After some significant medical issues following a dialysis session, Dominique was transferred to Kindred Hospital Ocala for ventilator management, medical optimization, and rehabilitation. The respiratory team was instrumental in her care, assisted by the wound team, dietitian, nursing, and rehabilitation. Read more of her recovery story here.

Ruben, 27, suffered a headache and cough for a couple of days. His family spoke to him at night, and the next day, Ruben was found unresponsive. EMS was called, and Ruben was intubated (a tube was inserted to support breathing) in a local hospital’s Emergency Room. Ruben was diagnosed with acute hypoxic respiratory failure, metabolic acidosis, sepsis, and lower lobe pneumonia. He ended up in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on a mechanical ventilator, as well as on antibiotics and pressors (medications used to increase blood pressure). While at the ICU, he developed an acute kidney injury and metabolic encephalopathy, brain dysfunction caused by illness. Read more of his recovery story here.

Isiah went to a hospital after a severe motorcycle accident that resulted in multiple traumatic injuries. The spinal cord injury led to paralysis of the lower half of the body. He required emergency surgical intervention and intensive medical management. He required intubation and mechanical ventilation, bronchoscopy, tracheostomy placement, and blood transfusions. Complications during his acute care stay included pulmonary embolism, respiratory failure, infections, and complex wound healing needs. His many complications led to a transfer to Kindred Hospitals. Read more about his recovery here.

Joseph was living and functioning independently with one of his children prior to being hospitalized with respiratory failure that required placement of a breathing tube. After several failed attempts at getting Joseph to breathe independently, he required a tracheostomy. When he arrived at Kindred Hospital South Florida – Coral Gables, he was still experiencing multiple issues, including respiratory airway securement via intubation and mechanical ventilation. Read more of his recovery story here.

Christian was admitted to Kindred Hospital East New Jersey in an overall fragile medical status with a complex medical history. He was on full ventilator support and arrived with four pressure wounds. He had vital signs that were unstable, and there were many days when he couldn’t participate in physical, occupational, or speech therapy. Read more of his story here.

Valer experienced cardiac arrest, which resulted in respiratory failure and the need for a ventilator to assist his breathing. He arrived at Kindred Hospital Indianapolis North still on a ventilator after failed attempts to wean. The respiratory team helped him face this challenge, and with hard work from Valer and the team, he was weaned off the vent and successfully decannulated. Read more of his recovery story here.

In January, Ida was hospitalized with aspiration pneumonia, discharged home, but then re-admitted 10 days later with further pneumonia complications. She was progressively getting weaker and needed a feeding tube placed for nutrition. Ida had several complications, including recurring sepsis, bradycardia (abnormally low heart rate), and delirium. In February, Ida was admitted to Kindred Hospital Melbourne, where she continued to have difficulty with her airway and ongoing infections. She was sent back to a short-term acute care hospital for another trach revision and readmitted to Kindred three days later, in the CCU on mechanical ventilation. Read more of here story here.

Karen, a vibrant fifth-grade teacher who inspires her students in math, science, and Spanish, is known for her love of learning and playful energy - which often has her playing ball with her students. Outside of school, she is a devoted wife, loving mother to one daughter, and an active member of her community. Karen experienced severe abdominal pain and went to a hospital where doctors discovered a large obstruction caused by a sigmoid tumor. She underwent surgery and was transferred to the ICU, where she required ventilator support and faced multiple medical complications. Read her story of recovery here.

Lester was first admitted to an acute care hospital with sepsis and acute hypoxemic hypercapnic respiratory failure, along with a Staphylococcus epidermidis infection. His condition required intubation, and he was later transferred to Kindred Hospital Albuquerque for ventilator management, tracheostomy care, IV antibiotics, and hemodialysis. Read more of his story here.