Success Stories

Paramedics rushed to the scene and saved Hector’s life with emergency procedures and a breathing tube and he was immediately taken to the ER. Physicians were able to stabilize his heartbeat and placed him on a ventilator to support his lungs.

Suffering from an altered mental state and seizures as well as pneumonia, Hector’s recovery at first was very complicated, requiring diligent care, antibiotics and several types of medications for his heart and seizures. When he began to regain consciousness, Hector was transferred to Kindred Hospital San Antonio for continued medical management, respiratory therapy and rehabilitation.

With his wife at his side every day, Hector began to make progress under the care of his team at Kindred. Aggressive ventilator-weaning techniques helped Hector start to regain his lung strength, and he was able to wean successfully from the ventilator, requiring only supplemental oxygen to continue aiding his recovery. He worked hard with his physical and occupational therapists to regain his strength and mobility and soon was able to stand and begin walking again with assistance.

“We have been very happy here and are a little sad to be leaving,” Hector’s wife shared before he was discharged. “We’re happy to be close to going home, but also sad to be leaving our awesome care team. Thank you for everything you did for us!”

He was also found to be suffering from a severe blood infection. And, as a result of the compounded effects of his multiple illnesses, Charles also developed multi-organ failure and needed dialysis.

During his stay at the general hospital, Charles was given a course of antibiotics and his condition was stabilized, but physicians were unable to wean him from the ventilator. He was then transferred to Kindred Hospital San Antonio for advanced respiratory therapy and rehabilitation.

When he first arrived, Charles was largely unresponsive and needed the full support of his team of caregivers for all his needs. His respiratory therapists immediately began aggressive pulmonary rehabilitation and Charles started to make significant gains in all areas as his breathing improved and his lungs became stronger. Despite facing some challenges in the course of his recovery, Charles made excellent progress and was able to be weaned successfully from the ventilator. His memory and communication skills improved day by day, and with help from his speech pathologist, Charles was able to re-learn how to swallow and speak again and his feeding tube was removed, allowing him to begin to drink and eat a normal diet.

By the time Charles was cleared to be discharged from Kindred to continue his physical rehabilitation, he had made amazing strides toward a full recovery and was looking forward to going home again. “I am so happy to have come so far,” Charles expressed. “I’m truly thankful to my team at Kindred for all the help that was given to me along the way.”

Soon after admission, Benito’s breathing became worse and he needed the help from a ventilator to support his lungs. In the ICU at the general hospital, his condition did not improve. His medical team issued a poor prognosis and recommended that Benito’s family consider hospice. It was during this conversation that Benito woke up briefly and stated that he did not want the option of hospice.

He remained very sick in the ICU, battling pneumonia and other complications with his lungs while slipping in and out of consciousness. It was then that he came to Kindred Hospital San Antonio where his team of caregivers immediately began a rigorous respiratory therapy program and slowly Benito began to recover.

During his stay, Benito progressed from being totally dependent on the ventilator for lung support and a feeding tube for nutrition, to finally achieving the ability to breathe on his own. Shortly afterwards he was able to start drinking and eating and began to get stronger by the day. Just before he left Kindred to return home to his family, Benito expressed his gratitude to staff members who cared for him.

“During my stay here, everyone has been so nice,” Benito said. “I am so happy to have the breathing tube out and I can breathe without help, and my feeding tube is out too so I can eat solid food again.”

Benito went to the hospital when he began to feel increasingly weak and started to have difficulty breathing. He was diagnosed with both heart and kidney diseases that combined and led him to develop respiratory failure.

Soon after admission, Benito’s breathing became worse and he needed the help from a ventilator to support his lungs. In the ICU at the general hospital, his condition did not improve. His medical team issued a poor prognosis and recommended that Benito’s family consider hospice. It was during this conversation that Benito woke up briefly and stated that he did not want the option of hospice.

He remained very sick in the ICU, battling pneumonia and other complications with his lungs while slipping in and out of consciousness. It was then that he came to Kindred Hospital San Antonio where his team of caregivers immediately began a rigorous respiratory therapy program and slowly Benito began to recover.

