Amanda Barefoot’s life changed this past August when she woke up with the sensation of her head spinning and numbness in her fingers and toes. She went to a hospital, where she was treated for high blood pressure and abnormal lab work…

Kendall Boyd was leaving work in Columbia, S.C., when he realized he still had the keys to his work truck in his pocket. After walking back to his office to return them, he “blacked out.” His co-workers immediately called EMS…

One day in November 2022, Heather Centella arrived at her job at a law office feeling a bit “off.” She dropped her cell phone, went to pick it up, and dropped it again. Then her face went numb…

Geri chose MRRH for her recovery following a spinal cord injury

A well-known businesswoman from Sumter, SC, Geraline “Geri” Thompson-Rabon is very active in her community. Geri loves being outdoors with her animals or baking for her family in the kitchen. But all that changed when a motor vehicle accident left Geri with numerous injuries, including a spinal cord injury.

Geri admitted to Midlands Regional Rehabilitation Hospital for her recovery. She arrived with weakness in her arms, legs, and hands and required the assistance of two people to stand or walk. After developing an individualized plan of care, Geri began her therapy sessions with a focus on strengthening her muscles through electric stimulation, improving her balance and walking ability, and managing the pain from her injuries.

After several weeks of intense rehabilitation, Geri made incredible progress and walked out of MRRH independently. “I am very pleased with my hospital stay,” she noted. “All the staff were great. Very helpful and pleasant. I have no complaints!” Likewise, Geri’s therapists are proud of her hard work and know she is well on her way to returning to baking, gardening, and spending time with her family.

Thank you, Geri, for choosing Midlands Regional Rehabilitation Hospital for your recovery!

Kevin relied on MRRH to help him regain his strength and mobility following a spinal cord injury

A young man from Hartsville, SC, Kevin Gattison loves softball and pool. But life hasn’t always been smooth for Kevin. Twelve years ago, Kevin experienced a spinal cord injury after an assault. Following the injury, Kevin recovered to the point he could walk with the assistance of a walker.

Recently, Kevin fell and experienced a second spinal cord injury. The injury impacted Kevin’s leg and hand strength and required surgery. Kevin was admitted to Midlands Regional Rehabilitation Hospital for intensive therapy after the procedure.

Kevin arrived at MRRH with significant deficits, requiring the assistance of two people to stand or walk, and could only tolerate a few steps at a time. His therapy sessions at MRRH included the use of the Bioness Vector, a state-of-the-art overhead harness system, as well as electrical stimulation to facilitate the strengthening of his muscles.

Following weeks of intensive rehab, Kevin had made significant progress. On his day of discharge, Kevin walked out of the facility on his own power and could climb stairs, dress, and feed himself.

Congratulations, Kevin! Your therapy team is so proud of all your hard work!

Stewart Jones made great progress while recovering from a stroke at MRRH

“I would strongly encourage anyone in need of acute rehabilitation to utilize the services of the Midlands Regional Rehabilitation Hospital (MRRH). I suffered an acute ischemic stroke in July, which resulted in deficits to my right side and severe problems with my speech.

Following my hospital stay with Lexington Medical Center, I was admitted to MRRH for two weeks as an inpatient to receive extensive physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. During my stay, I made significant improvements, such as in my ability to walk without assistance, better control of my right hand, and improved speech. Before my stay at MRRH, I suffered from an uneven gait, had very little use of my right hand, and my speech was limited to mainly the names of family members and a few common automatic phrases.

I am still a work in progress, but I am improving steadily each day. At the point of this writing, I am continuing therapy twice a week as an outpatient at MRRH. The rehabilitation experts there have helped me to regain much of my daily life before the stroke and to develop strategies for the ‘new normal’ post-stroke. I cannot recommend them highly enough if you are in need of rehabilitation services.”

 

 

Ann chose MRRH to recover from vertigo and a concussion sustained in a fall at home

Ann Stirlen is a lady that has always been full of life. Ann is a proud former ballerina, having performed with the Metropolitan Opera and the San Francisco Ballet Company. Now, Ann enjoys supporting animal rescue and doing her part to make sure the environment is clean and safe.

One day at home, Ann fell and hit her head. Initially, Ann didn’t seem to be injured. But a week later, Ann became very dizzy when getting out of bed. She couldn’t get up, walk, or move at all without the support of one or two others. At this point, Ann admitted to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with a concussion.

