TitaniumJohnny: The Crash and Journey Back to Running – PT 3

After spending a few weeks in Memorial Hermann’s acute care center, I moved to Houston Transitional Care, a Skilled Nursing Facility. You might wonder what that is. It’s a place where trained medical staff provide treatment and rehab to help patients recover. The team there was always friendly, helpful, and knew their stuff. I made big strides under their care and would highly recommend them. This was the best choice for me as I still needed a feeding tube, meds, wound care, daily therapy, and help with many tasks.

When I was in the acute care center at Memorial Hermann, I needed a lot of assistance. I couldn’t get up to use the bathroom, drink, or eat. I was like a big baby, needing diaper changes and getting food through a tube. My first goal was to build strength, so I did what I could in bed – lifting my legs and arms, squeezing my glutes, bed dancing, and rolling side to side. It worked – by week two, I could use a bedpan and urinal bottle. No more diapers! Breathing was tough, and I needed suction to clear my airway. It felt like drowning sometimes, but it got better. Swallowing was hard due to my neck surgery and breathing tube. I was scared of throwing up, and my double vision made me feel sick. The doctors gave me meds for nausea and anxiety. My mouth was wired shut, with just a small gap where a tooth was missing. They kept wire cutters nearby, just in case.

Remember when I thought I heard a doctor in the ER mention an “experimental surgery”? I forgot to say that in the trauma ICU, my leg doctors asked if I’d volunteer for a special surgery. They’d track my recovery for a year, and if it went well, it could help veterans and soldiers with similar injuries. I said yes.

On my first day at Houston Transitional Care, I met my rehab team. I had physical therapists for my leg and walking, occupational therapists for my left arm, and speech therapists for swallowing. The care was similar to the acute care center, but I didn’t have my suction tool anymore. That was stressful. It had been my comfort. To calm my nerves, besides meds, I made a crazy backup plan in case I threw up. I’d hit the call button, roll out of bed, and crawl to the hallway door. I knew I could hold my breath for at least 2 minutes. I’d just need to last long enough to get fluids out through the gap in my teeth or for someone to cut the wires in my mouth. This plan gave me peace of mind. The care was great, but I like to have a Plan B and C. I was a Boy Scout, after all.

So I met everyone and the very next day I got started with rehab. It was tiring. I was shocked at how weak I was. Just sitting in a wheelchair for 30 minutes wore me out. But I got stronger each day and pushed harder. The staff was impressed by my progress. The rehab team let me work longer when I could and sent me back when I was done. I quickly got strong enough to stand and walk with a cane. My left arm, which I couldn’t lift past my shoulder after the crash, improved fast. In two weeks, I got full use back. Speech therapy took work to learn to swallow safely again. I started with tiny sips of apple juice from a spoon, then moved to jello. When they unwired my jaw, I started on pureed food. They checked my swallowing with a special x-ray machine. I had to work on opening my mouth wider using popsicle sticks. At first, I could barely fit my pinky in, but now I can eat a burger no problem.

Getting the right timing for meds was key for how well I did in therapy and how well I slept. Bad sleep meant tough therapy. Over time, I needed less strong pain meds, but it varied day to day. Some days my arm hurt, other days my leg or the base of my skull. It was always changing. Soon, I could wheel myself down the hall using one good arm and leg. I was making real progress. Before I knew it, I was being discharged and went back to work just two months after my accident.

But Wait There’s More In The Next Installment:

Back To Work and The Introduction to Bone Pain