Raul's Story
Running, crawling under barbed wire, climbing over walls, swinging across monkey bars and carrying heavy buckets for long distances doesn’t sound like a good time for most people. However, Raul Rodriguez, a 54-year old retired project manager, isn’t most people. The physical and mental challenge of participating in Spartan Races is something he enjoyed as an avid athlete.
However, after suffering a stroke, Raul faced the greatest challenge of his life.
A simple gesture raised the alarm with Raul that something serious was going on.
He brushed off his headaches and weakness for three days, but Raul noticed it was difficult to adjust the car radio with his right arm. Symptoms quickening, he began losing his speech and experiencing double vision. Things got really scary when Raul could no longer walk.
“I could not move my right leg or arm,” Raul said. “My family couldn’t understand me…I thought it was them and thought my speech was fine…I had double vision.”
His wife, Delma, drove him to Banner Estrella Medical Center, before he was transported to Banner – University Medical Center. Raul’s doctors at Banner – University Medical Center diagnosed him with a non-traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), which is a subtype of stroke.
According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, intracerebral hemorrhage – bleeding into the brain tissue – is the second most common cause of stroke (15-30% of strokes) and the most deadly.
Raul remained at Banner – University Medical Center and stabilized after 10 days. His doctors recommended a comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation program to support his recovery of mobility and independence. He and his family chose Banner Rehabilitation Hospital Phoenix for this next level of care because of its proximity to Raul’s surgeon and based on recommendations shared with them.
Upon admission, Raul continued to have difficulty with his speech, as well as swallowing and right-sided weakness. He was severely limited by his continued double vision and lack of strength. These impairments diminished his ability to perform simple tasks and he required two people to safely transfer him to a rolling shower chair.
Though he was used to being in great shape for Spartan Races, he shared a profound set of humble goals with his new care team. All he wanted was to one day “walk out of the hospital and take a shower by myself,” he explained.
The physician-led rehabilitation team at Banner Rehabilitation Hospital Phoenix worked with Raul and his family to put a treatment plan in place. Physical, occupational and speech therapists soon put their focus on building strength back to Raul’s right side, helping him improve his speech, swallowing and cognition, all in an effort to increase his independence and physical functioning.
Despite early challenges during therapy due to his double vision, persistent hiccups and right-side weakness, Raul was motivated to participate in therapy even if he was not feeling well. Raul performed various exercises and received treatment in occupational therapy to regain strength on his right side, including electrical stimulation, which sent mild electrical pulses through his skin to help stimulate his muscles and nerves which had been affected by his stroke.
Raul also used weight bearing and graded exercises during occupational therapy and by discharge, had regained strength in his right arm to the point of being able to actively and purposefully move his shoulder and elbow.
Raul was amazed at the level of care he received from his first day to his last day at Banner Rehabilitation Hospital Phoenix. “My therapists were so supportive, amazing and awesome,” he exclaimed. “They push you to do your best ... it is outstanding the way they care for people here.”
Conversely, Raul’s therapists were impressed by his work ethic and the loving support he received from his family. “My wife, brother, sister-in-law and son were all very supportive and helped me get through this,” Raul said. “My family gave me cues, such as ‘slow down,’ to help me with my exercise and maintain safety.”
As Raul progressed through his recovery, it was a simple task he had always taken for granted that helped him turn a corner mentally. “Being able to get up by myself for the first time,” Raul explained. “It seems simple, but this was a big step in me believing that I would recover.”
Less than a month after entering Banner Rehabilitation Hospital Phoenix, Raul was able to walk up to 150 feet with a wide-base quad cane, as well as ascend and descend 12 stairs. He expressed his gratitude to his therapists and family for their support.
“Staff drop whatever they are doing to help you, they really want you to do well,” Raul said. “They also allowed my wife to stay with me the whole time. She was a big part of my rehab.”
For someone who was no stranger to hard work and dedication, Raul leaned into these qualities during his recovery.
“Hard work and positive attitude moves you forward,” he said. “I also learned that patience is a virtue, because healing takes time.”