Mr. S: Healing Driven by Determination

Mr. S, 56, had no significant history of medical problems. He and his wife owned and operated a successful veterinary service and had an active social life.

Then he was admitted to a local emergency room following a sudden illness from H1N1, resulting in acute respiratory failure. The ER visit turned into a six-week hospitalization because Mr. S was suffering from acute respiratory failure as a result of Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome. Due to the long-term effects of the illness, Mr. S required a tracheostomy airway and gatrostomy (G-tube) placement, or feeding tube, for nourishment. He suffered from acute renal failure, and for part of his stay Mr. S. was in a coma, and at one point not expected to survive.

He was transferred to Kindred Hospital Santa Ana, and what struck the staff about him was his determination and character. He told them that he was going to recuperate and that he was “going to go home from his stay at Kindred even if he had to walk the entire way himself.” What he lacked in physical strength, he made up for in his faith and determination.

Along with his doctors, the team at Kindred Hospital Santa Ana immediately set a plan in place for achieving the goals of recovery—to breathe and eat on his own, and to speak, eat and walk. Step by step, Mr. S began to meet each of the goals. He was weaned off the ventilator, began eating solid food, resumed speaking, and no longer required hemodialysis treatments. By the time he was discharged to his home, he was able to walk up to 90 feet with a walker.

A month after discharge, Mr. S drove his car to Kindred Hospital Santa Ana. Some did not recognize him at first, but his strong, deep voice and his confident manner were familiar. He had gained strength, weight, and independence. He spoke of his faith and all the friends who had prayed for him while he was hospitalized, and he thanked everyone involved in his care for helping him meet his goals.

At Kindred Hospital Santa Ana we are proud of the care we provide and of our customer satisfaction scores – 98 % of our patients and families would recommend us and they rate our quality of care at 92.8%.