Desmond's Success Story
Desmond, a young man with a complex medical history, came to Kindred Hospital after a lung surgery. When Desmond arrived, he needed help with even simple movements. By the time he left, he was able to walk and complete self-care tasks independently.
Desmond, 30, has a complex medical history including end-stage kidney disease, type 1 diabetes, chronic anemia, depression, chronic pancreatitis, and esophagitis. Recently, he faced serious health issues, including sepsis, fluid around his lungs and heart, and a suspected blood clot in his lung that led to lung surgery and chest tubes.
He was first hospitalized at Memorial Hermann Southwest from April 27 to June 9 after he became confused and had episodes of passing out that required chest compressions. During that stay, he also developed serious infections that needed strong antibiotics and antifungal medications. After his lung surgery and chest tube treatment, Desmond was transferred to Kindred Hospital Sugarland on June 9 to continue his recovery and start rehabilitation.
""I want to regain my independence." - Desmond"
When Desmond arrived, he needed help to move in bed and could not sit up on his own. With steady support from physical therapy, he made great progress. He learned to sit at the edge of the bed by himself, stand up, and walk short distances with a rolling walker, needing only a little help.
Occupational therapy also helped him regain independence. At first, Desmond needed help with upper body dressing and full help with lower body dressing, but he could feed himself. By the time he left Kindred, he could brush his teeth with a little help, bathe with standby assistance, and dress himself completely, including socks. He only needed setup help for toileting.
Thanks to his determination and the teamwork of his care team, Desmond was safely discharged to an acute rehabilitation unit to continue building his strength and independence.