When a terrible motorcycle accident left Natalie with a broken tailbone, a broken pelvis, and a broken leg, she was in need of good rehabilitation. The damage done to her body left Natalie afraid she would never walk again.
After a three-week hospital stay, she came to Cold Spring Hills Center for Rehabilitation & Nursing (CSH) in late September 2022 to begin the road to recovery.
At CSH, Natalie was met with a team of physical therapists and occupational therapists who worked with her to help her regain her mobility. "The Physical Therapist and Occupational Therapists are my favorite thing here," Natalie said. "Getting therapy forces me to get out of the room. In the beginning, I couldn't move. I was in bed the whole time. Now I can stand up, and move and walk...it's a big difference. I didn't think I'd be able to do it again. I love being able to stand now. I got lucky."
Natalie's journey to recovery was not an easy one. She was admitted to CSH with significant internal injuries, multiple lower extremity fractures, and severe soft tissue injury. Shortly after her initial admission, she was transferred back to the hospital for wound reassessment. Upon readmission to CSH, she was unable to bear weight on her lower extremities and was on bedrest due to the nature of the soft tissue damage.
Given occupational therapy for bed mobility and daily activities, Natalie progressed to sitting on the edge of the bed for brief periods of time. Once she was able to bear weight on both lower extremities, she was cleared by the doctor to begin physical therapy. Natalie progressed from dependency to finally being discharged home on December 5, 2022.
Natalie attributes her success in rehabilitation to the staff at CSH. "Any time I needed help, someone would come in and help me, no matter what I needed," she said. "They made it easy and were always there for me."
In addition to her rehabilitation, Natalie was also able to pursue her passions and hobbies while at CSH. "I work at the North Shore Animal League. I love it there and can't wait to go back. I am also an artist. I find it very calming. They have an arts program here at CSH, which is very nice," she said. "When I came here and told the person in charge of the art program that I was an artist, they brought me paints, canvas, and paintbrushes. It was very sweet."
Natalie's journey to recovery serves as a testament to the importance of quality rehabilitation care. The physical therapists and occupational therapists at CSH helped Natalie regain her mobility and independence, while also allowing her to pursue her passions and hobbies. With their help and support, Natalie was able to overcome her injuries and start living her life again.
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