ARLINGTON, Texas — From the sidelines, Cody Adams watched his teammates — the Lost Souls rugby team — run onto the field. Dealing with severe asthma, which included coughing attacks and constant exhaustion, Adams was feeling just that — lost.

Danna Carter, RRT, Cody Adams, and Ty Whiting, RRT

“Mr. Adams recovered from COVID in 2020, but he had a lot of anxiety from sporadic coughing attacks,” said Ty Whiting, RRT, RCP, Texas Health Arlington Memorial Hospital’s Pulmonary Rehabilitation coordinator. “He was surviving but not thriving, and pulmonary rehab was critical to his recovery process.”

Texas Health Arlington Memorial is the most recent facility within Texas Health Resources to offer pulmonary rehabilitation, and is one of seven locations across the Metroplex. The treatment helps individuals reduce shortness of breath and fatigue and improve breathing, lung function and exercise endurance.

Several years ago, COVID-19 negatively affected pulmonary care in Arlington, causing the closure of the only pulmonary rehab facility in the area, Whiting said.

“We wanted to offer the community a new program and prevent multiple hospital admissions from patients dealing with lung disease,” Whiting said. “With the closest pulmonary rehab facility more than 20 minutes away, our goal was to address the needs of Arlington residents and meet them where they live.”

Located on the second floor of the Texas Health Fitness Center, the program began offering services in March, Whiting said.

Benefiting from pulmonary rehabilitation

“We help individuals minimize depression and anxiety and empower them to improve their quality of life by bolstering their confidence and independence,” Whiting said. “Mr. Adams was a great candidate for our pulmonary rehabilitation program, because he was motivated to get better.”

The lingering effects Adams suffered from — coughing attacks, mucus buildup and fatigue — are symptoms of COVID dyspnea, which describes difficult and labored breathing. He’s not alone, as more than 35% of patients live with dyspnea months after recovering from COVID.

“I didn’t understand it. I wasn’t in pain, but I was always out of breath, even just from walking,” Adams said. “I was frustrated, and I knew I wanted to get off the sidelines and be part of the team again.”

After completing a chest X-ray and a pulmonary function test, Adams was diagnosed with severe asthma, said Tony Su, M.D., a pulmonologist on the Texas Health Arlington Memorial medical staff.

Su referred Adams to pulmonary rehab to help the rugby player and full-time accountant regain his strength and stamina.

Thriving after rehabilitation

“Having a structured program with respiratory therapists monitoring Mr. Adams’ lung function and constantly encouraging him made all the difference in his recovery,” Su said.

For 13 sessions, Adams worked with Whiting and several respiratory therapists, riding stationary bikes, walking and eventually running on the treadmill.

“Ty and the other therapists made rehab fun by combining exercising with socializing,” Adams said. “She motivated me and gave me realistic goals, so I could see my progression and not become discouraged.”

No longer bothered by shortness of breath and exhaustion, Adams completed pulmonary rehab in July. He’s grateful to be back in the game, too.

“I was proactive with my health, and I got the help I needed,” he said. “My coach tells us to remember ‘imua,’ which means to move forward. That’s what I’m doing, and I’m still here, enjoying life.”

*Doctors on the medical staffs practice independently and are not employees or agents of Texas Health hospitals or Texas Health Resources. © 2024 Texas Health Resources.