PACEMAKER CLINIC
PHILIP’S STORY
Victoria resident Philip Abernethy has exuberance for life that’s obvious the minute you meet him. Originally from Liverpool, England, his warm smile and sense of humour puts people at ease. He speaks about his many serious cardiac experiences in a matter-of-fact way. “I have a long history of heart problems,” says Philip. “I had my first heart attack in 1997 when I was 57 years old and I’ve had several more heart issues since. I had a pacemaker implanted in 2009 which allowed me to travel to Europe and Russia. It’s really thanks to the cardiac team and the Pacemaker Clinic at Royal Jubilee Hospital that I was able to fulfill that dream.” Philip is one of thousands of Vancouver Island residents with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator in his chest. It monitors his heart rhythm and provides emergency defibrillation when needed. After the insertion of his device, Philip visited the Pacemaker Clinic at Royal Jubilee Hospital (RJH) for ongoing evaluation and follow-up. The team there supports every patient with implanted pacemakers and defibrillators on their journey back to cardiovascular health. Nearly 7,500 visits to the Pacemaker Clinic were recorded last year. “The pacemaker was shocking at first, no pun intended. But it really made a difference for a whole decade,” says Philip. “Unfortunately, my heart problems caught up with me again in 2015. I had another major cardiac issue — a life-threatening arrhythmia — and ended up hospitalized for several weeks.” Anyone who has experienced heart disease, including Philip, will tell you that it doesn’t just affect your heart; your whole life is disrupted. “I became a completely different person after my last heart attack. Normal, everyday things scared me — even the dark. I was terrified to be alone. Suddenly I was claustrophobic. I relied on my family for everything and essentially lost my independence,” recalls Philip. “You feel so fragile, almost like a china doll.” One way our hospitals help is through the Cardiac Rehabilitation program at RJH. Even after surgery or medication, a longer journey lies ahead for most patients. For many people, incorporating exercise into their routine helps them reclaim their strength. Dr. Elizabeth Swiggum, Cardiologist and Medical Director of the Heart Function Clinic and Cardiac Rehabilitation at RJH, refers many of her patients, to the Cardiac Rehabilitation gym where physiotherapists, like Adrienne Maurakis, build personalized exercise plans tailored to each individual patient’s abilities. “The Heart Function and Cardiac Rehabilitation programs are an important component of the cardiac care we provide. Our goal is to improve the patient’s function, confidence and independence. Exercising in a supportive environment will improve quality of life and survival,” says Dr. Swiggum. “Most of our rehabilitation patients who are recovering from a heart attack start out their journeys feeling very apprehensive,” says Adrienne. “They are unsure of themselves, and our primary job is to return them to health.” Going through Cardiac Rehabilitation not only helps people regain their physical strength, it also helps them overcome their fears and restore their confidence. “It’s a very supportive environment for patients,” says Adrienne. “We help patients exercise their way to wellness, but also empower them to be in control of their health. And they can do that here knowing they are safe and that the team will be notified of even the slightest concern, immediately, in real time through the telemetry system.” When Adrienne talks about the patients she sees in Cardiac Rehabilitation, her passion for helping people shines through. “It’s not just about keeping people alive, but helping them to live well.”