Rehabilitation Awareness Celebration Week

(Google Image) 

Nurse Diane

In July, my husband's cousin, a Navy Seal, was injured in an accident out of the country.  He had fallen into a ravine, and broke his leg which was bad enough, but then he became infected with the flesh eating bacteria.  Luckily for him, Aimee Copeland from Geogia had just acquired the disease, so a new drug had been designed to combat it.  Instead of losing his leg, they only had to remove parts of the flesh that was affected. Currently he is beginning the rehabilitation process. The surgeons had to install metal rods and screws to his bone for recovery.  Being a Navy SEAL he was in top physical condition, and has been working hard to return back to his career with the SEALS.  This will take a lot of professional rehabilitation, and a lot of hard work, however with his determination; I know he will be successful.  As for Aimee Copeland, she was recently invited to the Katie Couric show wearing prosthetics on her arms and her leg, and was able to get around painlessly, and has a great attitude on life.

(Google Image) 

A few weeks ago a friend of my father's was on a ladder doing some work on his home.  Somehow, he fell off the ladder and landed on concrete.  He broke several bone and was flown to the state's capital for emergency surgery.  After the surgery, he had several close calls, mostly with his breathing and alot of confusion.  Luckily his medical conditions improved, and with his bones healing, he was just transferred to the Rehab hospital to begin working on his physical functions.

(Google Image) 

This week is Rehabilitation Awareness Celebration.  The purpose of Rehab is to reeducate your body after a trauma.  After my husband's accident, he was sent to Rehab hospital, however, his spinal injury prevented any type of recovery, but he was able to assist with transferring himself from the bed to his wheelchair, or to the bathroom.  Results from Rehab do not happen quickly, it requires several repetitions of doing the same exercise.  Not only are you strengthening your body and muscles, but you are also retraining your brain to perform these functions.  Rehab doesn’t just happen after a physical injury, but takes place after medical traumas as well such as a stroke or surgery.  A very active friend of mine recently had a pacemaker installed.  After his surgery, he was unable to exercise for 4 weeks, including even lifting his arm over his head.  He will soon be able to return back to his routine of walking and bike riding with the assistance and observations of the Cardiac Rehab center.

(Google Image) 

While we celebrate the work of the rehab therapists this week, be thankful for all the great work they do to help people return back to their normal, or close to normal way of life.  For more information visit this site:  http://www.rehabpub.com/

National Rehabilitation Awareness Celebration 2011

By Diane Forrest, RN

The National Rehabilitation Awareness Foundation was established in 1996 by Allied Services; a not-for-profit healthcare system headquartered in Scranton, Pa. Allied, since 1976, served as sponsor of National Rehabilitation Week, a nationwide celebration to educate people about the benefits of rehabilitation and the capabilities of people with disabilities.

The Foundation was created to extend the observance from a week-long event to a year ‘round awareness campaign. One of the Foundation’s main initiatives is to elevate the celebration to a greater level of prominence.

The baby-boom generation’s movement into middle age, a period when the incidence of heart attack and stroke increases, will spur demand for therapeutic services. Growth in the population 75 years and older will increase demand for therapeutic services.

Rehabilitation covers many areas of practice.  Not only do they work with people who have been involved in some sort of trauma, but they also teach about preventative measures, and instruct on surgical  procedures that will require rehab, work with cardiac patients, arthritic patients, and disabled patients.

They offer Occupational therapy, which retrains someone who has been injured to a new occupation.  Another type of rehab would include massage therapy.  My husband, who was paralyzed in a work related accident suffered from severe leg spams.  Three days a week he would see his therapist who would work on his legs for an hour each visit.  When she would finish, she would be dripping wet with sweat and her hands would be blood red.  I was in awe of her, I know she had a hard job, I couldn’t even last a few minutes.  She kept his leg muscle soft and pliable instead of having them turn hard and brittle.

My hat is off to her for the great job she does, and for all the therapists who work in rehabilitation areas.   If you are in need of some type of rehab, or if you are contemplating having a procedure done that will require post-operative rehab, check out your local rehab center, or hospital department and see what services they offer.

For more information visit this site: http://www.nraf-rehabnet.org/index.html