Sharon knew immediately NCRH was the place to recover from the injuries she sustained in a car accident
Last year, Sharon Benson retired from working full-time. She’s enjoyed retirement and kept busy with small jobs such as delivering food, house- and dog-sitting, and doing photography for a local business. The 66-year-old lives on a half-acre in Greeley, where she enjoys gardening, repairing yard equipment, and fixing up her house.
Then one day, Sharon was in a car accident. Hit on the driver’s side, she sustained a traumatic brain injury, rib fractures, and a pulmonary contusion.
Sharon knew where she wanted to be for her recovery: Northern Colorado Rehabilitation Hospital. “It’s the best place around!” she said. “The best therapy. The best outcomes. Highly-educated staff. And lower nurse-to-patient ratio.”
Donal’s extensive injuries left him in need of rehabilitation
Donald Holland is a 56-year-old widower who has enjoyed his time traveling the country as a semi-trailer truck driver. When he’s not driving his truck, Donald enjoys playing golf and caring for his four cats and four parrots. But while driving from Virginia to California, he was involved in a major motor vehicle accident when another vehicle pulled in front of him near the Nebraska-Wyoming border.
Donald arrived in a nearby emergency room with extensive injuries. His injuries included four broken ribs, broken bones in his hand, two broken fingers, a crack to his left leg bone, and a shattered pelvis.
His doctors told him that it was a miracle he hadn’t been paralyzed.
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Bob and his wife are thrilled they chose NCRH for his stroke rehabilitation
Robert (Bob) Mogus has lived in Sterling, Colorado, his entire life. Bob, 73, is retired and loves playing golf. He also loves being with his wife, with whom he is about to celebrate 50 years of marriage. Bob is a father of three, grandfather of five, and great-grandfather of three. He loves doing yard work and, above all, spending time with his spouse.
One day, Bob woke up from sleeping to find his right leg and arm were numb. They wouldn’t move. Further concerning, Bob’s speech was slurred. He was taken to the acute care hospital and diagnosed with a stroke.
Bob’s case manager at the acute care hospital recommended Northern Colorado Rehabilitation Hospital (NCRH). NCRH had a good reputation, and Bob and his wife liked the location. So they decided to go along with the case manager’s recommendation and transfer to NCRH.
“What a fantastic place!” Bob stated about NCRH. “The therapists were great! They really worked me hard so I can go home.”
“Dr. Witek and Dr. Asadi are great physicians and took outstanding care of me,” Bob continued. “The nursing staff was beyond fantastic. The food was good! My case manager, Celeste Coraggio, really helped me with all the paperwork and kept me informed all the time of what was going on with my discharge plan.”
“There’s not a single bad thing I can say about NCRH!”
Bob was filled with excitement as he prepared to discharge home from NCRH. He looks forward to getting home with his wife and family. Bob is now walking with a cane and has full movement of his right arm. Bob also looks forward to seeing his golden retriever, Duke.
Janet is reunited with Daisey after recovering from a stroke at NCRH
Janet Smith, 79, moved to Windsor, Colorado in 2018 to be closer to her three daughters and five grandchildren. Before the move, Janet lived in Idaho with her husband, who passed away. She loves living in her retirement community where she attends church, exercise classes, and does water aerobics. Janet also walks two miles a day with her dog, Daisey, and enjoys making chocolate chip cookies and eating ice cream, and the company of her many friends.
During one of her exercise classes, Janet began to feel unwell. Thankfully, a retired nurse in the class made sure Janet got medical attention. Brought to the acute care hospital, Janet was diagnosed with a stroke and left-sided weakness.
Upon discharge from the acute care hospital, Janet chose Northern Colorado Rehabilitation Hospital for her recovery. The rehab hospital is close both to Janet’s home and her family.
“Every employee was so nice and happy!” Janet said about her time and NCRH. She sang the praises of every department. “The food was great! The kitchen staff was so happy and always more than willing to accommodate my diet preferences! The therapy was so fun! Everyone was always smiling. And the nurses were wonderful, attentive, and happy. They would always make me feel like more than just a patient, but a friend!”
