Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus (MMCSC) recently held a reunion for heart and vascular patients as part of RWJBarnabas Health’s annual celebration during American Heart Month. The event, which took place in the Cardiopulmonary Rehab Unit on February 18, highlighted the recovery journey of Mark Freiwald, a Security Supervisor at MMCSC who experienced a heart attack in April 2022.
Freiwald recounted his experience to attendees, saying, “It was around 3 p.m., and I was getting ready to leave. I felt a little warm, so I opened the window to my office, but that didn’t seem to help.” After feeling chest discomfort and being noticed by coworkers, he was taken to the emergency department. “They said, ‘We have to get you to the ED,’ and they called a rapid response code,” Freiwald explained.
Arturo Jimenez, MD, an emergency medicine physician at MMCSC, described Freiwald’s symptoms: “He had a classic presentation of a heart attack — new onset of progressive chest discomfort, profuse sweating and heavy breathing that persisted beyond 30 minutes.” Medical staff performed tests and provided medications before transferring him to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) in New Brunswick for further treatment. There, doctors cleared a completely blocked artery and inserted two stents.
After his hospital stay, Freiwald participated in cardiac rehabilitation at MMCSC. He completed 18 sessions over the summer following his discharge from RWJUH. Reflecting on his rehab experience he said: “Everything went extremely well, and the staff in cardiac rehab was amazing. They were all very supportive; helpful, friendly and attentive.”
Diane Carpino, RN, a cardiac rehabilitation nurse at MMCSC noted that their program supports not only heart attack survivors but also patients with conditions like congestive heart failure or those recovering from heart transplants or valve replacements. Hazelle Meneses, RN added: “The goal with cardiac rehab is to increase cardiovascular fitness as tolerated. It’s a process. We start slowly with patients, then build them up while monitoring their hearts.”
The reunion brought together members of the Cardiac Rehab team, Emergency Department staff present during Freiwald’s incident, hospital leadership from MMCSC and representatives from RWJBarnabas Health Heart and Vascular service line including Dr. Conor Barrett.
Freiwald expressed appreciation for those involved in his care: “They were all very supportive; helpful, friendly and attentive.”
