Success Stories

After surgery and when his condition was stabilized, Ramon came to Kindred Hospital completely dependent on a ventilator for breathing assistance. He was extremely weak and unable to move on his own, requiring maximum assistance from his care team for all of his needs. His multidisciplinary team developed a plan to wean him from the ventilator and begin rehab with the goal of progressing to a lower care rehab facility and then home to his family.

Within a matter of days he began to make progress and Ramon was able to begin communicating with a speaking valve. He started a course of rehab therapy to improve his strength and mobility. Over the course of a few weeks he went from being unable to move on his own to being able to transfer from his bed to a wheelchair and to walk on the parallel bars with assistance. Ramon was also able to completely wean from the ventilator and, with his voice intact, he began to sing songs and have conversations with family and staff.

“I’m extremely thankful to everyone who cared for me,” Ramon said as he was discharged to a rehab facility to continue on his journey to recovery. All of us at Kindred wish Ramon the best and have no doubt he will be able to recover his health and quality of life.

Within one week of working with our staff at Kindred Hospital El Paso, Billy was able to perform vent trials during the day. During the second week we worked to get him mobile since he required 10-15 liters of supplemental oxygen. Soon Billy was able to discontinue his tracheotomy and only needed oxygen and Bi-PAP at night. Initially he required maximum assistance with all activities of daily living, including getting in and out of bed. After several weeks of working with our therapists, Billy was able to sit in a wheelchair independently and walk 100 feet with a walker. By the end of his stay at Kindred, Billy was independent with self feeding/grooming and hygiene, and needed only minimum to moderate assistance with dressing. After only 28 days with us, he was transferred to a skilled nursing facility to continue his rapid recovery.

Laura came to Kindred Hospital for treatment of respiratory failure and to wean from the supplemental oxygen on which she was dependent. She was very weakened by her condition and required full assistance with all her daily needs. Her team of respiratory therapists and nurses helped to reassure Laura and her family, who were very apprehensive at first. But within just two days Laura was able to be weaned from the oxygen completely, and just two days after that she was able to have her tracheostomy removed. She continued to do respiratory therapy to improve her lung function and to participate in physical and occupational therapy as well to regain her independence. Laura made great progress and at the time of her discharge to her home with home health she was able to walk with the assistance of a walker. When she first came to Kindred Laura thought that she would never be able to walk again. “This is the best place anyone could be to get the medical, physical, spiritual and emotional uplifting care that is needed,” Laura said. “I thought I would never walk again.”

On July 8 we began hyperinflation therapy and from July 9-11 she was able to stay off the ventilator and begin Passy-Muir trials. We were able to cap her trach on July 20 and she was successfully weaned off oxygen on July 23.

Initially, Joseline required maximum assistance for mobility and all activities or daily living. She worked with our rehab therapists to regain strength and stamina and upon discharge she had made significant progress with her ADL skills.

After 22 days at Kindred, Joseline was discharged to inpatient rehab to continue her recovery.