Pulmonary Rehab, A Breath of Fresh Air

Twice a week Cynthia Jackson walks down the hallway to her pulmonary rehabilitation class at Rush Oak Park Hospital in a single stretch—a feat considering that when she started the classes more than three years ago the same activity required her to stop at least three times to catch her breath.

“I was so weak when I started,” Jackson said. “This program keeps you strong. I swear by it. I try to let nothing get in the way of getting to class.”

The pulmonary rehabilitation program at Rush Oak Park Hospital aims to restore patients like Jackson to more active lifestyles, increasing their ability to participate in activities of daily living by helping them build strength and endurance. Jackson, who has pulmonary hypertension and sarcoidosis, was referred to the program by her pulmonologist in May 2009. When she graduated in August 2009, she continued with the maintenance program, which she still attends every Tuesday and Thursday. Thanks to the help and support she’s received, she said she continues to live independently and has not been hospitalized.

“I really love the fact that this program works. It’s as simple as that,” Jackson said.

Rush Oak Park Hospital’s pulmonary rehabilitation program is designed for people with a wide variety of chronic lung diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema and asthma. It also is an option for people considering lung surgery, helping them increase strength before surgery and regain strength afterward.

Donald Ball, another patient in the maintenance program, said he saw a great improvement in his endurance and strength after completing the 10-week pulmonary rehabilitation program. When it comes to routine physical activities, he said now he can do more for longer stretches of time with far fewer naps.

“The big payoff was two weeks ago when I went out to Oregon to ski with my son and a couple of grandchildren and a bunch of friends. I was just absolutely thrilled with my energy and stamina, and I did better than I’ve done in 10 years in terms of what I could do and how long I could keep it up,” he said. “I’m not going to compete in the Olympics but I’m having fun. I appreciate what the program has done for me.”

After physician referral and an initial evaluation, the pulmonary rehabilitation team designs comprehensive programs tailored to patients’ individual needs. Patients meet three times a week for classes focused on exercise, nutrition, education, and counseling and support. Three NuStep machines guarantee that all patients can complete some exercise. After the 10-week program, patients like Jackson and Ball can move on to a twice-weekly maintenance program.

“Chronic illness usually comes hand in hand with stress,” Jackson said. “I can work off some of the stress. Starting last summer I could get on public transit. I was shocked. I didn’t think I would ever do that again.”

The program has been certified by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) since 2008. For more information, call 708-660-LUNG (5864).