Jean
Before She Came To Kindred She Was Told She Would Never Recover
Jean was admitted to Kindred Hospital after being treated at a general hospital for pulmonary failure. She arrived weak, lethargic, disoriented, and dependent on a ventilator to support her breathing. She also had a feeding tube administering nutrition as she was unable to eat on her own.
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Her husband shared the difficulties that lay ahead for Jean: “The hospital my wife was in before Kindred told me there was no hope for her to breathe without a respirator, even her own internist had confirmed this and said the outcome didn't look good. The MD's said she would never come back. The pulmonologist at the original hospital said she didn't have the muscle mass to ever breathe on her own again.”
Jean’s care team at Kindred began a ventilator weaning treatment plan that consisted of strengthening Jean’s lungs and helping her regain her mobility and independence. Within a few days she was able to sit on the edge of the bed and began participating more fully in rehab therapy as her strength returned. She was also able to tolerate the weaning protocol as her lungs began to heal, and she reached a milestone when she was able to have the ventilator completely disconnected and breathe on her own with supplemental oxygen.
“They surely know what they are doing at Kindred. Everyone needs to know what Kindred can do to help get someone who is on a ventilator breathing on their own again,” Jean’s husband said.
Jean then began to communicate using a voice valve, and when she was able to have the tracheostomy tube removed she was able to speak with her own voice and begin eating a modified diet. At the time of her discharge to a rehab facility to continue her recovery, Jean was able to walk on her own and climb steps with the aid of a walker and rails. She was also able to eat soft foods and take care of all her personal needs.
Before she left, Jean shared her thoughts about the care she received: “The nurses and physicians – and my family – are my guardian angels. They all brought me back – the people at Kindred are awesome, all of them.”
Jean, all of us at Kindred are amazed by your recovery and determination to get better! You are an inspiration to all of us and we wish you and your family all the best as you continue on your journey to recovery.
Clockwise from left top: Lorraine Ruiz, PT; Marc Rosenblatt, Speech Therapy – program Director; Kathy Horan, RT; David Law, RN
Harriet
From Maximum Assistance To Independence
Harriet came to Kindred Hospital suffering from acute respiratory failure following a surgical procedure. She had a tracheostomy and was dependent on a ventilator to help her breathe.
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On arrival she was also dependent on a feeding tube due to being intubated and unable to feed herself. Understandably, she was also anxious and frustrated as she was completely unable to move and required maximum assistance with even the simplest of tasks.
Under the guidance and support of her care team, Harriet began to make progress and was able to begin communicating via a Passy Muir valve. The next step in her recovery was the removal of the tracheostomy tube as she regained the ability to breathe on her own, and then quickly began to gain more strength as she was able to eat and drink again.
As Harriet progressed towards recovery, her care team helped to keep her focused and motivated and soon she was able to get up and walk with minimal assistance, and to be able to take care of her daily needs. Harriet was discharged to a lower care rehab facility to continue her journey to recovery and gain more strength and independence, with the goal being to return home with her husband.
All of us at Kindred Hospital are proud of Harriet’s recovery and wish her and her husband all the best!
Robert
Standing On His Own Two Feet
Robert was admitted to Kindred Hospital Morris County with acute respiratory distress syndrome with full ventilator support for breathing. He also had further medical difficulties complicating his overall condition. He was disoriented and had little awareness of his current physical limitations.
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Because of this limited awareness, he was initially inserted with a PEG tube directly into his stomach to provide all of his nutritional needs. However, as his respiratory and medical status improved, he was able to transition onto a modified diet. His pulmonologist and respiratory therapists were successful in weaning Robert off of his ventilator, and he soon became more oriented to his surroundings and limitations.
During the course of his physical and occupational therapy sessions, he would crack jokes and have a fun time while working really hard to regain function and his independence. Through hard work Robert progressed quickly in therapy and upon discharge, he was able to walk up to 80 feet with the use of a rolling walker. He was also much more independent with his self-care needs.
Robert left Kindred a completely different person from when he was admitted. He told the staff, "Kindred saved my life." He continued his recovery at a subacute rehab facility to increase his independence with daily living tasks, ambulation and overall strengthening for his goal to go back home.
Robert is looking forward to returning home and spending time with his family. Congratulations on your continued successes Robert. We are all so proud!
Mr. Z
From Maximum Assistance To Standing On Two Feet
Mr. Z is a former finance CEO. He is the father of two sons
and grandfather to ten.
His medical history includes multiple issues – pulmonary
hypertension, coronary artery disease, anti-coagulant
therapy, and chronic kidney disease. In 2010, he underwent
a double-lung transplant.
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Mr. Z was admitted to New York Presbyterian Hospital
following a fall at home on January 6, 2014. The fall
resulted in an intracranial hemorrhage that required
mechanical ventilation. The hospital stay was complicated
by ventilator-dependent respiratory failure requiring a
tracheostomy, pneumonia, sepsis, and worsening renal
function resulting in the need for hemodialysis and PEG
tube feedings.
Once stabilized at the traditional hospital, Mr. Z was
unable to recover completely in the short-term setting.
