Shane's Comeback with Cardiac Rehab

Shane Starling of Guntown was only 28 years old when he had his first heart attack in 1997. 

He was working construction when chest pain hit and radiated down his left arm. 

“I was working on top of a house, and I knew immediately what it was,” Shane says. “I knew I needed to get somewhere.” So, he went to the closest emergency room, which was in Booneville.

With Heart Attack, Minutes Matter

Within an hour, he was transferred by ambulance to North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo. That evening, he suffered a widow maker heart attack, a life-threatening blockage in a major artery that supplies blood to the heart. Without immediate treatment, the damage could be deadly.

The medical team sprang into action, sending him straight to the Cardiac Catheterization Lab. The cardiologist inserted a catheter into the completely blocked artery, inflated a balloon to open the blockage and placed a stent to keep the artery open. He also fixed other smaller blockages during the procedure.

“I was very blessed to be at the hospital when it happened,” Shane says. “I believe it’s the only reason I’m still alive.”

Getting Stronger, Changing Habits with Cardiac Rehab

After his hospital stay, Shane participated in NMMC’s Cardiac Rehabilitation, a medically supervised program that helps people rebound from a heart event. For three months, Shane exercised under the watchful eye of nurses and other health care professionals who are specially trained in heart disease. 

He came three days each week to rebuild his stamina and confidence on treadmills, stationary bicycles and more while the team monitored his heart rhythm, heart rate, blood pressure and exertion.

Shane also learned how to help control the risk factors that led to the heart attack – like smoking and eating poorly. 

“We talked about what I needed to do more of and less of,” he says. “I’ve never been afraid of work, because I know the work I do there is going to make my life better.”

Finding a Way Forward from Setbacks

Over the next 13 years, Shane survived two more heart attacks. The most destructive one hit the day after his 40th birthday.

“I developed congestive heart failure, and my doctor said I wouldn’t be able to continue to work,” Shane says. “But I went through the Cardiac Rehab program again, and they got me back to where I could do a lot.”

Everyday Wins in Spite of Heart Disease

Now 57, Shane has survived heart attacks, a pacemaker and several surgeries. He continues to lean on his Cardiac Rehab team, which by now has become more like family. 

Because of the damage his heart has suffered, life looks different now but is no less sweet. 

"Each time I've gone through Cardiac Rehab, it's helped me get back on my feet just a little bit quicker," he says. "Thanks to the cardiac care team, I know my four grandchildren. I'm still alive. I'm here."