Jeff's Story
When North Dakota natives Jeff Krueger, 67, and his wife, Lisa, had grown weary of the bitterly cold winters in their home state, they became ‘snowbirds’ of sunny Arizona. A farmer by trade, Jeff worked on the farm where he was born. A father of four, Jeff regularly worked up to 16-hours a day to keep up with the never-ending responsibilities involved with being a farmer. Indeed, the warmth of winters in Arizona gave Jeff and Lisa something to look forward to as they approached full retirement.
A lifetime of farming necessitated knee surgery for Jeff, which he intended to have during his winter stay in Arizona. Due to a history of cardiac issues, including atrial fibrillation, a heart attack, and coronary artery disease, which resulted in the placement of a stent, Jeff needed clearance from a cardiologist before proceeding with knee surgery. After completing the pre-op testing, Jeff's doctors recommended surgery to replace a leaking mitral valve in his heart.
Jeff headed into surgery with normal apprehension, never imagining that surgical complications would mean he would spend nearly a month in the ICU. The surgery left him on a ventilator, battling a lung infection and struggling with an allergic reaction to a commonly prescribed blood thinner. His condition was dire. Physicians told his family several times that they didn’t know if he’d survive. “The doctors told us multiple times that he was close to death,” Lisa recalled.
Somehow, Jeff beat the odds, but his journey was far from over. Five days after he left the ICU, and 30 days after he went in for heart surgery, Jeff was transferred to a critical illness recovery hospital for the next phase in his recovery. During his 22-day stay at the new location, he required the assistance of two people just to stand up. Once Jeff was medically stable, his critical illness physicians recommended inpatient rehabilitation to help him regain his strength, balance and endurance. He took his first two steps as he prepared to be transferred to Banner Rehabilitation Hospital East.
Upon arrival at Banner, Jeff faced a multitude of recovery challenges. Impaired strength, compromised balance, limited activity tolerance and an inability to perform personal care tasks made the road ahead of him daunting. However, the physician-led team of nurses and physical, occupational and respiratory therapists, rallied around him to help him reach his goal of returning home and regaining his independence.
Jeff’s physical therapists worked to improve his endurance by having him practice walking, riding a stationary bike and use light weights. Occupational therapists focused on increasing his independence with personal care tasks, including bathing, dressing and practicing getting in and out of a car simulator. Because Jeff had a tendency to hold his breath while in therapy, he worked with respiratory therapists to re-learn proper breathing techniques.
According to Jeff, the therapy sessions not only addressed his physical limitations but also rekindled his spirit and determination. “When you’re healthy and well you take everything for granted,” he said. “I wanted to get better. The therapy team knew how hard to push me without discouraging or hurting me. When they praised me, I knew I had done a good job.”
It was the milestone of walking 37 feet that ignited a flame within Jeff. “Once I did that, something just clicked,” he exclaimed. “It changed my whole attitude and showed me that I could do this.” The encouragement of his care team fueled his determination to succeed. “Jeff worked so hard throughout his time here and never refused therapy,” his physical therapist recalled.
Through perseverance and a team dedicated to his success, Jeff progressed at an astounding rate. In just over two weeks, Jeff was able to shower in 15 minutes compared to the 45 minutes it took him when he arrived. He was independent with transfers, could walk 500 feet using a walker and was able to negotiate 12 stairs and tall curbs with only minor assistance.
As Jeff approached his discharge date, he and Lisa reflected on all of the obstacles he had overcome. He recognized three miracles in his journey: surviving against all odds, regaining the ability to walk and embracing the joy of living once again.
Jeff plans to continue his recovery with home health care and outpatient therapy. He is looking forward to “sitting in my backyard in my little oasis” upon returning home. Jeff and Lisa also can’t wait to embark on a cruise to the Bahamas with friends.
“Banner Rehabilitation Hospital East gave Jeff his life back,” Lisa said. “We couldn’t have asked for better care.” Jeff was equally complimentary, adding, “I am living proof that rehabilitation works. I can’t express my thanks enough for the staff’s compassion, skill and positive reinforcement.”