According to Ries Halbauer, it can be as subtle as knowing something wasn’t right.
Lying on the cool tile floor, Ries Halbauer was in the zone. He’d just finished a workout, his heart rate was up, and it wouldn’t come down. Ries was trying to block out everything to get it down. “It was kind of like meditating,” says Ries.
The problem was that Ries, senior manager for plant engineering and support operations, hadn’t felt right for a few days. The week before and out of character, Ries cut a kayak trip short when he didn’t feel well.
“I told the guide I’d go back to the bus and call it a day,” says Ries. He returned to work and his exercise regimen that Monday. Even though he continued life as usual, that feeling that something was off wouldn’t disappear – even though Ries did his best to excuse it.
“I just blamed the things that were signs like fatigue and muscle aches on getting older,” says Ries. “That just wasn’t true.”
Back on the floor, Ries tried not to panic. “It’s not like the movies,” says Ries who was eventually able to get dressed. “I didn’t have chest pain but I knew something wasn’t right.” He knew he needed help.
Melissa Hall at the Park Athletic Club took his blood pressure, and it was still too high. After they called Security and EMS, Ries was rushed to the hospital. “Within an hour, I had a stint in my heart,” says Ries. “I had a heart attack that morning.”
Not yet 50 years old, Ries was what many people would consider in shape. He ate healthy, and you can find him at the PAC most mornings. For Ries, his already health-oriented lifestyle puts him ahead of the recovery game.
That’s why Ries believes in taking care of yourself on the front end. And practically, it saves you some cash.
“If you take care of yourself, stay fit and don’t have to go to the doctor, what’s that do for you? You’re putting money back in your pocket,” says Ries. “By being in shape, you’re saving yourself money. No. 1, you get to live. No. 2, you get a bigger paycheck. By staying in shape, I’ve saved myself a ton of money.”
He also knows the importance of other aspects of health, like social and emotional wellbeing. “I preach more to people to enjoy life now. Don’t wait until you retire. I’m making more of an effort to enjoy life whereas before I wasn’t,” says Ries. “Get out and do something other than stick your face in a computer, game or phone. Otherwise life passes you by.”
Don’t let life pass you by! Wear blue and join your GEA colleagues on June 29, for WellWithin Week’s 5K Walk/Run at 8:30 a.m. in front of AP3. Let’s support Men’s Health Month!