Leonard's Success Story
From Kindred Hospital Houston Medical Center
Leonard was admitted to Kindred Hospital Houston Medical Center following a decompressive craniotomy, a neurosurgical procedure involving the removal of a section of the skull to relieve high intracranial pressure and swelling. Upon admission, Leonard remained on a ventilator to assist with his breathing. The interdisciplinary team at Kindred quickly developed a comprehensive care plan aimed at weaning him off the ventilator, which was crucial for his overall recovery. Additionally, the plan included extensive rehabilitation to strengthen his muscular performance and endurance, along with IV antibiotic therapy to address any potential infections.
Alert and determined upon admission, Leonard embraced the care team's plan, despite requiring total assistance with all activities of daily living (ADLs) and self-care due to his prolonged bedbound state. His pulmonologist and respiratory team utilized specialized breathing techniques to enhance his lung function. Leonard applied himself diligently, and within a matter of weeks, he was successfully weaned off the ventilator, breathing independently. The IV antibiotics also played a crucial role in stabilizing his health.
Once liberated from the ventilator, Leonard quickly committed himself to the intensive rehabilitation program, which included physical, occupational, and speech therapy. He had to relearn basic motor skills he had previously taken for granted, such as transferring from bed to chair and performing basic self-care tasks. Motivated and persevering consistently, Leonard made significant progress, advancing from bed to chair transfers, then to using a walker, and eventually ambulating with assistance.
Leonard's journey also involved relearning basic communication skills and consuming solid foods, with the help of his speech therapist. His determination and hard work paid off as he gradually regained his ability to perform essential self-care activities independently. Over the course of his stay at Kindred, Leonard met and exceeded all the goals set in his care plan. He was deemed suitable for discharge to a lower level of care, where he continues on his path to full recovery with extended physical therapy. From the entire staff at Kindred, we wish him all the success in his recovery.
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.