Although UVA was not able to schedule me for Cardiac Rehab before July, I reached out to Sentara and got an appointment the following week. Sentara has a larger program and hence more flexibility in scheduling. This is a 12-week program, 3 days a week - for me Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.  Jan and I attended the initial visit today. There were lots of questions while setting up the customized program for me. I told the nurse my goal was to get back in shape to hike the Hemlock Springs trail at Wintergreen. The drive to Sentara is farther by 10 minutes than UVA, but getting a timely start was critical. Our National Geographic Expedition to Newfoundland in September required that I get started as soon as possible. Mostly I will be doing aerobic exercise on machines while being monitored. My nurse will gradually increase the effort required. I will be wearing a heart monitor and there is a nurse constantly watching, looking for any abnormal beats. After an hour of exercise, there will be an educational session about heart-healthy eating and the healthy mindset. On Friday the nutritionist will cook us some healthy lunch items!
I continue to feel stronger and more normal day by day. I will check back after a month for a progress report.
Thanks for all the support!
Bruce