While on a business trip in Colorado, Jerold Rivera, a 52-year-old graphic designer from New Jersey, developed osteomyelitis, an infection of the bone, and had his right foot amputated…
One June day, Leroy fell in his kitchen and hit his face, injuring his spine in the process. His diagnosis was an incomplete central cord syndrome secondary to a spinal cord injury at C6 with severe spinal stenosis.
Seventy-three-year-old Brad Tuttle of Fort Collins, Colo., was enjoying his retirement after serving as a mortgage banker for 40 years. This past spring, his life changed when he had a cardiac arrest.
Ronald was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy, a condition that affects the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. It created balance difficulties for Ronald, often resulting in falls.
Luisa Casiano of Greeley, Colo., was enjoying an active retirement. She spent her time dancing, reading, walking in the park, fishing, and spending time with her significant other, children, and grandchildren.
Before her recent hospitalization, Pamela Wyman, 77, enjoyed life with her family, including her daughter, son, three grandsons, and one granddaughter. Family always comes first for Pamela. In her free time, she loves to travel, play bridge, participate in a book club, and do yard work.
Diagnosed with osteoarthritis, Pamela recently elected to undergo a left knee replacement. Unfortunately, after the procedure, Pamela experienced complications with the anesthesia. Before safely returning home, she would need more rehabilitation. That led her to Northern Colorado Rehabilitation Hospital.
“Such a clean facility!” Pamela remarked. “The food was good. We would eat in the cafeteria, and I made lots of friends. The nurse-to-patient ratio was fantastic. I got three hours of therapy per day, and it was quality therapy, where they really pushed me hard to be able to get home and taught me lots of exercises to do.”
Today, Pamela is safely back home, where she enjoys being in her favorite recliner, playing with her cat, Cinder, and being near her family again.
“I am so blessed to have my children and couldn’t have done this without them and the NCRH staff! Thank you to everyone that helped get my quality of life back!”
Before his health took a turn for the worse, Joe Trujillo was enjoying life. Joe worked as a team leader in x-ray film production and enjoyed riding his motorcycle and going camping. Joe, 63, has been married to Roxana for 38 years. Together, they have six children, nine grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Joe’s difficult health journey began when he was diagnosed with a carotid body tumor. This is a mass that grows in the blood vessels near the large arteries in either side of the neck. Treatment involved surgery to remove the tumor. But after surgery, things only got worse for Joe when he suffered a stroke.
Following the stroke, Joe’s prognosis was poor. Doctors at the acute care hospital began preparing Roxana for the likelihood that Joe wouldn’t survive. But a few days later, Joe awoke. He told Roxana that he loved her and wanted to go home.
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Originally from Dayton, Ohio, Shirley Surface moved to Colorado in 1989. Shirley, 82, now lives in Loveland with her oldest daughter, husband, and two other daughters. She loves caring for her family and spends her free time walking, crocheting, and knitting.
One day, Shirley lost her balance at home and fell. Her daughter took her to the hospital, where Shirley was diagnosed with a stroke. After researching facilities for her recovery, Shirley’s family chose Northern Colorado Rehabilitation Hospital.
“The rehab program has been very good!” Shirley stated. “I am pleased with the nurses. They help me right away and never leave my side. Tanner Mendel, PTA, has been so helpful in helping me to strengthen my legs for transfers. And Dr. Witek and Nancy, PA, have been so helpful in providing me with stroke education. Plus, the food has been good, with lots of choices!”
Thanks to her hard work and the clinical expertise of the staff at NCRH, Shirley made significant progress in her recovery and returned home to her family right before Christmas, much to everyone’s delight.
Craig and Angela Horton have lived in Fort Collins for the last 50 years and have been married for the last 27. Craig is semi-retired, working as a consultant. The couple spends their free time traveling, doing yard work, walking, and going to the mountains, where they have a cabin. They also enjoy spending time with their two adult children.
Sitting in his front yard one day, Craig started to feel like his left fingers weren’t working. Angela knew the acronym FAST, used to remember the signs of a stroke: facial drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty, and time). She immediately got Craig to the acute care hospital, where doctors confirmed that Craig had a hemorrhagic stroke and performed a craniotomy.
To regain his function and independence following his stroke, Craig transferred to Northern Colorado Rehabilitation Hospital. His mother had been at NCRH years ago and received great care, so he knew it was a good decision.
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At 80 years old, Robert Magin lived a more active life than people half his age. Robert enjoyed working as a special education paraprofessional for kindergarten through fifth grade and with Project Launch, an afterschool program for third graders focusing on literacy and math. Robert has been married 49 years and has a daughter and two grandchildren. He loved to take camping trips with his travel trailer and fly fishing in the North Platte and Poudre Rivers.
Then, one July day, Robert’s life dramatically changed when he woke up unable to walk. After admitting to the acute care hospital, Robert underwent eight days of extensive testing. The results provided a diagnosis of transverse myelitis, an inflammation of the spinal cord.
To regain his function and independence, Robert needed intensive inpatient rehabilitation. He chose Northern Colorado Rehabilitation Hospital (NCRH) for his recovery, close to his home in Lafayette.
“This was the best choice,” Robert said as he reflected on his experience at NCRH. “The smoothest operation I have seen. The staff worked as a team, and I was very impressed by their thoroughness. They met all my needs and had great meals for my diet.”
During his time at NCRH, Robert made significant gains in his recovery from spinal cord injury. “PT and OT got me from not walking to now wiggling my toes, and provided me with great exercises to do that will eventually help me walk again,” he shared.
“This place is the gold standard of care!”
Robert also enjoyed the supportive, community-like atmosphere at the rehabilitation hospital. “I love going to the dining room and meeting other patients. Great socialization experience.”
Though Robert is still on his recovery journey, he can’t wait to go home in the future and looks forward to walking again!
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