I did cardiac rehab three times a week for 12 weeks,” LaCost said. “It was challenging for me to work my way up to the duration and intensity of exercise I needed, but now I feel quite a bit better, and I’m healthier. And recent tests suggest that thanks to rehab, the heart damage I sustained is reversing.”

LaCost has nothing but praise for Prowers Medical Center. “I want to thank Diana and the ladies in admissions and the emergency room team,” he said. “And Kristen—you rock. I wouldn’t have stuck through 36 sessions of rehab without your support. We are super fortunate to have a cardiac rehab department at Prowers Medical Center. Many communities do not. Thanks to Prowers Medical Center, we caught my heart trouble early and got it taken care of right away.”