John Forrester, Cardiac Rehabilitation Patient
A 15-minute scan—and wife Libby—saved John Forrester’s life. She encouraged him to get a cardiac calcium scan at Russell Medical Center (RMC). The scan looks for coronary calcium, which accompanies fatty plaque buildup in the heart’s arteries that can block blood flow to the heart. Mr. Forrester’s scan revealed a dangerously high score, and additional testing indicated he needed quadruple bypass surgery. Without the scan, the blockages in his heart may not have been found until he experienced a heart attack or other serious event.

Sudden News
The 65-year-old retired pilot had always enjoyed an active lifestyle, and with the exception of high blood pres- sure and cholesterol—which Mr. Forrester managed with medication—he didn’t have any signs that would make him or his doctor worry about his heart health. A year earlier, Mrs. Forrester, a nurse at RMC, had undergone a cardiac calcium scan at the hospital. Her score came back normal at zero, and she wanted Mr. Forrester to get scanned. “After I retired, I finally gave in,” he says.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Forrester were surprised when his score came back sky-high at nearly 1,600. “My doctor called and suggested I make an appointment with Dr. Sublett at RMC.” Mr. Forrester went on to have an extensive workup with Dr. Sublett which included a resting 12-lead electrocardiogram, a stress test and an echocardio- gram. When abnormalities were detected in all the tests, Mr. Forrester was scheduled for a heart catheterization. The results revealed 90 percent and above blockages in all four major arteries of his heart. To clear the blockages, he would need quadruple bypass surgery.

The road to recovery
Just seven weeks after bypass surgery, Mr. Forrester has begun a cardiac rehabilitation program at Total Fitness at RMC. He’s also back to playing golf and working around his property on Lake Martin. Mr. Forrester’s advice to those considering the heart scan at RMC? “Get it done,” he says. “I didn’t need a doctor’s referral, and it cost just $100. For me anyway, I couldn’t put a value on it.”

Jim Burns, Sleep Center patient
For years my wife was concerned about my loud snoring and frequent gasps for breath during the night. Not only was I waking up multiple times during the night, I was keeping her from a sound sleep also. I didn’t realize that my daily fatigue and sleepiness were the result of a common sleep disorder called sleep apnea. After consulting my doctor I chose to have a sleep study done at The Sleep Disorders Center at RMC. The Center is private, quiet and comfortable, and the technician was very professional. Thanks to the sleep study my condition was diagnosed by a sleep specialist, and treated. It literally changed my life! Now, six year later, I feel better than ever. My wife and I both enjoy a good night’s sleep thanks to The Sleep Disorders Center at RMC.

Rev. Ron Lukat, Total Fitness at RMC
When Rev. Ron Lukat moved to Alexander City, he said goodbye to big city headaches…but he also left behind a solid rehabilitation program for his hereditary heart condition. However, he’s never regretted the move.
"People always seem so surprised when I tell them how much Russell Medical Center’s fitness facility is than the one I used in Cincinnati, but it’s true," says Ron. "The folks at Total Fitness designed an excellent cardiac program for me, and they have the best collection of exercise machines that I’ve ever seen. What’s more, everyone is so friendly. I’ve even become good friends with the other folks who go here. We’ve learned to care about each other, and we look forward to see each other during the week, which makes exercising fun.
"There was a time when I couldn’t walk across a room without having to sit down. Now, I feel great and I look great! Proof that anything’s possible when your heart’s in the right place."

Mayor Barbara Young
"I’ve been active and involved in athletics all my life. As Mayor, being active and staying on my feet is very important so when I had to have a knee replacement due to a year of arthritic pain, I trusted the professionals at Russell Medical Center. My orthopedic surgeon and the RMC surgical team took excellent care of me, and the physical therapy department had me back on my feet within days of my discharge. I was back in the office in two weeks! I laugh when I tell folks that I used to run a 10-minute mile. Now I run it in 8, thanks to my bionic knee. Kidding aside, Alexander City is fortunate to have such fine physicians, skilled medical professionals and sophisticated technology at Russell Medical Center. I will always thank the RMC staff for their professionalism, competency and exceptional care."