After a couple of days, Ann transferred to Midlands Regional Rehabilitation Hospital (MRRH). Upon arriving at MRRH, Ann underwent an evaluation. Her evaluation included vestibular positional testing performed by a certified neurologic specialist. The testing resulted in a diagnosis of BPPV, or benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. BPPV occurs when crystals in the inner ear are displaced and send messages to the brain that the head is spinning.

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Rayner Cardenas spent two weeks rehabilitating at STRH after suffering a massive heart attack.

“My name is Rayner Cardenas, and I was a patient in your facility from July 11, 2019 through July 25, 2019. I am 47-years-old and my world was completely turned upside-down when I suffered a “massive” heart attack on July 1st, 2019. Suffice it to say that I woke up on July 3rd to find myself in the ICU, with tubes and lines coming out of all parts of my body, and thus began the long process of recovery. I would now need to learn to walk and move my arms all over again.

Luckily, my wife and family members recommended I go to your facility to receive therapy. I cannot say enough about your entire staff, from your CEO, Leo Garza, your Director of Marketing, Albert Loya, your Director of Nursing, Aaron Cepeda, Christine, my case manager, and of course the nurses, and definitely your therapists, especially Adriana and Miguel, who pushed me hard and motivated me to get stronger. I am proud to say that when I came to your facility, I was in a wheelchair, barely able to stand with assistance, and when I was discharged, I left walking (with the assistance of a walker) under my own power.
I also must mention that Juan, the PCT who helped me during my stay, was fantastic. He assisted me with bathing and so many basic care routines that we take for granted every day until we are unable to perform them for ourselves. Juan was a true professional.
Finally, I would like to express my gratitute to Dr. Apolinario, and especially his assistant Karina Ornelas, who checked on me daily.
Each of the individuals mentioned above, and so many others whose names escape me, truly made me feel like I was a member of their family. They cared for me, they encouraged and motivate dme, and they made sure that I felt safe and comfortable during my stay. I will always be grateful to them for their care and compassion and for giving me a second chance at a normal life.
I would like to give a special thanks to Leo, Albert, and Aaron, who made it possible for Dr. Pelly (who saved my life) to continue providing medical care in coordination with Dr. Apolinario and Dr. Hussain at STRH.”
Eternally grateful,
Rayner O. Cardenas

South Texas Rehabilitation Hospital has been named in the Top 10 percent of inpatient rehabilitation facilities in the United States for the 11th year. The hospital’s care was cited as being patient-centered, effective, efficient and timely.

“We strive to deliver this higher level of care as our standard,” says Leo Garza, CEO of South Texas Rehabilitation Hospital. “We have graciously been recognized as a top performing facility for many years now, but we never take it for granted. Our staff is exceptionally passionate about helping patients reach their full potential through the care we provide. We work daily to ensure patients are reaching their highest levels of ability and independence.”

South Texas Rehabilitation Hospital was ranked in the Top 10 percent from among 870 inpatient rehabilitation facilities nationwide by the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation (UDSMR), a non-profit corporation that was developed with support from the U.S. Department of Education, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. The UDSMR maintains the world’s largest database of rehabilitation outcomes.

“If you take into account that a national study has previously shown that inpatient rehabilitation facilities provide better long-term results for patients, being ranked at the top of that group validates the quality of care we provide,” says Dr. Christopher Wilson, Medical Director for South Texas Rehabilitation Hospital referencing a study commissioned by the ARA Research Institute that showed patients treated in inpatient facilities experienced improved quality of life as compared to skilled nursing facilities.

“To provide the highest level of rehabilitative care available in the United States to our own community is truly rewarding,” Garza says. “This means our family, friends, and colleagues don’t need to leave the area to receive the best care available.”

Through the UDSMR, South Texas Rehabilitation Hospital also will collaborate with peers throughout the nation to share information and establish best practices for patients. “This helps elevate rehabilitative care for everyone across the United States,” Garza says.

South Texas Rehabilitation Hospital provides specialized rehabilitative services to patients who are recovering from or living with disabilities caused by injuries, illnesses, or chronic medical conditions. This includes, but is not limited to, strokes, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, orthopedic injuries, cerebral palsy, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease.