Success Stories
Christina
"If you really want to get better you have to put in the effort.”
Christina had to go to the hospital when she became extremely ill. Doctors diagnosed her to be in advanced stages of end-stage liver failure and she was immediately placed on the transplant list. She was fortunate to be paired with a donor organ not long after her diagnosis and she underwent a liver transplant. Although the procedure went as planned, Christina developed respiratory failure after the operation and had to be placed on a ventilator and given a feeding tube.
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She remained at the facility for a month after her surgery and was able to be weaned from the ventilator before she was transferred to Kindred Hospital Houston Medical Center for wound care, therapy and rehabilitation. On arrival, Christina needed full assistance from her caregivers as she was very weak and deconditioned due to lack of mobility for so long. She received respiratory care to continue strengthening her lungs and not long afterward the breathing tube was removed. This allowed Christina to move on to the next phase of recovery with her speech pathologist, who helped her relearn to swallow and use her voice and begin to drink and eat a modified diet to supplement her nutrition.
Working with her physical and occupational therapists, Christina progressed from not being able to sit up in her bed, to standing and walking once again. Her rehab team employed a new assistive therapy device and Christina was able to get up on her feet with minimal assistance and stroll the hallway with a walker.
“I’m thankful to my team here at Kindred,” Christina shared before she was discharged to continue her recovery. "If you really want to get better you have to put in the effort.”
Michael
"I can't believe how far I've come along."
Michael worked as a pharmacist until he was forced to retire due to declining health. He lived at home with his wife and was independent with activities of daily living and mobility until the day his spouse found him unresponsive on the floor and called 911.
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He was rushed to the hospital and had to be immediately placed on a ventilator as he had developed respiratory failure. Physicians diagnosed him with neurological damage and he began treatment in the ICU of the hospital where he was admitted. Michael endured two additional transfers to different facilities before finally coming to Kindred Hospital Houston Medical Center to receive respiratory therapy and rehabilitation.
When Michael first arrived he was mostly unresponsive and unable to actively participate in therapy, requiring maximum assistance from his team of caregivers for all his needs. His respiratory team started the process of strengthening his lungs and he began to show physical and cognitive signs of improvement. As he became more alert and oriented, and with constant support and encouragement from his wife who was always at his side, Michael started to engage with his therapists and caregivers.
He was able to transition from full ventilator support to a portable device, allowing him to participate more fully in his therapy sessions, and soon he was up on his feet and walking with the aid of a walker.
Michael also made great gains with his occupational therapy program and regained much of the independence he had lost in performing the simple activities of daily life. His speech therapists helped Michael regain the ability to swallow and speak once more, although he still needed supplemental nutrition through a feeding tube to make up for his severe undernourishment.
When Michael was discharged from Kindred he was overjoyed to be returning to his home after being in hospitals for nearly three months. “I can’t believe how far I’ve come along,” Michael shared just before he left Kindred. “Thank you all for the care you gave me.”