George
A "Miracle" Recovery
George was seriously injured in an explosion that riddled his body with shrapnel and resulted in the breaking of nine bones. With the help of therapists, nurses and physicians at Kindred -- as well as his love of music -- George recovered to the fullest extent.
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Craig
Recovery with the Help of EKSO
Against the backdrop of the COVID pandemic, as his loved ones watched from outside, Craig, a patient at Kindred Hospital Clear Lake, gained strength and confidence as he recovered with the help of an exoskeleton developed by EKSO Bionics.
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Richard
“My advice to anyone going through this is to just stay with the program.”
When Richard began having trouble breathing he had to go to a general hospital where he was diagnosed with pneumonia caused by COVID-19.
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He was fortunate to not require the placement of a ventilator, but Richard needed a large volume of supplemental oxygen to support his lungs. When he had been stabilized he was transferred to Kindred Hospital Clear Lake to receive respiratory therapy and rehabilitation. At first Richard still required large volumes of oxygen and would quickly become winded with even minor activity. His respiratory therapists worked with him to strengthen his lungs and Richard responded quickly, needing less oxygen as he increased his stamina and endurance. By the time he was cleared to be discharged, Richard was up on his feet and walking, independent in all the activities of daily life, and looking forward to a complete recovery.
“My advice to anyone going through this is to just stay with the program,” Richard shared before he left Kindred to return home.
Maria
“I am so blessed to have had all the help I got here at Kindred.”
Maria was brought to Kindred Hospital Clear Lake after spending over a month at an acute care facility where she had been admitted for pulmonary failure and pneumonia due to COVID-19.
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When she arrived she was still dependent on a ventilator and on her caregivers for all her needs, as she was unresponsive and still in a critical state. Her respiratory team immediately began to work with Maria to restore her ability to breathe unassisted, and when she recovered her consciousness it marked a major turning point in her recovery as she began to apply herself to all of her therapy sessions and was very determined to recover. Maria made progress every day and reached one success after another once she was liberated from the ventilator, gaining strength through her occupational and physical therapy sessions and getting back the ability to speak and swallow with help from her speech therapist. In the rehab gym, Maria made excellent progress with a therapy device called the EKSO exoskeleton which allowed her walk and recover her gait pattern and she became stronger and more confident in her abilities. Then, just a little over two months since she was admitted, Maria was found to be ready to be discharged to return home.
“With the help of all the great doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists and the team in the rehab department, I am almost to the point where I was before I got COVID,” Maria affirmed. “I am so blessed to have had all the help I got here at Kindred, and now I can go home with my family!”
Millie
“I can’t thank everyone at Kindred enough.”
Millie lives at home with her two children and worked full-time until she started feeling sick and developed respiratory distress and low blood oxygen levels. When she was admitted to a hospital she was diagnosed with COVID-19, and as her breathing became worse she had to be placed on a ventilator. She remained at the facility until she was able to be taken off the ventilator and was transferred to Kindred Hospital Clear Lake for continued respiratory therapy and rehabilitation.
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When she arrived, Millie was still receiving supplemental oxygen through a specialized mask and needed significant assistance to get up from bed as she was still unable to walk on her own. Undaunted by the challenge she faced, Millie applied a positive mindset to everything she needed to do to recover and made steady progress day by day. Initially she had difficulty speaking after having been intubated, but her speech pathologist helped her regain her voice and ability to swallow, allowing Millie to begin eating and drinking a normal diet. She made excellent strides toward regaining her independence with help from her physical and occupational therapists and by the time she was discharged from Kindred to return home to her family she was able to walk with a rolling walker, needed only supplemental oxygen through a nasal cannula and continued making progress every day.
"I feel grateful to God that he put this hospital in my way and to each and every one who has been helping me,” Millie expressed before leaving Kindred. “I’m looking forward to having a normal life like I had before I got sick. I can’t thank everyone at Kindred enough!”
Kristina
“I am thankful for the foundation the team at Kindred provided to my mother.”
Kristina came to Kindred Hospital Clear Lake after undergoing two spinal surgeries that unfortunately led to serious complications, including acute respiratory failure. After she had been stabilized, she was transferred to Kindred Hospital Clear Lake to receive respiratory therapy and rehabilitation.
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Kristina was still suffering from confusion and her mental status was altered by her ordeal, but with diligent attention from her respiratory therapists and all of her caregivers she made steady progress and her cognitive abilities improved. And although her daughter Corinne was not able to be on site due to visitation restrictions, she was able to be constantly involved and appreciated the support facilitated by Kindred’s RehabTracker – an innovative mobile communications app that enables constant updates and communication about a patient’s progress. Kristina became stronger and went from being bedbound and completely dependent on her caregivers, to once again being able to stand as she regained her balance and mobility with help from her rehab team. No longer dependent on supplemental oxygen, Kristina also began to reclaim her independence and began to take more charge over the basic activities of daily living, allowing her to be discharged to continue her journey to recovery.