“I just loved how every one of the staff members always cared about my experience and asked questions to ensure I was doing well my entire stay.”
Having made significant improvements, Janet excitedly discharged home to Daisey. To continue advancing her recovery, Janet completed outpatient therapy at NCRH. She keeps her exercises on the fridge at her apartment, has resumed walking two miles per day, and is enjoying life with her friends and family.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better place to go. I recommend NCRH for the positive atmosphere!”
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Doug looks forward to walking his daughter down the aisle without an assistive device
Doug Harsha had big plans. His daughter was getting married, and the father of the bride looked forward to walking her down the aisle.
But as Doug looked forward to that special day, his plans were interrupted. On February 1st, Doug had a stroke at his home in Loveland, Colorado.
Before his stroke, Doug lived an active and independent life, working as a network engineer contractor for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The 70-year-old loves following SpaceX, reading, having coffee with friends, and going to church. Doug and his wife, Jonni, have been married for 37 years and have two daughters.
While in the acute care hospital, it became clear Doug wouldn’t be able to resume his active lifestyle without intensive rehabilitation. A physician friend recommended Northern Colorado Rehabilitation Hospital, a Stroke Center of Excellence.
March is Brain Injury Awareness Month. At least 3.6 million people in the U.S. sustain a brain injury each year.
Makhan’s experience at NCRH recovering from a brain injury was “nothing but great!”
Before his brain injury, Makhan Singh enjoyed retired living in Denver, Colorado. He relished the time spent with his wife of 45 years, his boys, and four grandchildren. In addition, Makhan loves his annual vacation to India, where he grew up.
Makhan’s life changed when he fell one day, accidentally hitting his head on a wall. The impact caused Makhan to suffer a subdural hematoma. He was hospitalized and required a craniotomy due to the injury.
For his recovery, Makhan chose Northern Colorado Rehabilitation Hospital. His case manager and physician at the acute care hospital both recommended NCRH.
“My time at NCRH has been nothing but great,” Makhan stated. “Everyone has been so nice, and I have no complaints!”
Makhan looks forward to returning home to his family and can’t wait to spend time with his grandchildren.
Jesse Martinez trusted both NCLTAH and NCRH with his care after suffering from a subdural hematoma and acute respiratory failure.
Jesse Martinez is 57 years old and lived in Denver, Colorado, working full-time for the city. He spends all the time he can with his family. He and his wife, Dawn, have three daughters and two grandchildren. Jesse taps into his creative side through music and used to work as a DJ. He also loves making art and enjoys watching football. He’s a huge Raiders fan.
On a day like any other, Jesse started experiencing a horrible headache. He went to an acute care hospital where they told Jesse he was suffering from a subdural hematoma and acute respiratory failure. His family chose to continue his recovery at Northern Colorado Long Term Acute Hospital.
Jesse was appreciative of the support he received from the staff. “Everybody was so positive and helpful! The housekeeping staff always made me feel at home. The doctors and nurses were so positive.”
Although he improved, Jesse wasn’t quite ready to return home. He transferred to Northern Colorado Rehabilitation Hospital to begin rehab. He was just as impressed with the NCRH staff as he was with NCLTAH. “Every staff member was so friendly and nice! I didn’t have one bad experience, and everyone always made me feel comfortable. When I went home, I really missed everyone. They were just like my family.”
Jesse discharged home in July and moved to Loveland, Colorado, with his family. He is now retired, enjoying his peaceful life with his family. He’s happy to be around music again and is fixing up an old Chevy 1964.
“If it wasn’t for getting my care at these two facilities, I don’t know where I would be,” Jesse stated.
“The therapy was so interactive and fun! The entire staff was always cheering me on!”
Nathan Abelein, 55 years old, lives in Berthoud, Colorado, with his wife, Merrelyn. They have lived there for 22 of their 31 years of marriage. They have a couple of acres of property that they look after. Nathan works as an electrical engineer and enjoys playing ice hockey, scuba diving, and hiking. He loves spending quality time with his two children as well.
