Duke's story
Duke Du, a 45-year-old software engineer, was born in China and moved to the U.S. in the late 1990s to finish his education. Duke now calls the U.S. home and enjoys photography and hiking and traveling with his wife Emma.
Duke has struggled with hepatitis and chronic liver disease for years. He was used to feeling unwell, so when his leg started felt odd and weak, he passed it off.
Then he fell.
“An ambulance took me with my wife to University Hospital,” he said. Duke’s memory of this period is spotty, “My mind was not in the right place and I don’t remember much. I would wake up and sometimes [and] hallucinate or see something that wasn’t happening.”
Duke’s was in critical condition with liver failure and rhabdomyolysis, caused by the fall, a condition where muscle tissue breaks down and enters the bloodstream. It causes muscle pain, weakness, severe fatigue and sometimes, kidney damage.
Duke’s medical team performed a liver transplant that saved his life. He was stable but weak after more than five months in the hospital. Duke needed assistance with everything from getting out of bed to eating. Doctors recommended specialized medical rehabilitation and he and Emma choose Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation (KIR) - West Orange based on its reputation and the positive experience that Duke’s step father had year’s prior.
When Duke arrived, the Kessler physician-led team of therapists designed a program focused on rebuilding his strength, endurance and mobility so he could get back home. His first goal was simply to stand.
His plan required physical and occupational therapy. Physical therapy activities built his strength and activity tolerance. At first fatigued, his therapists gave him lots of encouragement to push through.
Duke’s determination grew stronger as he improved and fully embraced rehab. “I couldn’t even stand up,” he said remembering his first day. “Then I came to Kessler, and on the second day, I was sitting up in a wheelchair.”
Next stop? He was standing.
“I suddenly realized, ‘Wow, I can stand up with my hands off the walker,’” he said. With newfound hope, he set a second goal: to walk.
To help him make the transition from standing to walking, his physical therapist utilized a body weight support system. The system includes an overhead harness that supported Duke’s body allowing him to relearn how to walk and gain strength in a safe manner. With encouragement from his care team, Duke worked hard to find his legs again.
Therapy included extensive stair training as well. While it was difficult at first, Duke knew he had to prepare for the steps leading to his apartment. The training stairs helped Duke practice. Dynamic balance training was also woven into his therapy. These exercises helped him remain balanced as he walked or negotiated stairs by focusing on weight shifting movements and core strengthening exercises. As he progressed, Duke’s confidence grew knowing that he would be able to safely navigate his home and community.
Occupational therapy focused on refining the fine motor skills Duke needed for activities such as dressing, toileting, personal care and household tasks. Lower body dressing with adaptive equipment helped him regain independence in his morning routine. With time, he also mastered transfer training -- learning how to move safely from a wheelchair to a bed and toilet. Often, Duke’s family would participate in his therapy learning how to help him upon his return home.
To help Duke reinforce his skills and restore his spirit, he was introduced to Cypress, the facility dog. Numerous therapists work with these remarkable dogs to engage patients in a wide range of activities that support the rehabilitation process.
Duke also found motivation and support in his rehabilitation team. He was grateful to the physical and occupational therapy staff for helping him rediscover his independence.
Five weeks after admitting to KIR, Duke was able to walk with a rolling walker up to 150 feet with distant supervision, go to the bathroom by himself and get dressed with minimal assistance. Now looking forward to outpatient therapy, Duke is determined to keep progressing.
“I’ll keep on coming [to therapy] so hopefully I can get rid of the walker one day,” he said. His time at KIR had challenges, but Duke faced them head-on. “It was very helpful and sometimes hard, but with the encouragement I got through it.”
Duke has struggled with hepatitis and chronic liver disease for years. He was used to feeling unwell, so when his leg started felt odd and weak, he passed it off.
Then he fell.
“An ambulance took me with my wife to University Hospital,” he said. Duke’s memory of this period is spotty, “My mind was not in the right place and I don’t remember much. I would wake up and sometimes [and] hallucinate or see something that wasn’t happening.”
Duke’s was in critical condition with liver failure and rhabdomyolysis, caused by the fall, a condition where muscle tissue breaks down and enters the bloodstream. It causes muscle pain, weakness, severe fatigue and sometimes, kidney damage.
Duke’s medical team performed a liver transplant that saved his life. He was stable but weak after more than five months in the hospital. Duke needed assistance with everything from getting out of bed to eating. Doctors recommended specialized medical rehabilitation and he and Emma choose Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation (KIR) - West Orange based on its reputation and the positive experience that Duke’s step father had year’s prior.
When Duke arrived, the Kessler physician-led team of therapists designed a program focused on rebuilding his strength, endurance and mobility so he could get back home. His first goal was simply to stand.
His plan required physical and occupational therapy. Physical therapy activities built his strength and activity tolerance. At first fatigued, his therapists gave him lots of encouragement to push through.
Duke’s determination grew stronger as he improved and fully embraced rehab. “I couldn’t even stand up,” he said remembering his first day. “Then I came to Kessler, and on the second day, I was sitting up in a wheelchair.”
Next stop? He was standing.
“I suddenly realized, ‘Wow, I can stand up with my hands off the walker,’” he said. With newfound hope, he set a second goal: to walk.
To help him make the transition from standing to walking, his physical therapist utilized a body weight support system. The system includes an overhead harness that supported Duke’s body allowing him to relearn how to walk and gain strength in a safe manner. With encouragement from his care team, Duke worked hard to find his legs again.
Therapy included extensive stair training as well. While it was difficult at first, Duke knew he had to prepare for the steps leading to his apartment. The training stairs helped Duke practice. Dynamic balance training was also woven into his therapy. These exercises helped him remain balanced as he walked or negotiated stairs by focusing on weight shifting movements and core strengthening exercises. As he progressed, Duke’s confidence grew knowing that he would be able to safely navigate his home and community.
Occupational therapy focused on refining the fine motor skills Duke needed for activities such as dressing, toileting, personal care and household tasks. Lower body dressing with adaptive equipment helped him regain independence in his morning routine. With time, he also mastered transfer training -- learning how to move safely from a wheelchair to a bed and toilet. Often, Duke’s family would participate in his therapy learning how to help him upon his return home.
To help Duke reinforce his skills and restore his spirit, he was introduced to Cypress, the facility dog. Numerous therapists work with these remarkable dogs to engage patients in a wide range of activities that support the rehabilitation process.
Duke also found motivation and support in his rehabilitation team. He was grateful to the physical and occupational therapy staff for helping him rediscover his independence.
Five weeks after admitting to KIR, Duke was able to walk with a rolling walker up to 150 feet with distant supervision, go to the bathroom by himself and get dressed with minimal assistance. Now looking forward to outpatient therapy, Duke is determined to keep progressing.
“I’ll keep on coming [to therapy] so hopefully I can get rid of the walker one day,” he said. His time at KIR had challenges, but Duke faced them head-on. “It was very helpful and sometimes hard, but with the encouragement I got through it.”