During his stay, Benito progressed from being totally dependent on the ventilator for lung support and a feeding tube for nutrition, to finally achieving the ability to breathe on his own. Shortly afterwards he was able to start drinking and eating and began to get stronger by the day. Just before he left Kindred to return home to his family, Benito expressed his gratitude to staff members who cared for him.

“During my stay here, everyone has been so nice,” Benito said. “I am so happy to have the breathing tube out and I can breathe without help, and my feeding tube is out too so I can eat solid food again.”

All of us at Kindred wish Albert all the best as he continues on his journey to recovery and hope that he is able to return to his wife and home very soon!

She required the assistance of a ventilator to support her lungs and had to have a tracheostomy placed after a she had a major episode at the hospital when physicians attempted to wean her from mechanical ventilation. Soon afterward her condition stabilized and she was able to start breathing on her own and no longer required the ventilator.

Sheila then transferred to Kindred Hospital San Antonio for continuation of treatment, including physical and occupational therapy. With her loving husband at her side every day and the support from her family, Sheila started to make progress toward recovery. Just a few days after arrival, she was able to have the tracheostomy removed and her speech therapist helped her regain the ability to speak and swallow, and she resumed eating a normal diet.

Sheila was determined to succeed at her recovery and put her all into every therapy session, and gradually made progress as her condition improved and her strength returned. Every day she was able to do a little bit more and started taking a few steps with assistance from her therapy team.

“I have had the ‘A’ team here at Kindred,” Sheila shared. “If it weren’t for my caregivers I don’t think I’d be here today. I could not have asked for better nurses, rehab folks or respiratory therapists. I never felt like just another person in a bed – I always felt genuinely cared for and have been so happy during my stay.”

Sheila was discharged from Kindred to a rehab facility to continue regaining her strength and independence and is looking forward to going home where her grandkids eagerly await the return of their grandma.

Unable to breathe on his own, Roman required a tracheostomy to support his lungs, and he started to show signs that the period of time he was in cardiac arrest had affected his brain. Deprived of oxygen, he developed involuntary spasms, high fevers and seizures. In the ICU, he was essentially on life support and his prognosis was not at all good. His physicians began discussions with his family about other options, including palliative care.

Roman’s parents decided that they would continue to fight for his recovery and that is when Roman came to Kindred Hospital San Antonio. Now in the ICU at Kindred, Roman’s condition fluctuated wildly. With his parents at his side every day, Roman slowly began to improve and his lung function recovered to where he was able to be weaned from the ventilator, and shortly thereafter have the tracheostomy removed.

Not long after this milestone, Roman opened his eyes for the first time and began to answer simple questions. His capacity for understanding what was happening improved every day and his family, heartened by their son’s progress, decided to continue his care at an in-patient rehabilitation facility.

“Only God knows about a young person’s recovery,” Roman’s mother expressed just before he was discharged. “Just look at all the wonderful things that happened here at Kindred!”

Roman, on behalf of all of us at Kindred, we wish you a full recovery and hope that you are able to regain your health in full and continue to pursue your dreams. You have been an inspiration to everyone who cared for you and we wish you and your wonderful family all the best.

At the beginning of his stay at Kindred, Albert was very weak and had difficulty weaning from the ventilator, although he was determined to get better as his goal was to return home with his wife.

His multidisciplinary team consisting of respiratory, physical, occupational and speech therapists, dieticians and nurses, prepared a specialized treatment plan for him and began helping Albert to regain his independence. 

It wasn't long before Albert was successfully weaned from the ventilator. He simultaneously worked with his speech therapist and dietician to progress from a feeding tube to a regular diet. At the outset Albert was very weak, but he worked hard in the rehab gym gaining strength each day, and even though he was limited by pain while sitting in the chair, Albert never gave up and always kept trying.

By the time he was discharged to an acute rehab facility, he was much stronger and ready to get more intensive therapy. At the time of his discharge Albert said; "I am very thankful for the great care at Kindred and especially love my respiratory team!"

All of us at Kindred wish Albert all the best as he continues on his journey to recovery and hope that he is able to return to his wife and home very soon!