“I am thankful for the foundation the team at Kindred provided to my mother and for the care her entire team and her doctors gave her,” Corrine expressed just recently when she provided an update on Kristina’s rehabilitation. “She is making amazing progress and I can hardly believe it! She is now waking further and doing more things on her own and was excited to finally take a real shower. I also would like to share how much I appreciated the RehabTracker and knowing exactly what her goals were, what aspects of her care were being addressed and the progress she was making. This was one of the defining factors that helped us choose Kindred, and I’m learning that other hospitals don’t have anything like this – or even equivalent – which gives Kindred a huge advantage.”
Duane
“I want to thank my team.”
Duane developed a cough and fever that progressively got worse and he was admitted to a general hospital where he was diagnosed with COVID-19. His lungs and kidneys failed, so he had to be placed on a ventilator and started on dialysis. Duane was also given a feeding tube and remained in critical condition until he was able to be transferred to Kindred Hospital Clear Lake for respiratory therapy and rehabilitation.
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At the time of his admission, Duane was still unresponsive and completely dependent on the ventilator and his caregivers. When Duane regained consciousness at last he was shocked to realize how quickly his physical condition had deteriorated since he became sick, but with a positive attitude and constant support from his team of therapists, physicians, nurses and assistants, he began to make steady progress until he was able to be taken off the ventilator. His kidney function also returned and he was able to begin drinking and eating a modified diet after the breathing tube had been removed. Now able to get up with moderate assistance and walk once again, Duane looked forward to the next stage in his journey to recovery before being able to return home.
“I want to thank my team to whom I owe the success of my improved condition and mobility,” Duane shared just before leaving the facility. “Just one week ago I could barely stand up and now I’m walking with a walker!”
Arturo
“I was determined to get stronger.”
Arturo has battled diabetes for a long time. Even though he has suffered many effects of the disease such as poor vision, requiring assistance with insulin administration and meal preparations, he lived independently in his apartment until he began to feel more and more sick, with a fever, cough and fatigue that grew worse until he had to be admitted to the hospital where he was found to have COVID-19. He was started on a course of IV antibiotics to treat his pneumonia, and had to be placed on supplemental oxygen to support his lungs.
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Physicians successfully stabilized Arturo and he was brought to Kindred Hospital Clear Lake where he could receive respiratory therapy and ongoing medical treatment as well as physical rehabilitation. Actively engaged from the beginning and with his eyes on the prize of getting back home soon, Arturo began to make progress very quickly. As he was still potentially at risk for transmission, Arturo remained in the COVID unit – posing a problem for his physical rehabilitation as he didn’t have access to the regular rehab gym and equipment. Working together, various teams at Kindred Hospital created a dedicated “COVID Gym” in short order and Arturo was able to begin using therapy equipment that boosted his recovery. Then, in just under a month, Arturo was able to be discharged to return home completely free of supplemental oxygen, totally independent in all the activities of daily life and walking with only the assistance of a rolling walker. “I am very happy I was able to get all the therapy and services I needed to get home,” Arturo expressed before he was discharged. “I was determined to get stronger.”
Keysha
"You are the Best!"
Keysha lived at home until a bout with the flu led to her developing serious lung problems and difficulty breathing. She was admitted to a general hospital and physicians began to treat her for severe caloric malnutrition as well as pneumonia.
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She was placed on a ventilator to assist her breathing and given a feeding tube to deliver much-needed nutrition to aid her recovery.
After Keysha had been weaned from the ventilator and stabilized, she was transferred to Kindred Hospital Clear Lake for ongoing dietary management, medical care and rehabilitation. At first she was extremely weak and deconditioned and required assistance from her caregivers for the majority of her needs and mobility. Also complicating her recovery was the fact that Keysha had no appetite. This required the feeding tube to be left in place; however, once she began participating in physical and occupational therapy she regained her appetite and made excellent progress with her dietitian, progressing to finally being able to have the feeding tube removed.
In the rehab gym Keysha always brought with her a positive attitude that was noticeable and brightened up the room every time she came in. Aided by her unwavering dedication to recover and a great deal of motivation from family and staff, Keysha made a full recovery and was able to fully regain her independence and mobility as she continued to get stronger with each passing day.
“To everyone I have had the pleasure of meeting, you are the best!” Keysha affirmed just before she was discharged home to be with her family once again. “You demonstrate your dedication to your job by encouraging your patients to do just a little bit more until you reach your goal without becoming anxious by taking it one day at a time.”