When someone in Hardeman County faces a heart scare, those first moments of care matter. And more often than people realize, that crucial care can start right here at Bolivar Hospital, close to family, friends, and home.
But heart care does not stop when a patient leaves the hospital. For many, the real work begins in Cardiac Rehabilitation, where strength is rebuilt step by step, confidence returns, and hope starts to feel possible again.
At Bolivar Hospital, that work is led with patience, compassion, and a whole lot of heart by Penny Sparks, Cardiac Rehab Manager, and the team who walk alongside patients during recovery.
“A lot of folks come in scared. This is the first real exercise they’ve done since their heart event. My job is to let them know they’re safe and that we’re going to take this one step at a time, together,” Penny said.
Cardiac rehab is more than exercise. It is a guided program designed to help patients strengthen their hearts, improve breathing, manage blood pressure, and build healthy habits that last long after the program ends. Most patients attend about 36 visits over several weeks, and the change Penny sees is often remarkable.
She remembers patients who could barely finish a short walk when they started. By the end, many are walking longer, climbing stairs, lifting weights, and doing things they thought they might never do again.
“It’s amazing to watch someone come in afraid to walk down the hallway, and then weeks later they’re walking on an incline, lifting weights, and smiling while they do it,” Penny said.
For patients in and around Bolivar, that progress happens close to home, without long drives to larger cities. That matters, especially for people who are already tired, sore, or worried about their health.
It also happens on a schedule built around real life. Penny works closely with each patient to make sure they can fit rehab into their day, whether that means early mornings, late afternoons, or adjusting days to keep them on track. And sometimes, that flexibility means Penny shows up on what would normally be her day off, just to make sure a patient does not miss a visit.
“If someone needs a certain time to make this work, I try my best to make it happen. The most important thing is that they can be here and keep moving forward,” Penny said.
Just as important, cardiac rehab gives patients something many of them need just as much as physical healing. Encouragement, education, and connection.
“A lot of our patients live alone or don’t get out much. When they come here, they’re not just exercising. They’re building friendships and cheering each other on,” Penny shared.
Inside the rehab space, patients learn practical, everyday things that make a real difference. How to watch sodium. How to read food labels. How to keep track of daily weight. How small changes can keep them out of the hospital and feeling better at home.
Penny sees it click when patients start connecting the dots between what they eat, how they feel, and how their heart responds.
“When someone tells me they carried in their groceries without getting short of breath, or they didn’t have to sit down and rest like before, that’s a big win. That’s when you know this is working,” she said.
Some patients even finish the program and go home to buy treadmills, bikes, or free weights so they can keep going on their own. That is the goal. Not just recovery, but confidence and independence.
One of the most meaningful parts of the program is graduation day, when patients complete their visits and celebrate how far they have come. It is a reminder that healing does not happen overnight, but it does happen with steady effort and the right support.
“I see these patients more than I see some of my own family during the week. You really get to know them, and they get to know you. Watching them get stronger never gets old,” Penny said.
At West Tennessee Healthcare, heart care is not just about advanced medicine. It is about people, relationships, and being there for your neighbors when they need it most. From those first critical moments of care to the weeks of recovery that follow, patients in Bolivar can find quality heart care close to home.
More and more patients are learning they do not have to leave West Tennessee to get high-quality heart care. And every day, inside Cardiac Rehab at Bolivar Hospital, you can see what that looks like in real life. Stronger steps. Steadier breathing. And a whole lot of hope.
If you or someone you love is facing a heart concern, start close to home. Talk with your primary care provider about a referral to a West Tennessee Healthcare Heart and Vascular specialist and ask about cardiac rehab at Bolivar Hospital. You may not need to travel far to get the care and expertise your heart deserves.
