Tex Turner had been a fit man throughout his entire military career, maintaining his 185 pound frame with regular exercise and a balanced diet. Even as a retired Army Col., Turner remained fit and active for decades. Various life changes led Turner to “let himself go” as he described it, and his weight rose to 200 pounds.  Then Turner received a wake up call in the form of chest pains. Believing it to be heartburn, Turner waited for the pain to subside and when it didn’t and the intensity worsened, he got himself to the Emergency Department at Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center.

The team in Williamsburg quickly determined that Turner was having a heart attack and mobilized a team. As Turner describes it, he was immediately given medication and told he was going to the cardiac cath lab. He woke up about 2:00 that afternoon with a stent. After two days in the hospital, Turner was discharged home.

He has been faithfully attending CARES for cardiac rehab at Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center and has been determined to adopt the healthy lifestyle habits that kept him fit and trim for his entire career. Turner knows the key to good heart health is to eat right and stay in shape. He is armed with even more information and has become vigilant about watching his salt/sodium intake. Turner says with a laugh that he has joined the ranks of people who read labels in the grocery store.

His experience as a heart patient has also taught him to listen to his body. He thinks people should know and understand the symptoms of a heart attack and act quickly to call 9-1-1 if a problem is suspected.

Just a few months later and Turner is already back to 185 pounds and plans to stay there. He will “graduate” from CARES after 12 weeks of rehab and then resume working out at the Wlbg/James City County Rec Center where he has belonged in the past.

Do You Know the Signals of a Heart Attack?