By Michael Hill
Correspondent
Saturday morning, 64-year-old diabetic and prostate cancer patient John Holmes Goodwin leads a group walking on Bergen Street outside University Hospital where doctors on New Year’s Day saved his life.
“With the help of the doctors, I’m just happy to be here because I was at my last seconds. I was out of breath,” Goodwin said.
Late December, Goodwin ate salty pickles and potato chips. As his heart was failing and just pumping at 20 percent, he barely made it in time to the ER where doctors determined he had suffered a heart attack days before.
“My lungs felt like they were coming though my ribs. I just couldn’t walk,” he said. “By the time I got to the machine where they checked me out and everything I couldn’t even go in the machine, the guy said just give me five minutes, I was panting for my breath. It was like all over for me. They got my heart pumping back up to 80 percent.”
“I see all patients with heart failure,” said Dr. Pallavia Solanki.
Cardiologist Solanki and her team enrolled Goodwin — a professional pool player — in the hospital’s Healthy Heart Program aimed at saving lives and cutting the nation’s $29 billion hospital readmission price tag for heart patients.
The goal of the program is to get those with issues like diabetes, high blood pressure and heart ailments to change their ways so they don’t wind up in the ER again and being hospitalized.
“Whatever is their problem, we kind of cater to that particular patient,” Dr. Solanki said.
Nearly 400 patients are in Healthy Heart through the ER or by outside referral. The program and its team of doctors, therapists, dietitians and social workers encourage and educate patients on how to improve their diets, adopt better habits and exercise.
“All those things, sometimes it’s all our fault. I would say that. We’re changing that,” Dr. Solanki said.
“All that stuff is beginning to help me, strengthen me. Right now at this point, I’m able to ride my bike from West Orange to the hospital. I come down Eagle Rock Avenue, I’m flying,” Goodwin said.
Goodwin says his lifestyle changes include braving the elements to walk in snow, sunshine or this soaking summer rain when others said stop and take cover.
“I’m trying to send out a message to heart attack and heart failure patients that hey listen, you can turn this thing around by putting up a fight and my fight is to walk and ride my bicycle,” he said.
Goodwin has become sort of an ambassador for University Hospital’s Healthy Heart Program.
“I think he’s lucky to be alive,” Dr. Solanki said.
“I would say more than ever I’m blessed to be alive,” Goodwin said.