Patients Age: 67
Admission Date: 4/4/17
Admitted From: Good Samaritan Hospital
Discharge Date: 6/24/17
Discharged To: Home
Length of Stay: 82 Days
Reason for Stay: Right Below Knee Amputation
How did this patient hear about Ramapo Manor? Good Samaritan Hospital

Details of Experience:

Mary Jane (Janie) was admitted to The Willows At Ramapo on April 4, 2017 to begin her journey of recovery after a right below the knee amputation and left transmetatarsal amputation. Janie had a difficult recovery ahead of her and she was battling multiple medical complications in addition to her recent surgery. Rehabilitation for Janie began both physically and emotionally, with occupational therapy and physical therapy who would work together to return Janie back to independent living and back to her home!

Janie began therapy as a max assist of three people for bed transfers with use of a slide board. On certain days she also required a Hoyer lift to transfer from bed into her wheelchair where she initially was only able to tolerate sitting comfortably for 30 minutes. Janie was noted to be a total assist when beginning therapy, causing her motivation for better health to be poor at the start. There were many days she would refuse to get out of bed. Slowly but surely over a few weeks things for Janie began to change. Her total body strengthening routine developed by OT and PT started to take effect. Janie was now able to perform bed mobility, rolling, scooting, supine sit-to-stand with moderate assist x1 and maintain upright sitting unsupported on the edge of bed for five minutes without fatigue.

The three person assist slide board transfer improved to two people with Janie performing most of the transfer. Janie began to see hope for her future and finally the ability to eventually return home!

After all this time, Janie has progressed with leaps and bounds. She is now able to slide board transfer to all surfaces (bed, wheelchair, commode, shower and car) independently. She has gone through the entire process of desensitizing her residual limb, to wearing a shrinker for shaping, being fit for a prosthetic limb, and training on use of this limb for all transfers, ambulation and stair training. Janie is now set for discharge home! Family training has also been performed, and all equipment needs have been met.

Janie now walks with a walker with independence and performs all ADL’s, transfers and navigating of stairs with safety. She has truly demonstrated what a patient with inner drive and motivation is able to attain with a team of staff and therapists behind her to guide the way. Janie gave a so long and farewell speech before she left, thanking the staff for everything they have done and for the support she got to help her walk out of the community. We are so excited to share that she is returning home with a smile on her face and “super hero” strength to go with it! We wish her health and happiness in everything she does. We hope that she comes back to visit our staff and we will miss her.