Barbara Slessinger was the first to utilize BRRH’s outpatient therapy services
Barbara Slessinger has the distinction of being the first individual to utilize the outpatient services now offered at Bloomington Regional Rehabilitation Hospital. Barbara experienced a fall in the community that resulted in a shattered left femoral neck fracture requiring surgical repair involving the placement of a steel rod, screws, and a spring. She underwent surgery at IU Health Bloomington, and following surgery, doctors recommended post-acute rehabilitation to help Barbara return to her prior level of function. She came to BRRH because she needed a more intensive level of care to achieve that goal. In addition, the regular physician oversight provided at BRRH would help manage some of Barbara’s other medical needs post-surgery.
Before her injury, Barbara lived in Bloomington and enjoyed spending time with her family, especially her grandkids. When not with her grandkids, Barbara enjoyed reading and crocheting. “I was independent before my injury,” Barbara noted. “And when I got to BRRH after surgery, I could barely stand, and I definitely couldn’t walk. It took two people just to get me up. The doctors told me it would take six months to a year before I was back to normal.”
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Kevin chose BRRH to regain his function and independence following a recent hospitalization.
Though he lives with Parkinson’s disease, Kevin McClure lived a largely independent life before his recent hospitalization. “It made getting around challenging,” Kevin said of Parkinson’s, “but I was still able to do what I wanted to do.”
Parkinson’s also taught Kevin not to mess around regarding his health. So, when he began experiencing shortness of breath and a cough, he went to the ER at IU Health Bloomington Hospital. There, Kevin was admitted with an infection that had gone to his lungs, as well as an exacerbation of his COPD and Parkinson’s. Unfortunately, Kevin’s health got worse before it got better, as he developed septic shock, impairments to his heart and kidneys, and required a tracheostomy.
“I couldn’t even lift my arms,” Kevin recalled. “I needed a lift just to get out of bed.”
After spending thirty days in the hospital, Kevin transferred to Bloomington Regional Rehabilitation Hospital at the recommendation of his doctor and case managers. “A liaison from BRRH came in and talked to me about the requirements, explained the program, and the benefits,” he noted. “They took care of all the insurance issues and arranged the transfer.”
“This wasn’t easy, but rehabilitation was my goal, and this was the best place for me.”
“Life was wonderful,” Colby Southern stated, recalling his life before his recent hospitalization. “I worked at a car dealership selling used cars and enjoyed spending time with my grandkids, which range from 13 years old to 5 years old.”
Colby’s life changed one September day when he experienced a sudden onset of left-sided weakness. A trip to the emergency room resulted in a diagnosis of a ruptured arteriovenous malformation, or AVM. An AVM occurs when blood vessels containing arteries and veins become tangled, causing issues with blood flow and oxygen circulation. For Colby, this resulted in profound deficits on the left side of his body.
Having lost the ability to care for himself and perform basic daily functions, Colby needed intensive therapy to regain his function and independence. His case manager at IU Health Methodist recommended a stay at Bloomington Regional Rehabilitation Hospital (BRRH). “He told me that this was the best place for me and that I needed to get as much therapy as possible.”
At BRRH, Colby made significant progress in his recovery. “There were a lot of things that influenced my recovery,” Colby noted. “First and foremost, my family and my desire to get back home to them and spend time with my grandkids. Also, though, the staff here at BRRH is like a small community. They talk to you, they push you when you need to be pushed, and help you set reasonable and achievable goals.”
“This wasn’t easy, but rehabilitation was my goal, and this was the best place for me. If getting better is not your goal, then this is definitely not the place for you,” Colby added.
Each day, Colby’s wife came to the hospital, attended his therapy sessions, and learned as much as she could. Having such a tremendous support group has helped Colby progress and will continue to help him upon his return home.
“There were a lot of special people here, and really everyone was nice from the top down. Everyone worked as a team to help me meet my goals,” Colby shared. “I would like to recognize Kandace (PT), Claire (OT), Darbi (ST), Sherri, Kayla, and Christy (nursing), and Melissa, Emma, and Carmelita (PCTs). They were all special to me and my journey.”
“Success can be defined a bunch of different ways, but I define success today as setting and reaching your goals. I don’t expect to be perfect, but I do want to be able to go home and take care of myself, be able to talk to people and enjoy life. I am looking forward to that. I haven’t been home in almost sixty days. I can’t wait to go home and just be with my family. I’m also ready to see my dog!”
Before the accident, Kristopher Ogle was an avid golfer, hiker, and camper. He loved the outdoors and worked full-time at the water company. His job was strenuous, running heavy machinery and doing a lot of work with his hands. At home, Kristopher lived with his wife and dogs.
Then, on Easter weekend, Kristopher was involved in a severe car accident. Ejected from the car, Kristopher sustained multiple injuries, including a brain injury, a torn diaphragm, a lacerated liver, and a right hip injury. He also suffered many fractures, including two neck fractures, two back fractures, a fractured sternum, six rib fractures, a shattered pelvis, fractures to his knee, ankle, and foot, and “a few other small fractures of toes, teeth, etc.”
Kristopher spent weeks in the hospital just to stabilize. While there, he was made aware of Bloomington Regional Rehabilitation Hospital, the only acute rehab hospital in south-central Indiana. “I just knew I wanted to get out of the hospital and on the road to recovery,” Kristopher recalled.
“I am so glad I ended up here.”
At BRRH, Kristopher began putting in the work to regain his independence. “I am goal-oriented and driven,” he shared. “I wanted to get back to my life. I’ve always been active, and I didn’t want my life to change.”
Kristopher would have to draw on this motivation because therapy proved to be more of a challenge than he anticipated. “I thought it was going to be easy once I got to rehab. Boy, was I wrong. It was hard!”
That hard work paid off, and Kristopher made significant progress in his recovery at BRRH.
“When I got here, I couldn’t even move my leg,” Kristopher said. Now I have almost full movement, and I am discharging a week early. Without my therapists, I probably wouldn’t be where I am today. My PT, Maribeth, and my OT, Claire, have helped me get to this point today.”
Kristopher continued, “Everyone here has been amazing. All of my nurses, the techs, the therapists, the housekeeper, and the dietary staff. The food has been great. I really have to give credit to everyone, especially Maribeth and Claire.”
With his rehab stay completed, Kristopher is glad he put in the work. “No matter how hard it was, I wanted to give 100% every day in therapy, and that’s what I did. I wanted to have some form of my old life back. Every year, we take a hiking trip in Colorado, and I am hopeful to be able to do that this year, too.”
Kristopher is most excited to get back to his wife, Heather. “She has been here every step of the way,” he said with a smile. “She visits me daily, and she’s stepped up and is getting trained to help me. My mother and mother-in-law are all stepping up to help when I go home. And I cannot thank them all enough.”
“I am also looking forward to seeing my dogs. I got a new puppy just before the accident, and I cannot wait to get home to see the puppy.”
“In the end, I cannot thank Bloomington Regional Rehabilitation Hospital enough. The crew here is phenomenal, and I cannot wait to come back in when I visit.”
