Kyle Hays
Guillian-Barre Syndrome: Summer 2009
When Kyle Hays tells of his time overcoming paralysis, what stands out is the way he talks about his therapists. He refers to them like old friends — he caught up with one physical therapist at a recent sporting event, and he and another recreational therapist trade messages on Facebook.
The 20-year-old sports management major was living out a dream last summer, two weeks into his first season as a Stetson University Hatter, in DeLand, on the NCAA Division I basketball team.
He was working out daily and practicing with the team before the official start of the season when he had a back ache. Kyle assumed it was typical muscle soreness, but slept little for four days while the pain increased.
On the fifth day, Kyle woke up and couldn’t feel his feet and the pain was debilitating. The next couple of weeks were a blur. Kyle went straight to the university athletic trainer and was referred to a specialist in Daytona Beach. Eventually, he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a disorder in which the immune system attacks the nervous system.
Kyle spent nearly a week in an Intensive Care Unit and then was discharged to Peninsula Rehab Center (PRC) at Florida Hospital Oceanside for inpatient care. When he arrived, he was bedridden and barely moving on his own.
“After two weeks of lying in bed, I hit a turning point,” Kyle said. “I told the therapists that I wanted to get up and move.”
His first day of therapy, it took five therapists to pick up Kyle and take him to the gym where he inched his way along parallel bars. It was their positive attitudes, he said, that motivated him and ultimately resulted in his rapid progression back to health.
Kyle described his PRC therapists as providing mental and emotional support as much as physical. When he was offered the services of a mental health counselor he declined, explaining that he was already sharing his thoughts and feelings with the PRC team members he saw daily.
Kyle is back at Stetson and fully recovered. With two games left in the regular season and post-season hopes, he hopes to play in his first game.
Kyle said it was a combination of his skilled therapists, his family's support and “lots of peoples prayers” that gave him the strength to quickly recover from what could have been a devastating syndrome.
Karen Winne
Stroke Survivor: January 5th, 2008
On January 5, 2008, I was forced to take time to be sick. I was so frightened about what was happening to me. I became very weak and was vomiting unlike having a normal case of the flu. My husband, who was a firefighter for 30 years, took one look at me and told me I had a stroke. He called the ambulance and I was taken to Florida Hospital Flagler in Palm Coast. The Neurologist and an admitting coordinator for the Oceanside Hospital recommended that I transfer to Peninsula Rehab Center. My husband and I were very familiar with PRC since he had rehab there after double knee replacements in January 2007. We knew his needs were capably met and we agreed it was the best place for my rehab. At this point, I knew I was seriously ill but had no concept as to how long it would take for me to regain the use of my leg, arm, and
hand. I was still very frightened about my future. The admitting coordinator, Annette, went above and beyond to get me admitted to PRC. As it turned out, Annette was from the same hometown in Illinois in which I grew up. That was my first sign that angles were watching over me. After I was admitted, Annette continued to visit me and clapped for me once when I was on a treadmill in therapy. Being on a treadmill doesn't sound scary until you have a leg that isn't working normally. It was very impressive to me, having a total stranger check on me and care for me the way she did she was the first of many who followed me through my progress. As I continue to rehab as an outpatient, I frequently see the nurses, techs, and the doctor who oversaw my care and they always speak to me by name and ask how I'm doing. Sometimes, I even get a hug. I don't know how I would be without all these angels on earth. The therapists have taken time to work with my husband as well. He has built several gadgets that I use at home for therapy. He does therapy with me the four days of the week that I don't go to Peninsula Rehab Center. The therapists explained to me that it would be a long process but there was hope for a full recovery if I worked hard. I knew that I could do that. I had to work hard for everything I ever had in life. I also have a wonderful family that wanted me to be well. I was determined to get my freedom back and return to being an independent person. It hasn't been easy but nothing that is worth anything is easy.
Lynne Mell
Stroke Survivor: October 2006
After suffering a stroke in late October of 2006, I found myself as an in-patient at Florida Hospital Oceanside. I spent five weeks there in rehab and it was the best place for me to be. I cannot say enough about the entire rehab staff from the doctors to the nurses to the aides but the therapists are the BEST! The therapists got me up and moving once again when all I really wanted to do was stay in bed. After five weeks, I was up and walking which was an incredible feeling for me after being paralyzed on the left side. Not only did I get the physical support that I needed but the emotional support was above and beyond. I am sill working with these same therapists in the "Out-Patient" unit. Without their support and knowledge I would not have advanced as far as I have so far. I have made some wonderful friends within the rehab staff and I can honestly say that if you need to be hospitalized for neuro-rehab, this is the place to be!