Back in Rhythm

Recovering from Heart Failure

Wally Funk credits his wife, Arwen, for getting him through open-heart surgery after tests revealed he was in heart failure.

Wally Funk laid in a hospital bed shocked, confused and overwhelmed. He never imagined he’d be undergoing open-heart surgery.

The 53-year-old Butte College assistant football coach originally sought care for what he thought was a tough bout with seasonal allergies. He was congested, coughing and it felt like a leaf was lodged in the back of his throat that he couldn’t get out. Instead, his results revealed much worse — he was in heart failure with a resting heartrate of 137.

“You spend your whole life as an athlete — work out, eat right and take care of your body,” Funk said. “I feel like I did that and still (heart surgery) was a huge mind game.”

Over 6 million adults in the United States have heart failure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heart failure is a serious condition when the heart can’t pump enough blood and oxygen to support the other organs of the body.

Funk relied not only on his care team at Enloe, but on his wife, Arwen, to get him through the difficult and unexpected experience.

“I feel pretty fortunate. I had support,” he said. “Once you get in the hospital and the tidal wave starts, you got to stay on the board until you get back in.”

Cardiologist Prajapathi Lakireddy, M.D., said Funk was healthy. However, his body was retaining water, and his heart was in atrial fibrillation, an irregular and rapid heartbeat. Lakireddy said Funk’s aortic valve was severely leaking, which could have either developed over time or was hereditary.

The allergy symptoms Funk experienced were attributed to the heart not functioning properly, Lakireddy said.

Six days after his initial visit to Enloe Prompt Care, Miguel Puig, M.D., a cardiothoracic surgeon, performed the surgery, repairing Funk’s valve.

Had Funk waited a few more weeks before seeking care, Lakireddy said his condition would have been in dire straits.

“Either way, I think we still would have been able to pull through,” Lakireddy said.

Now, Funk is recovering well and credits Enloe Cardiac Rehabilitation, a program dedicated to helping patients overcome heart disease through education and exercise.

Funk attended often, doing cardio with his heartrate monitored. He even became friends with other patients who had similar heart issues.

“I’m big on mindfulness. There was even a mindfulness component to it,” he said. “It was just wonderful.”

Love in Your Heart

Funk doesn’t shy away from being emotional. He teared up as he reflected on how Arwen has been his No. 1 supporter.

“I know it was rough on her. When you’re in the hospital going through it, your main focus is to get better,” he said.

“There are a lot of stories out there that didn’t go well. Patients and their families experienced the worst outcome,” Arwen said. “I’m so grateful that I was able to help him get better.”

Now, they’re both making an effort to live a healthier lifestyle, a silver lining for the couple. They work out together, cook healthy meals and make time to go on regular walks. “Even if it’s 45 minutes, we get 45 minutes together that’s not me laying on a hospital bed,” Funk said.

Having a Healthy Heart

Lakireddy emphasized the importance of establishing primary care, limiting salt in the diet, getting good sleep and incorporating regular exercise to help prevent cardiac problems.

“You don’t have to be a gym rat,” Lakireddy said. “Just walk three to four times a week. Thirty to 40 minutes is fine.”

Heart issues can arise at any age, so regular checkups mean issues get picked up much sooner. It’s not best to wait until you feel sick to see a doctor.

“It’s never too late to make a change to eat healthy,” Lakireddy said. “These habits will last the rest of your life if you make a change now.”