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The Gail Woodruff Story

Pulmonary Rehabilitation Patient

When new members join the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Exercise Program at Island Hospital, some doubt their ability to participate. That’s when rehab veteran Gail Woodruff would often step up with an encouraging smile and assure beginners, “Don’t worry, if I can do it, so can you.”
 
Gail speaks from experience and a hard-won self-confidence. She had her first heart operation a month shy of her 50th birthday, a second four years later, followed by a lung surgery. Today she suffers from chronic heart and lung disease, but thanks in part to the Pulmonary Rehab Program and the life style changes she’s made, Gail continues to pursue activities that bring her joy. 
 
One of those is lending her fine soprano voice to lead the Praise Band of the New Hope Christian Fellowship where her husband, Dwight, serves as pastor. “Singing is something I don’t want to give up because of my health problems,” she says. “It's one of my greatest blessings in life.”
 
Gail had always been very active, but after age 40, she began to notice she was often tired and short of breath. Her doctor confirmed the diagnosis and after two surgeries and other out-patient rehabilitation at Island Hospital, Gail signed up for the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program.
 
“I have to be honest here,” she says. “When I saw all that exercise equipment my first thought was, this will be too hard. No way I’m going to last.”
 
But Gail did last, and before long she was riding the stationary bike with ease, increasing her pace on the treadmill and looking forward to exercise sessions. "I knew I was making progress when I stopped watching the clock and started pushing myself to higher levels,” she says.
 
In addition to a supervised exercise regimen tailored to her needs, Gail found the program’s counseling and education sessions helpful, including techniques to ease breathing and conserve energy, oxygen therapy, nutrition education, stress management, infection prevention and more.
 
Today Gail still leads the music at her church and continues to reap the benefits of exercise and information she received through the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program at Island Hospital. “I am so thankful that we have these valuable resources and excellent programs so close to home,” she says.