When Delicia arrived at Kindred Hospital Chicago - North, she was dependent on her caregivers for all mobility and most self-care tasks. After extensive physical and occupational therapy, she progressed to going up and down stairs with a cane and being able to shower and dress independently. She was discharged to a skilled nursing facility.

A Patient Success Story from Kindred Hospital Chicago - North

Delicia went to the hospital with nausea and vomiting. While in the emergency department, she became increasingly confused and her hemoglobin levels dropped. She was intubated, and a CT scan of her head found a large left brain bleed with brain swelling.

Delicia was taken to the Operating Room (OR) for a craniectomy. The next day, she had an IVC filter placed (to catch possible blood clots) due to her ongoing need for anticoagulation. She remained intubated (breathing through a tube) and failed extubation multiple times due to vocal cord swelling. A tracheostomy was performed. A few days later, Delicia returned to the OR for cranioplasty bone flap replacement. She passed her swallow study with speech-language pathology and was started on a soft diet.

Delicia was admitted to the high-acuity unit of Kindred Hospital Chicago – North for close medical monitoring. She was able to eat a pureed diet with thin liquids, but she required total assistance and close monitoring to ensure she met her nutritional needs. She was dependent for all mobility and most self-care tasks. However, she was determined and actively participated in rehabilitation. After her first week, she was tolerating therapies well and was increased to physical and occupational therapy sessions five times per week. Speech therapy advanced her diet to regular textures and thin liquids, and she was able to feed herself. She worked with speech and respiratory teams, starting with tolerating the speaking valve and then the capping trial. Eventually, she was decannulated (her trach was removed). She continued working with physical therapy, progressing from standing to walking with a walker to using only a cane when going up and down stairs. She worked with occupational therapy to regain her ability to perform selfcare tasks, including showering, dressing, and toileting independently. She has been discharged to a skilled nursing facility.

Learn more about: Brain Injury & Stroke Care