A heartfelt thank you: Frank’s story of care and recovery
"I was in the hospitality industry for 37 years,” said Frank. “When people are unhappy, they will always let upper management or ownership know. But when people do their job well, they absolutely should be recognized.”
Unexpected trouble
Frank considered himself healthy for a person in his 60s. He maintained a healthy diet, kept active by walking, biking and outdoor chores. He didn’t see or feel any signs of trouble until November 2024 when Alan Divine, MD, his primary care physician with Allina Health, noticed his EKG was different from the previous year. Dr. Divine recommended a stress test.
“When you’re doing a stress test, your heart rate should be going up on the incline,” explained Frank. “Well, mine, unfortunately, was not going up. Mine was going in the opposite direction.”
That dip in his heart rate led to an angiogram. Anil Poulose, MD, a cardiologist with Allina Health Minneapolis Heart Institute, found that Frank was living with critical coronary artery disease (CAD). He had severe blockages in his arteries — a discovery that reminded him of his father, who died suddenly at age 60.
“He was never sick a day in his life. He just, unfortunately, passed. Just like that,” said Frank.
The fix
Frank’s coronary arteries on both sides were blocked.
“He had one that was completely occluded or blocked, and the other was almost 90% blocked,” said Sebastian Iturra, MD, a cardiac surgeon with Allina Health Minneapolis Heart Institute. “If this had progressed, there’s a good chance, he could experience a significant heart attack with a risk of heart failure afterwards, or eventually death”
Dr. Iturra performed Frank’s open-heart surgery at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, completing two arterial coronary artery bypass graft surgeries to clear those blockages.
“Abbott [Northwestern] has such a wonderful reputation for the heart. We did a lot of investigating, and we just felt we were in very good hands,” said Frank.
Exceptional care
Frank spent six days in the hospital. As he recovered, he said he became overwhelmed with gratitude for the care he received the days before and after the surgery.
“When I was in the hospital, I wrote down people’s names because they were all so wonderful,” added Frank. “Everybody was professional, warm, considerate caring. I kept thinking, ‘they’re doing this for me, and taking care of literally hundreds of people a week.’”
Cardiac Rehab
Frank’s recovery continued with intensive cardiac rehabilitation at Allina Health Eden Prairie Clinic. During the four-month, medically supervised program, he focused on three things: exercise, nutrition and anxiety reduction.
“They were very helpful and positive. I was nervous about being on the treadmill after major surgery,” said Frank. “They checked my blood pressure before, during and after exercising. It was enlightening.”
Exercise is critical for heart recovery after surgery. In fact, the Minnesota Department of Health reports that completing cardiac rehab can reduce cardiac-related death by up to 31%.
A key component to avoiding another cardiac event is diet. Classes with Jennifer Guptail, a clinical dietitian with Allina Health Minneapolis Heart Institute, also proved vital to Frank. His wife joined him for those sessions, and they learned new recipes and tips and tricks to cut back on sodium.
Success
Cardiac rehab reduced Frank’s risk of another cardiac event and gave him confidence to return to an active life.
“Cardiac rehab was four months, and I did not miss one day. I had 100% attendance. Now I’m back to being active,” shared Frank. “Anybody who has any type of cardiac issues, I would highly recommend Abbott [Northwestern] and the Eden Prairie Clinic.”
Above all, Frank wants every care team member to know how deeply grateful he is for their role in his recovery.
Learn more about heart care at Allina Health Minneapolis Heart Institute.
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