Patient’s Age: 47-years-old
Admission Date: 11/06/20
Admitted From: Sumner County Regional Medical Center
Discharge Date: 12/31/20
Discharged To: Home with support from family
Length of Stay: 8 weeks
Reason for Stay: Suspected MS exacerbation
How did this patient hear about Gallatin Center for Rehabilitation and Healing? Previous patient

Details of Experience:
Mrs. R. Graham was admitted to the Gallatin Center for Rehabilitation and Healing Center on November 6, 2020, from Sumner Regional Medical Center in Gallatin, TN. For about a month, Mrs. Graham noticed that she was becoming increasingly weaker and gradually deteriorating. She was so weak that she was having difficulty transferring back and forth to her wheelchair, and she was struggling to move her right leg. She went to the ER, and after being evaluated, the clinicians presumed exacerbation of her multiple sclerosis. Following her diagnosis, she was admitted to begin treatment and inpatient therapy. During inpatient therapy, Mrs. Graham worked on strengthening her upper and lower extremities and her core to prepare her for her next steps to recovery. Upon arrival, she required maximum assistance maneuvering from laying on her back to sitting at the edge of the bedside. She also required moderate to maximum assistance to sit at the edge of the bedside and maintain balance. The therapist recommended that Mrs. Graham would benefit from skilled nursing and rehab for more intense therapy to return to her prior level of function and Mrs. Graham wanted to return to the Gallatin Center.

Upon arrival, Mrs. Graham was greeted by some familiar faces that she had seen before during her previous stay at the Gallatin Center. She was evaluated by the nursing, social services, dietary, activities, and rehabilitation departments. She shared with the Director of Concierge Services, that she planned on walking out of the facility after her therapy and receiving a new right lower extremity prosthesis. Mrs. Graham began to participate in her therapy sessions and remained motivated and determined to build her strength and endurance despite her comorbidities. When she arrived at the facility, she required assistance with functional transfers. Within the first week, she demonstrated progress and required contact guard assistance with transferring from wheelchair to edge of the bed. On December 16, 2020, she met one of her goals of improving to be modified independent with her functional transfers. As the weeks progressed, she showed progress with supported standing from standing for 30 to 60 seconds to 1 to 3 minutes with requiring a rest break on December 23rd, 2020. On December 22, 2020, Mrs. Graham received her right below the knee prosthetic.

Now that Mrs. Graham had received her new prosthetic, it was time for her therapy sessions to include donning and doffing the sleeve, being educated on wear time and liners, and prosthetic and gait training with a rolling walker. One of Mrs. Graham’s goals was to be able to be discharged home by New Year’s Day. On December 23rd, 2020, she ambulated with a rolling walker with minimum assistance for 15 feet and on December 30th, 2020, she was able to double the distance by ambulating 40 feet with minimum assistance before requesting a rest break due to fatigue! She was also able to walk up and down 6 to 8 steps with bilateral side rails and minimum to contact guard assistance! At the time of discharge, she was able to ambulate for 30 to 40 feet for two sets before stopping due to fatigue. The therapists recommended that Mrs. Graham follow up with therapy from Home Health Care or Outpatient Rehab. During her discharge evaluation, she shared that her therapy at the facility was very good and she felt she had great care from nurses – Jessica, Audrey, and Allen. She also shared that Brenda in the Activities department was awesome and always right on time and that after she was discharged home, she would love to come back and visit everyone as soon as the building starts to accept visitors. Mrs. Graham received a special virtual call from Todd Schaffhauser and Dennis Oehler, Paralympian amputees and founders of the Amputee Walking School. Todd and Dennis were able to give her some words of encouragement and share some of their story with her. A great way to end her stay at the Gallatin Center!

On December 31st, 2020, Mrs. Graham was discharged home with assistance from her spouse. She met her initial goal… returning home on New Year’s Eve. The Gallatin Center for Rehabilitation and Healing would love to congratulate Mrs. Regina Graham for showing what happens when you set a goal and put 100% of your effort to accomplish your goal!

Mrs. Graham is amazing and the team can’t wait until she can come back and visit all the friends and extended family she has made at the community! Best wishes to her!