He was transferred to Kindred Hospital New Jersey –
Wayne for continued care.
Although he was at Kindred primarily for ventilator
weaning, physical and speech therapy, our interdisciplinary
team never lost sight of Mr. Z as a person with a life full of
hope, and a strong sense of family. Encouraged by his wife
and children, Mr. Z worked extensively with all disciplines
of rehab and became more motivated as he saw progress
and improvement.
Kindred’s respiratory therapists worked diligently with
Mr. Z and in spite of the challenges he was weaned from
oxygen support and decannulated (tracheosotomy tube
removed). Physical, speech and occupational therapy
helped him regain his strength, resume an oral diet and
improve his daily functional abilities.
When asked about their experience at Kindred, Mrs. Z
said, “One of the things that impressed me is that all of
my husband’s medical needs were addressed immediately
by several specialists who came to see him right away
… the nursing care was wonderful. They came to see
him frequently and moved him every two hours. They
were very warm and caring, the entire Kindred staff was
exceptional.”
Ronald
Back To An Active Life
Ronald was admitted to Kindred Hospital New Jersey – Morris County on February 27, 2015 from a local medical center where they unsuccessfully tried to wean him off the ventilator.
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On arrival at Kindred, his admitting diagnosis was ventilator
dependent respiratory failure and pre-existing pneumonia.
He was a complex case and suffered from severe anxiety. After
examination the pulmonologist, along with the respiratory
team, began the ventilator weaning protocol.
Once the respiratory team started to wean Ronald, he was
placed on C-PAP, which allowed him to breathe on his own
via the ventilator. After a few days on C-PAP his dependence
on the vent began to decrease. We started to take him off of
the vent for spontaneous breathing trials on March 11 and
we slowly increasd his time off the vent until he was able to
tolerate 24 hours of breathing on his own.
After a few days off the vent, Ronald suffered a short setback
and had to return to the vent for dyspnea and desaturations.
Our team was determined to help him recover and began vent
weaning again on March 24, with spontaneous trials beginning
on March 29. After three days off of the vent, we started
capping trials. He loved being able to talk and have a more
“normal” breathing sensation. After only four days of capping,
he was decannulated.
The collaboration of the entire medical team helped Ronald
to attain his goal of decannulation and total independence
from the ventilator. Thanks to his determination, Ronald was
able to return to a normal life.
Peggy
Dancing Her Way To Recovery
Peggy was admitted to Kindred Hospital with vent-dependent
respiratory failure with a tracheostomy. Upon her initial
evaluation Peggy required maximum support on the ventilator
and was dependent for bed mobility and self-care tasks.
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Peggy quickly progressed from NPO to a modified diet and
eventually regular consistency foods and thin liquids. In Peggy’s
case it was important for her to advance safely to a diet in order
to take medication and increase her nutrition. She did not have
artificial means of nutrition like a naso-gastric tube or PEG tube.
Peggy was very motivated to get moving and to “dance” with us.
One of her goals was to be able to get to the bathroom by herself.
Peggy consistently demonstrated good effort and followed
recommended exercises on her own in her room. Physical
and occupational therapists worked closely with respiratory
and nursing to promote her progress. One of the things Peggy
identified as frustrating was that she wanted to do more; her
mind was ready, but her body was trying to catch up.M
Initially Peggy was unable to sit up at the edge of the bed. With
continued strengthening and exercise she was able to stand with
minimal assistance of two people with a walker.
Over time she built up her endurance to tolerate more and more
activity. Peggy began walking the hallways using a rolling walker
with supervision assistance. She was sitting up twice a day for
several hours and walking herself to the bathroom with minor
assistance.
Peggy made amazing progress in the time she was here. She
was walking more with rehab than she had in months at home.
She even danced on her last therapy session. Peggy has been
discharged to a subacute facility to continue her therapy with
plans to return home.
Gerry
On The Road To Recovery
Gerry was admitted to Kindred Hospital New Jersey – Morris
County for management of extensive wounds including a large
abdominal wound, drains and a colostomy. He was severely
de-conditioned and was unable to move himself in bed. Gerry
required nighttime Bi-PAP and daytime oxygen. He required
total nursing care for all aspects of his needs.
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Our rehabilitation team worked closely with the nursing and
wound care team to help Gerry with his goals of mobility and
returning home. Therapy started slowly in order to build his
endurance and strength. Gerry required maximum assist of two
people to roll and turn in bed; because of Gerry’s wound most
of his core strength was lost. With repetition of compensatory
techniques and practice he was able to roll with independence
and eventually sat at the edge of the bed with minimal assist.
Continued therapy sessions focused on sitting balance, arm
strengthening and increasing his endurance. Gerry advanced to
standing trials with a walker with assistance of two people.
Gerry diligently performed upper body exercises and sat in a
chair several times a day. His continued effort outside of therapy
sessions helped to progress him to increased activity tolerance.
Gerry was discharged to a subacute rehabilitation facility for
continued therapy with plans to progress home. On April 30, we
got a visit from Gerry, who we barely recognized because he was
dressed in his regular clothes. It was wonderful to see that in just
three additional weeks of rehab, he reached his goal of returning
to home and independence.