Crystal's Success Story
"I love the staff; everyone here is so friendly and caring; it is like they have known me all my life.”
- Crystal
A week before Christmas I felt sick. I thought I had gotten over the flu, but I still had a sore throat and could not breathe. One of my ten children called an ambulance, and I was admitted for sepsis and respiratory failure. I woke up on my birthday; January 8, on a ventilator, a tracheostomy, and a PEG feeding tube. Nine days later, I came to Kindred Chattanooga.
My stay has been quick. The Respiratory Therapy team started weaning me as soon as I rolled through the door. I have already lost the ventilator and had my tracheostomy removed. I can talk, eat and breath on my own. The Physical Therapy team has gotten me standing and taking side steps and the Occupational Therapy team has me doing my upper body care. However, I am still very weak; and too weak to go home and take care of my big family. They tell me I have moved along quickly, and I am incredibly grateful to hear this.
I cannot wait to see my children and husband. I will finally get to have Christmas with them. Also, I will get to celebrate my birthday; a birthday I was not sure I was going to get to celebrate.
Care for Complex Conditions
Patients come to our hospitals with serious conditions such as respiratory failure, complex wounds, sepsis, stroke, congestive heart failure, or even a combination of these. Their diagnoses are often complicated by existing health problems like diabetes or COPD. Many of our patients require treatments such as mechanical ventilators, dialysis, or IV therapy.