Pictured, left to right, are Mark Prodoehl, physical therapist at Taylor Hospital, Douglas J. Brunner, M.D., chairman of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department at Taylor Hospital, and Louis Heifit, recent patient in Taylor’s Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit.
Ridley Park, Pa. – Those of us who are able-bodied many times take the ability to participate in everyday activities like walking, eating, and sitting for granted. For those in rehabilitation programs like the one at Taylor Hospital, however, these seemingly simple acts are milestones, even miracles, in what can be a challenging and unpredictable journey toward recovery.
Unpredictable and miraculous are two words that perfectly encapsulate the rehabilitation process of Louis Heifit, of Glenolden, first admitted to the hospital in 2005 with a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. This injury is as serious as its name sounds. According to Medline Plus, a service of the National Library of Health and the National Institutes of Medicine, less than 50 percent of patients survive this type of injury, making Mr. Heifit’s survival and the improvements he has made in his subsequent rehabilitation a true testament to his perseverance and to the talented group of health professionals who aided him in his recovery.
National Rehabilitation Week, celebrated September 17-23, honors individuals like Mr. Heifit who have overcome a traumatic illness, injury, or disability through rehabilitative efforts. This week is also meant to raise public awareness of the benefits of rehabilitation and recognize the medical professionals in this specialty for their dedication to care for and educate patients and their families.
After being transferred to Taylor’s acute inpatient rehabilitation unit in the summer of 2006, Mr. Heifit made significant improvements and became an inspiration to patients and staff alike, says Maryanne Foley, nurse manager of Rehabilitation Services for Taylor. When asked about the progress Mr. Heifit made while in the rehabilitation program after almost a year of bedrest at other facilities, she says, “When he was first admitted, the rehabilitation program was difficult for him, but he persevered. In slightly over a month he was able to interact with the staff, feed himself, breathe without the assistance of a tracheotomy, and walk with the assistance of a walker. When [the staff at Taylor Hospital] see how far he has come, we are amazed.”
In the unique specialty of physical medicine and rehabilitation, progress is many times evidenced in the quiet determination of patients. Although it is measured by increments that may seem small to the outside world, any progress can actually represent a significant improvement in the quality of life for patients and their families. “The staff consistently provides positive reinforcement for all goals the patients accomplish, large or small,” Foley adds. As Mr. Heifit says, “Even on my weak days, the staff just told me how great I was doing; they played a definite role in keeping me motivated.” This team approach to Mr. Heifit’s physical therapy care plan not only ensured he had a ready-made network of people to keep him motivated, in addition to the support he received from Jeanette, his wife of 46 years, but also ensured that he could receive the most comprehensive care possible.
As Foley explains, “On the admission evaluation the patient is asked what his or her personal goals are by our medical directors, by each therapy – physical, occupational, and speech – and by the nursing staff.” Using this information, the rehabilitation team customized a care plan so that Mr. Heifit could return to as functional a level as possible, according to Douglas J. Brunner, M.D., chairman of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department at Taylor Hospital.
He also adds that “in an inpatient facility like Taylor, patients receive an intensive level of medical management which they many times do not receive in a facility that is not inpatient.” In medically complex cases like Mr. Heifit’s, this can be the deciding factor in a successful recovery.
Now that he has completed his inpatient stay at Taylor, Mr. Heifit will continue with outpatient therapy to accomplish a goal which was hard to imagine when he was first admitted to the hospital: walking without the use of an assistive device such as a walker. In fact, Mr. Heifit says that he would like to get back to work, doing small jobs in the same business he has worked in for the past 46 years, painting and wallpapering houses.
When Mr. Heifit’s story and admirable work ethic are considered, the impact physical therapy and rehabilitation can have on an individual life can easily be seen. However, his story is also a reminder to the larger community of the role that a positive attitude can play in anyone’s life. As Foley says, his story is proof that “no matter how bleak a situation is, there is almost always hope; especially if you are willing to work hard and persevere.”
Taylor’s Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department is a part of the Crozer-Keystone Human Motion Institute. The Human Motion Institute is a comprehensive program of musculoskeletal services provided across the health system including orthopedic/joint care, sports medicine, hand care, outpatient rehabilitation, foot/ankle care, and spine care. Services include surgery, therapy, education, medical management and more.