Cardiac rehabilition program graduates, family members and staff mingle at an informal social held Tuesday, Feb. 10 at Bladen County Hospital.
Sonny Jones / Bladen Journal
Cardiac rehab graduate Robert Bryan (left) and nurse Regina Burumen
Sonny Jones / Bladen Journal
Sonny Jones / Bladen Journal
Robert Bryan walked down the steps inside the solarium of Bladen County Hospital without the aid of a cane or walker. A few months ago that seemed unlikely. He credits a program at the Cape Fear Valley Health Care facility with assisting his improved balance.
Bryan was among 22 graduates of the revitalized Cardiac Rehab program that were recognized at an informal social Tuesday, Feb. 10 as part of National Heart Month.
“The program helped a lot,” said Bryan, who is 72 years old and lives in Bladenboro. “I could hardly walk. I got neuropathy in my legs. I did a lot of exercise. It will make you sore. That lady there worked with me.”
“That lady” is Regina Berumen, a 1995 East Bladen High School graduate who, along with her husband, Michael, oversee the cardiac rehabilitation program that is part of the hospital’s heart and vascular care.
“They go through a 36-session program to help build their heart muscle back up,” Berumen said. “They may have had a heart attack, stents, some type of cardiac event or heart disease, and their cardiologist or physician sends them to us.”
The cardiac rehabilitation program has been available at Bladen County Hospital for several years, but the COVID-19 pandemic kept patients away. The Berumens have led the renewed emphasis on the program and new equipment has been installed.
“It has been a very successful program,” hospital president Spencer Cummings said. “Regina is our spotlight in that program. She is TLC to the ninth level. Those patients love her. They don’t want to quit.”
Berumen said that she receives patient referrals from doctors every day, but “the sad part is not even 50% that are referred attend, but it is so beneficial to the individuals.
“I monitor their telemetry, their heart rhythm while they’re actually doing aerobic exercise,” Berumen said. “It’s like a mini-gym.”
The cardiac rehab program usually has 10 patients enrolled at a time, Berumen said. The patients exercise two to three times per week for 13 to 15 weeks. There are two patients in each session.
“We have met all of our goals and we’ve not had any patients leave the program or not succeed in the program,” Berumen said.
Bryan has maintained an exercise regimen since graduating from the rehabilitation program.
“I still do my exercises,” he said. “Not every day, but most of the time.”
“Can I brag on you?” Berumen interrupted. “He came in (to the program) using his cane for balance and other issues and when he left he no longer had to do that.”
A patient’s recovery is the purpose of the program, according to Cummings.
“It’s about healthy healing and healthy lifestyles,” Cummings said. “A lot of these patients have gone through the gamut before they even come to us for cardiac rehab. We have a program with the love and the care that we have for the community to bring them out. It’s all about getting movement, getting a regimen, getting repetition and support.
“We wanted to celebrate these people that were coming in with a big dramatic change in their lifestyle,” Cummings said.
Sonny Jones can be reached at [email protected].