News and Tips

Susie is a lifelong dancer. She even danced competitively for the University of New Mexico dance team. She says dance was something she had always loved, and something she had always been able to do, until it wasn’t.

In January of 2023 both Susie and her husband got COVID-19. Because of her pre-existing conditions, Susie was hit hard. The symptoms lasted for a few months, and though she was trying, Susie wasn’t getting her strength back. The dancing she used to love to do at parties was no longer possible for her. Her doctor referred her to New Heart. 

Susie wasn’t new to the rehab facility game. After being involved in a car wreck, she had attended physical therapy. 

“I was having a lot of pain in my upper back and my neck when I would try to do the exercises,” she said, and she later found out it was due to a crushed vertebrae in her neck. “There was not a lot of encouragement.” 

Her previous exposure to rehab made her hesitant to come to New Heart. 

However, she noticed a difference immediately. New Heart wasn’t just another rehab facility; it was a welcoming environment, free of competition, and a safe place where she could slowly rebuild her strength. 

Susie remembers exercise specialist Joslyn asking her what her goal was for the 36-session program. 

“To be able to dance at my 50th wedding anniversary party at the end of June,” Susie said. “And so, everybody helped me work on that.” 

The staff began brainstorming ways to strengthen Susie’s legs and her endurance. They began incorporating resistance bands exercises into her programs, along with lots of sitting and standing motions. 

“Joslyn was so involved!” Susie said. “She would say ‘you’re gonna want to line dance, so you need to do some lunges!” 

Susie has also taken advantage of the COVID-19 support groups that New Heart offers on a Saturday once a month. The support groups are designed for people who have suffered the effects of COVID-19 for a long time, and are looking for resources and people to talk to.

The next meeting is on November 9th at 1 p.m. and is open to any member of the community, New Heart member or not.  

Susie’s recommendation for anyone feeling beaten down by long-term effects of COVID-19 is to ask their doctor about New Heart (that’s our recommendation too!) 

Susie and her husband have been coming to New Heart together for over 3 months and Susie is a graduate of the 36-session program, but she asked her doctor for an additional prescription because she saw so much improvement. 

“I just think it’s remarkable that we have this right here in New Mexico,” she said. After all, she ended up dancing the night away with her husband at her 50th anniversary.