In September of 2021, Nathan became weak. He felt tired, started coughing, had no appetite, and developed a fever. Concerned with his worsening condition, he decided to go to the acute care hospital. There they put him on a ventilator for six weeks due to acute respiratory failure from COVID-19.
Once Nathan stabilized, he transitioned to a long-term acute hospital. Even after his time there, he needed more rehabilitation before going home. He chose Northern Colorado Rehabilitation Hospital for their exceptional reputation and recommendation from his nurses and case manager. He heard great things about their care from friends that were former patients.
During Nathan’s time at NCRH, the staff impressed him with their consistent support. “Jack Hawvermale, RN, was very attentive, communicated all the time, and went above and beyond. Madeline Roach, RN, always went out of her way to help. Emma Martin, PCT, was phenomenal and very genuine! Dr. Arrogante was very thorough and had fantastic communication! Dr. Asadi would always talk to me at breakfast and cheer me on!”
Nathan is returning home soon and hopes to walk independently and come off oxygen by discharge day. He made great progress and is currently walking with a walker. Upon reflection of his care at NCRH, Nathan stated, “The therapy was so interactive and fun! The entire staff was always cheering me on! It’s a long road to my recovery, but I will be coming back for outpatient therapy at NCRH!”
“I went from being frozen, unable to move, to walking all over!”
Married for 16 years, Brand Gould and his wife Kelli live in Denver, CO. Now retired, he likes to stay very active. He enjoys hiking, mountaineering, bicycling, snowboarding and loves to play his acoustic guitar. He also enjoys traveling and stays social with friends and family.
One day in October 2021, Brand was riding his bike and had a bad accident. He ran into a concrete obstruction and suffered a shoulder injury, broken ribs, and a femur fracture. He chose to come to Northern Colorado Rehabilitation Hospital for intensive rehabilitation. His friend, a physical therapist, highly recommended NCRH. She explained, “The physical and occupational therapists are the best in the state and have top-rated success stories!”
From the start of his time at Northern Colorado Rehabilitation Hospital, Brand stayed dedicated to his recovery. He said, “From day one, I knew I picked the right place!” Brand appreciated all the support he received from his care team. “Dr. Witek was very patient, knowledgeable, friendly, and answered all my questions. I loved the nurses; they were all great and professional.”
During his rehabilitation, Brand’s therapists encouraged him. He explained, “The physical and occupational therapists are so knowledgeable and have great teamwork. It has been a lot of fun working with them! I also loved how they educated my wife as part of the program.”
After working hard each day with his team of caregivers, Brand started to see real progress. “My improvement has been phenomenal! I went from being frozen, unable to move, to moving all over independently!” Brand looks forward to getting home where he can sleep in his own bed, cook, and play his guitar again. With a long road ahead of him, he plans on taking his recovery one day at a time.
After her stroke, Sheila could hardly move her right arm and leg.
Sheila Lerch is 93 years old. She loves playing bridge with her friends and spends a lot of time with her three children. Currently, she lives with her son in Chesterfield, Missouri. Because of her big heart, her favorite thing to do is help others.
One day Sheila was out visiting her daughter in Estes Park, where she suffered a stroke. She could hardly move her right arm and leg. Her neurologist told her that she would never walk again. Determined not to give up, she was ready to prove him wrong.
Sheila’s family chose for her to continue her recovery at Northern Colorado Rehabilitation Hospital. They heard great things about their care and read great reviews. Sheila’s case manager at the acute care hospital recommended NCRH for their stroke program. NCRH has received the Joint Commission’s disease-specific certification for stroke rehabilitation. This certification signifies the hospital’s dedication to developing better results for their patients.
Impressed from day one, Sheila loved working with her care team. She said, “The staff was so nice! Dr. Witek was very positive and saw me daily. The nurses took great care of me, and the therapists are excellent!”
After working hard towards her recovery goals, Sheila is now walking with a walker! She looks forward to getting home to her family and friends. Grateful that she can walk again, Sheila appreciates NCRH and all their help in her recovery. Sheila sure did prove her neurologist wrong. Miracles do come true!
