Kootenai | Kootenai Health | Issue 1, 2022

February Is American Heart Month: CheckYour Cardiovascular Health Get screened! • High blood pressure: has no symptoms and can’t be detected without being measured • Cholesterol: can be controlled though lifestyle changes and medication • Body weight and body mass index: help you understand how you compare to a healthy body weight and composition • Blood glucose: can indicate diabetes • Coronary CT angiogram: provides detailed images of arteries of the heart Kootenai Heart Clinics are in Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls, Sandpoint and Lewiston, with additional satellite locations across northern Idaho and in Libby, Montana. Visit KH.org/ heart-services/kootenai-heart-clinics . more than 20 years ago, John’s condition stabilized,” Dr. Orme said. “The success John has had involves the successful medical and surgical treatments we can now offer patients. “Equally important has been John’s compliance and his curious nature,” Dr. Orme continued. “He always brought a list of questions to his office visits. It was clear he wanted to know about his health and wanted to do everything reasonable to make things better. John is an optimist with a great spirit, determined to get the most out of life.” When Dr. Orme suggested the defibrillator and pacemaker, John said he recalls Dr. Orme saying the average lifespan after installment was about 10 years. “I asked, ‘What am I doing here 25 years later?’ He said, ‘You’re very, very blessed,’” John said. “I give the good Lord and the heart doctors 100 percent of the glory.” Livingwithheart disease John’s relationship with Kootenai includes life-changing health milestones. He is now a patient of certified physician assistant Gretchen Foley at Kootenai Heart Clinics in Lewiston. He has been so moved by her care that he made a donation to the Kootenai Health Foundation in Gretchen’s name. “She is an absolute sweetheart and deserves the recognition,” he said. “I was a pastor for 20 years, Church of the Nazarene. We were always taught to be giving and generous. Recognizing people is important. There should more of that.” When Gretchen heard about the donation, it made her day. “I work in heart failure. It is exhausting and overwhelming at times, particularly when no treatment plans seem to work for your patient and you have to venture with them down the hospice path,” Gretchen said. “When I can help patients understand their chronic disease process, educate them about what to expect and help them better manage their symptoms, it makes the difficult days more rewarding. “The relationships I form with my patients in this setting are really important. It means a lot to know that even the smallest difference matters greatly in their eyes.” Dr. Orme added some heart- healthy advice: • Be optimistic that great medical and surgical therapies are available for heart disease. • Being compliant with your therapies is crucial to your success. Many people live full, satisfying lives while living with heart disease. “Also, be like John,” Dr. Orme said. “Be curious about your health, your condition and its treatments. Ask questions of your doctors, make sure you understand what’s going on and what you can do about it. Stay enthusiastic and optimistic about your health.” Certified physician assistant Gretchen Foley listens to John Hahn’s heart. We’re Growing To continue to meet the needs of our growing community, Kootenai Health is growing too! Construction on our Kootenai Outpatient Surgery and Heart Center will provide: • An additional 37,000 square feet • Nine new patient rooms in the Heart Center • A new cardiac catheterization lab • A new electrophysiology lab • Two new operating rooms • Space for future growth We are working hard to minimize the impact of construction on patients and loved ones while we grow to meet future needs. KH . ORG 7