Genaro's story
“I got lucky. I don’t give up...I don’t like to give up. I’m a fighter or whatever you want to call it.”
Indeed, 59-year-old Genaro Dones is a fighter. He spoke those words as he reflected back on an arduous health journey that started when he had a stroke at work.
A post office employee from Wallington, New Jersey, Genaro is a family man, married with two children. When he was working at the Passaic-Wallington post office location, a fellow employee was talking with him when she noticed that Genaro’s face, shoulder and arm were drooping on one side.
“As I’m talking to her, I feel this pain in my head and my face and arm started to droop and she told I looked like I was having a stroke,” he said. “Then she called an ambulance and I wound up at Hackensack.”
Genaro was rushed to Hackensack University Medical Center. His doctors conducted multiple tests and confirmed that he had a thalamic hemorrhage, a type of stroke that occurs when a blood vessel in the thalamus bleeds, which disrupts blood flow to the brain. The thalamus is located at the center of the brain. It serves as a relay station, transmitting incoming motor (movement) and sensory information from the body to the brain.
Luckily, Genaro didn’t require surgery, but the recovery road ahead involved extensive rehabilitation. Once he was medically stable, his physicians recommended a comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation program to help him regain mobility and independence. Given a list of potential rehabilitation centers, Genaro chose Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation (KIR) - Saddle Brook. “I know the reputation, and I wanted to go wherever I could get the best help,” he said.
Upon arrival at KIR - Saddle Brook, Genaro required total assistance for all mobility tasks. His physician-lead team of therapists developed a plan for Genaro and immediately set to work, focusing on his ultimate goal of regaining independence and returning to his job at the post office.
“My arm was doing things all by itself,” Genaro recalled. "I could see the words in my head, but I couldn’t say them out loud."
Physical therapy helped Genaro walk again using a body weight support treadmill training and high-intensity gait training to help him regain strength and control in his legs. High intensity training is particularly important for stroke survivors as it improves mobility outcomes, though it can be challenging. “They were playing music [from] the ‘70s and ‘80s and stuff I liked which made it more fun while they were kicking my butt,” said Genaro. “They help take your mind off what you are doing.”
With repetition, he progressed steadily. “When I first got here, I couldn’t even stand,” Genaro said. “But [my therapists] pushed me every day.”
It wasn’t long before he was walking with a walker. This moment was a breakthrough. “Walking with a walker was a sign like, “Hey, I can do this kind of thing,’” he said. “Each day [was] a step in the right direction.”
Speech therapy was another critical component of his rehabilitation at KIR - Saddle Brook. From exercises to strengthen and re-educate the tongue and facial muscles to cognitive language exercises to help Genaro with word retrieval, he began to be able to successfully retrieve words and pronounce them better.
Occupational therapy helped Genaro regain the skills he needed for self-care, such as grooming and dressing, by strengthening the muscles needed to do tasks and practicing those tasks over and over. The activities used to strengthen his fine motor and cognitive skills led to a significant improvement in his writing abilities. He soon was able to figure out tasks that previously seemed too complex, like balancing a checkbook or calculating a tip.
Genaro’s family played a substantial role in his recovery. His wife participated in Kessler’s education and training programs and his children offered loving, emotional support. “Just knowing they’re there is a big deal,” he said.
As Genaro prepared for discharge, he reflected on the progress he made. He was now independent in most daily activities, requiring supervision only for walking, stairs and showering. “I am looking to be self-sufficient so I’m as least of a burden as I can be until I get back to as close to 100% as I can,” he said. He planned to continue outpatient therapy at KIR - Saddle Brook to reach his full potential.
Genaro offers advice to others facing similar challenges: “Listen, listen, listen. If you need to be here, then be all in on the training. Don’t sit back – it won’t benefit you whatsoever.”
Indeed, 59-year-old Genaro Dones is a fighter. He spoke those words as he reflected back on an arduous health journey that started when he had a stroke at work.
A post office employee from Wallington, New Jersey, Genaro is a family man, married with two children. When he was working at the Passaic-Wallington post office location, a fellow employee was talking with him when she noticed that Genaro’s face, shoulder and arm were drooping on one side.
“As I’m talking to her, I feel this pain in my head and my face and arm started to droop and she told I looked like I was having a stroke,” he said. “Then she called an ambulance and I wound up at Hackensack.”
Genaro was rushed to Hackensack University Medical Center. His doctors conducted multiple tests and confirmed that he had a thalamic hemorrhage, a type of stroke that occurs when a blood vessel in the thalamus bleeds, which disrupts blood flow to the brain. The thalamus is located at the center of the brain. It serves as a relay station, transmitting incoming motor (movement) and sensory information from the body to the brain.
Luckily, Genaro didn’t require surgery, but the recovery road ahead involved extensive rehabilitation. Once he was medically stable, his physicians recommended a comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation program to help him regain mobility and independence. Given a list of potential rehabilitation centers, Genaro chose Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation (KIR) - Saddle Brook. “I know the reputation, and I wanted to go wherever I could get the best help,” he said.
Upon arrival at KIR - Saddle Brook, Genaro required total assistance for all mobility tasks. His physician-lead team of therapists developed a plan for Genaro and immediately set to work, focusing on his ultimate goal of regaining independence and returning to his job at the post office.
“My arm was doing things all by itself,” Genaro recalled. "I could see the words in my head, but I couldn’t say them out loud."
Physical therapy helped Genaro walk again using a body weight support treadmill training and high-intensity gait training to help him regain strength and control in his legs. High intensity training is particularly important for stroke survivors as it improves mobility outcomes, though it can be challenging. “They were playing music [from] the ‘70s and ‘80s and stuff I liked which made it more fun while they were kicking my butt,” said Genaro. “They help take your mind off what you are doing.”
With repetition, he progressed steadily. “When I first got here, I couldn’t even stand,” Genaro said. “But [my therapists] pushed me every day.”
It wasn’t long before he was walking with a walker. This moment was a breakthrough. “Walking with a walker was a sign like, “Hey, I can do this kind of thing,’” he said. “Each day [was] a step in the right direction.”
Speech therapy was another critical component of his rehabilitation at KIR - Saddle Brook. From exercises to strengthen and re-educate the tongue and facial muscles to cognitive language exercises to help Genaro with word retrieval, he began to be able to successfully retrieve words and pronounce them better.
Occupational therapy helped Genaro regain the skills he needed for self-care, such as grooming and dressing, by strengthening the muscles needed to do tasks and practicing those tasks over and over. The activities used to strengthen his fine motor and cognitive skills led to a significant improvement in his writing abilities. He soon was able to figure out tasks that previously seemed too complex, like balancing a checkbook or calculating a tip.
Genaro’s family played a substantial role in his recovery. His wife participated in Kessler’s education and training programs and his children offered loving, emotional support. “Just knowing they’re there is a big deal,” he said.
As Genaro prepared for discharge, he reflected on the progress he made. He was now independent in most daily activities, requiring supervision only for walking, stairs and showering. “I am looking to be self-sufficient so I’m as least of a burden as I can be until I get back to as close to 100% as I can,” he said. He planned to continue outpatient therapy at KIR - Saddle Brook to reach his full potential.
Genaro offers advice to others facing similar challenges: “Listen, listen, listen. If you need to be here, then be all in on the training. Don’t sit back – it won’t benefit you whatsoever.”