Richard's Story
Sailing on a cruise ship in the Caribbean is supposed to be relaxing, but when 74-year old world traveler and retired web administrator Richard Waite fell ill, things got serious – and complicated.
After several days of diarrhea, tiredness, muscle pain and dry cough, Richard visited the ship’s infirmary where he learned he had lower than normal blood pressure. He was immediately given fluid and antibiotics. Richard was also scheduled to visit a public hospital on the island of Bonaire during the ship’s next stop.
At the hospital, Richard was diagnosed with tachypnea, rapid and shallow breathing that is faster than normal, as well as C diff, a bacterium that causes diarrhea and inflammation of the colon. Richard continued to decline and required increased oxygen. He also developed acute respiratory distress syndrome, a lung condition that causes fluid to build up, making it hard to breathe. With only minimal improvement over the next three days, Richard had to be intubated at the hospital, a procedure where a tube was inserted into his trachea to help him breathe.
Seeking his return to the United States for further care, Richard’s family decided to fly him from Bonaire to Mayo Clinic, where he was admitted to the intensive care unit. He remained intubated and underwent several tests. His doctors diagnosed him with critical illness myopathy, a common neuro-muscular complication of intensive care treatment associated with limbs and respiratory muscles. After two days, Richard successfully had his breathing tube removed.
Richard remained at the Mayo Clinic and stabilized after two more weeks. His family toured four rehabilitation hospitals for his next level of care before choosing Banner Rehabilitation Hospital Phoenix, citing the warm feeling they felt during the tour.
Upon admission, Richard had low energy levels, poor balance and posture, weakness on the right side, muscle weakness, unsteady walking, challenges with thinking and impaired fine motor coordination. These impairments limited his ability to participate in activities of daily living, which included eating, showering, using the bathroom and getting dressed. For example, he required maximal assistance for dressing and two people in order to use the bathroom.
In addition to returning to his world travels, Richard had a simple, but significant goal when he entered inpatient rehabilitation: “I want to be as good as I was before.”
Richard’s physician-led care team worked with him and his family to put a treatment plan in place. His team of physical and occupational therapists focused on building his endurance and strength to help increase his independence and physical functioning. Richard performed various exercises with weights, including exercises on an arm bike, to regain his strength. Additional exercises helped him restore his balance and flexibility. He moved from the parallel bars to initiate standing, then to a walker to improve his gait training. He credits his therapists for pushing to him to do more than he realized he could.
“My therapists had a way of making me do things I didn’t want to do,” Richard said. “They believed in me and pushed me to do more than I thought I could.”
His therapists were impressed with Richard’s diligence. “He was highly motivated throughout his therapies and left at a modified independent level,” said one therapist. “He made huge strides in his functional mobility level of independence but also his strength and endurance.”
As Richard progressed through physical and occupational therapy, his breakthrough came during a balloon toss game when his therapists urged him to take a step and he realized he could do it – he would walk again. With each passing day, Richard also regained the strength to sit, stand and dress himself.
“Mayo Clinic saved my life. Banner Rehabilitation Hospital Phoenix made my life worthwhile,” Richard exclaimed. “All the staff were excellent; they all taught me something in their own way.”
A little more than a month after his symptoms first appeared, Richard was discharged from inpatient rehabilitation and able to walk hundreds of feet with a front-wheeled walker. A highly motivated patient throughout his rehabilitation journey, Richard was excited to return to his home with his wife, Mickey, who had visited him every day while he was at Banner Rehabilitation Hospital Phoenix.
For a man who has traveled to all 50 states, 40 countries and six continents, Richard also learned something about himself during his personal rehabilitation journey.
“Take one day at a time,” he said. “I learned that by challenging myself, I can do more than I thought.”