Cardiac Rehabilitation Program
Patient Profiles
| Article Sections | |
 Overview |
Rehab Team |
| In-Patient (Phase I) |
 Patient Profiles |
| Out-Patient (Phase II) |
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Michael O'Neil, M.D., orthopedic surgeon and former caradiac rehab patient
Michael O'Neil, M.D., remembers the day quite vividly. It was a sunny afternoon in October 1996. He was having a conversation with his building contractor outside his west Omaha home. Before the contractor left, he mentioned how good Dr. O'Neil was looking. It was right about then, that Dr. O'Neil remembers feeling a sharp pain in his chest. A physician himself, he knew this was not something to dismiss. There was also no doubt in his mind where he had to go. "I wanted to go where I knew I'd get the best care possible --The Nebraska Medical Center," says Dr. O'Neil, an orthopedic surgeon who has been practicing at The Nebraska Medical Center since 1971.Because he was in west Omaha, it was decided that he needed to be taken somewhere closer. He was taken to the next best place – Clarkson West Medical Center – The Nebraska Medical Center's west Omaha emergency room and clinic. At Clarkson West, Dr. O'Neil was given medications to stabilize his condition. Once stabilized, he was transferred to The Nebraska Medical Center.
"I knew I was in good hands," he says. "The physicians, the quality of care. It's the best medicine in town by far."
Patient Profiles
The following day, Dr. O'Neil failed a stress test. An angiogram revealed that he had a 90 percent occlusion in one of his arteries and 50 percent occlusions in two other vessels. A balloon angioplasty was attempted to open the arteries, but also failed. Dr. O'Neil was put on the schedule for a three-vessel bypass three days later.- Michael O'Neil
- Harvey Winningham
- Martin Dourney
The next six weeks, Dr. O'Neil would concentrate on recovery and regaining his strength. He was soon enrolled in The Nebraska Medical Center's Cardiac Rehab program. Cardiac rehab is recommended for individuals who have suffered a heart condition to help them regain their strength and aerobic endurance and learn healthy lifestyle habits. The program involves medically supervised exercise and education to improve heart health with the goal of returning to normal physical activities.
"They were very good," says Dr. O'Neil, who attributes the rehab team to helping him adopt healthier lifestyle habits. "I have nothing but praise for them."
Dr. O'Neil attended rehab three days a week for six weeks and followed a program of walking on a treadmill and weight lifting. A heart monitor is attached to each patient to keep close track of heart rate and prevent overexertion. "They watch you like a hawk and that's good," notes Dr. O'Neil. "They made the sessions enjoyable and it was fun getting to know the staff and other patients."
Before the rehab program, Dr. O'Neil had drifted in an out of exercise routines throughout his life. He invested in an exercise bicycle, rowing machine and stair climber. But eventually, he'd fall back into his old habits. The near heart attack episode was enough to jolt him back into a regular exercise routine. For nearly five years, Dr. O'Neil says he walked faithfully three times a week or more. While he has started to slack off more recently, he says he's determined to get back on track. He has also made other changes to his lifestyle. He cut back on pasta and red meats. He quit performing some of the higher stress surgeries and stopped taking night and weekend calls.
Dr. O'Neil, now 68, says he checks in annually with his internist Donald Darst, M.D., at The Nebraska Medical Center, and to this date, continues to receive a clean bill of health.
