For Jim Russell, a routine workout on a February morning turned into a life-threatening emergency — and a testament to the critical importance of fast medical response.
It was around 10 a.m. on February 24th when Jim Russell was finishing his final set on the bench press at the CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health and Fitness Center – Herrington- Ornelas, when he began to feel a dull ache across his chest.
I started to feel, not a sharp pain,
but an aching in my chest,
Jim recalled.
It was kind of a symmetrical pain all the
way across and into my shoulders. And
the first thing I did was check my blood
pressure on the machine. When I took my
blood pressure, it was low,
which left him
to consider what he should do.
Initially planning to drive home and rest, a last-minute decision likely saved his life. He alerted someone in the vicinity that he believed he may be having a heart attack. What followed was a rapid and coordinated response from the CHRISTUS staff.
Within a minute, I had people
rushing over. One of them, a nurse, gave
me nitroglycerin and four aspirin right
away,
Jim said.
The team swiftly jumped into action and monitored him until the ambulance arrived. With the proximity of the medical clinic attached to the gym, emergency responders were able to quickly arrive and transport him to CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Hospital. There, a team was already standing by ready to treat him.
Jim recalls the treatment he received stating,
They went in through my wrist
and placed five stents — three in one
artery, two in another. I don’t know how
much time went by, but by the time I
got to the recovery room, all the pain
was gone,
Jim said. His cardiologist, Dr. Pedro Calderon Artero, later credited swift action from the staff at the gym as likely preventing his heart from serious damage.
Russell was admittedly grateful for the immediate response.
Following his procedure, Jim began cardiac rehabilitation at the CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Louis and Peaches Owen Heart Hospital, following his heart attack. Rehab has been instrumental in helping him to get back into his everyday routine.
The program has not only aided
in his physical recovery but has also led to
a transformation in his fitness priorities. I used to focus on strength training
because of muscle loss with age. But now
I realize I neglected the most important
muscle — my heart. I’ll still lift weights,
but cardio will be the priority going
forward,
Jim said.
Looking back, Jim is grateful for the fact that his heart attack occurred at the CHRISTUS Health and Fitness Center – Herrington- Ornelas.
If I’d been working out at home or
even at another private gym, who knows
what could’ve happened.
He credits their
immediate response for saving his life.
As he looks to the future, Jim is eager to return to the same gym — this time, with a new plan, a better diet, and a deeper appreciation for every heartbeat.
