From Crisis to Strength

Beating the Odds, Jim Russell is Grateful to Have a Second Chance

For Jim Russell, a routine workout on a February morning turned into a life-threatening emergency — and a testament to the critical importance of fast medical response.

It was around 10 a.m. on February 24th when Jim Russell was finishing his final set on the bench press at the CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health and Fitness Center – Herrington- Ornelas, when he began to feel a dull ache across his chest.

I started to feel, not a sharp pain, but an aching in my chest, Jim recalled. It was kind of a symmetrical pain all the way across and into my shoulders. And the first thing I did was check my blood pressure on the machine. When I took my blood pressure, it was low, which left him to consider what he should do.

Initially planning to drive home and rest, a last-minute decision likely saved his life. He alerted someone in the vicinity that he believed he may be having a heart attack. What followed was a rapid and coordinated response from the CHRISTUS staff.

Within a minute, I had people rushing over. One of them, a nurse, gave me nitroglycerin and four aspirin right away, Jim said.

The team swiftly jumped into action and monitored him until the ambulance arrived. With the proximity of the medical clinic attached to the gym, emergency responders were able to quickly arrive and transport him to CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Hospital. There, a team was already standing by ready to treat him.

Jim recalls the treatment he received stating,

They went in through my wrist and placed five stents — three in one artery, two in another. I don’t know how much time went by, but by the time I got to the recovery room, all the pain was gone,

Jim said. His cardiologist, Dr. Pedro Calderon Artero, later credited swift action from the staff at the gym as likely preventing his heart from serious damage.

Russell was admittedly grateful for the immediate response.

New Lease on Life Through Cardiac Rehab

Following his procedure, Jim began cardiac rehabilitation at the CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Louis and Peaches Owen Heart Hospital, following his heart attack. Rehab has been instrumental in helping him to get back into his everyday routine.

The program has not only aided in his physical recovery but has also led to a transformation in his fitness priorities. I used to focus on strength training because of muscle loss with age. But now I realize I neglected the most important muscle — my heart. I’ll still lift weights, but cardio will be the priority going forward, Jim said.

Reflections and Gratitude

Looking back, Jim is grateful for the fact that his heart attack occurred at the CHRISTUS Health and Fitness Center – Herrington- Ornelas.

If I’d been working out at home or even at another private gym, who knows what could’ve happened. He credits their immediate response for saving his life.

As he looks to the future, Jim is eager to return to the same gym — this time, with a new plan, a better diet, and a deeper appreciation for every heartbeat.