George's story
George Scott III, a 70-year-old retired motor vehicle supervisor and committee member of Stillwater Township, was well known for his community spirit and outgoing lifestyle. He enjoyed hunting, playing golf and was an active firefighter.
But one day, he collapsed out of the blue.
He described that fateful day when he just didn’t feel well. “I got home, laid down, got up to go to the bathroom and collapsed. I called my son….” recalled George. “He came over right away, put me on oxygen and called the rescue squad.”
George now faced the battle of this life. He was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a condition that causes the body’s immune system to attack nerves, causing weakness, numbness and in George’s case, paralysis.
He was treated at Newton Hospital in the ICU for two weeks, where he underwent multiple tests. He was then transferred to Overlook Medical Center. By this time, George was paralyzed from the neck down. He required a ventilator to breathe and a feeding tube for nourishment. He remained in the hospital for five more weeks.
When he was medically stable, he chose Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation (KIR) - West Orange to begin an individualized, evidence-based treatment plan to help him liberate from his ventilator, talk and master a motorized wheel chair.
Upon his admission to KIR-West Orange, George set clear goals with his care team. “I wanted to be able to walk and resume some function in my body,” he recalled. George also added that he “wanted to be able to breathe on my own and talk on my own.”
Throughout his rehabilitation journey, George underwent a physician-led therapy program that included physical, occupational, speech and respiratory therapies.
His speech and respiratory therapy team worked to liberate George from the ventilator. This began with weaning trials where he received decreased support from the ventilator. After 17 days, his trach tube was capped and he was able to breathe room air.
George was aphonic, meaning that he could mouth words but had no voice. His early treatment included communication strategies and utilizing augmentative and alternative forms of communication. George progressed to voicing strategies at the word, phrase and sentence levels with cues for diaphragmatic breathing and pairing exhalation with phonation. Although he was still getting nutritional support, he practiced swallowing exercises, and by the time he discharged, he was eating ice chips.
In physical therapy, George focused on improving flexibility in his trunk and legs so that we could more easily shift his weight. He also worked on the muscle control, strength and coordination in his arms so that he could use a power wheelchair that eventually allowed him to navigate the therapy unit with ease.
“Learning to use the power chair was awesome. It gave me the ability to reposition myself and move around the room,” George said.
Occupational therapy targeted his fine motor skills. He engaged in reach and grasp exercises to improve his arm and grip strength. Other activities included dropping coins in a piggy bank, folding laundry and simple typing. As he improved his motor skills, George was able to complete brushing his teeth with setup assistance, upper body dressing with moderate assistance (working toward minimal assistance) and dressing with minimal assistance.
“The rehab team has done a bang up job. All of them – they all did a great job,” he said with appreciation. “I got movement back in my arms, a little movement back in my knees. I am now off the vent and can talk.”
Support from his wife, Karen, was crucial to his recovery. “My wife is a god-send. She helped me so much. I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for her,” said George. He was also grateful for support of his community, who provided Karen with meals and donated materials to make George’s homecoming easier.
As he prepared for discharge, George noted, “Kessler is the place you want to be to get you back on your feet. They focus on you and your needs, making it personal.”
After completing his rehabilitation, George looks forward to returning home and continuing outpatient therapy in his neighborhood.
But one day, he collapsed out of the blue.
He described that fateful day when he just didn’t feel well. “I got home, laid down, got up to go to the bathroom and collapsed. I called my son….” recalled George. “He came over right away, put me on oxygen and called the rescue squad.”
George now faced the battle of this life. He was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a condition that causes the body’s immune system to attack nerves, causing weakness, numbness and in George’s case, paralysis.
He was treated at Newton Hospital in the ICU for two weeks, where he underwent multiple tests. He was then transferred to Overlook Medical Center. By this time, George was paralyzed from the neck down. He required a ventilator to breathe and a feeding tube for nourishment. He remained in the hospital for five more weeks.
When he was medically stable, he chose Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation (KIR) - West Orange to begin an individualized, evidence-based treatment plan to help him liberate from his ventilator, talk and master a motorized wheel chair.
Upon his admission to KIR-West Orange, George set clear goals with his care team. “I wanted to be able to walk and resume some function in my body,” he recalled. George also added that he “wanted to be able to breathe on my own and talk on my own.”
Throughout his rehabilitation journey, George underwent a physician-led therapy program that included physical, occupational, speech and respiratory therapies.
His speech and respiratory therapy team worked to liberate George from the ventilator. This began with weaning trials where he received decreased support from the ventilator. After 17 days, his trach tube was capped and he was able to breathe room air.
George was aphonic, meaning that he could mouth words but had no voice. His early treatment included communication strategies and utilizing augmentative and alternative forms of communication. George progressed to voicing strategies at the word, phrase and sentence levels with cues for diaphragmatic breathing and pairing exhalation with phonation. Although he was still getting nutritional support, he practiced swallowing exercises, and by the time he discharged, he was eating ice chips.
In physical therapy, George focused on improving flexibility in his trunk and legs so that we could more easily shift his weight. He also worked on the muscle control, strength and coordination in his arms so that he could use a power wheelchair that eventually allowed him to navigate the therapy unit with ease.
“Learning to use the power chair was awesome. It gave me the ability to reposition myself and move around the room,” George said.
Occupational therapy targeted his fine motor skills. He engaged in reach and grasp exercises to improve his arm and grip strength. Other activities included dropping coins in a piggy bank, folding laundry and simple typing. As he improved his motor skills, George was able to complete brushing his teeth with setup assistance, upper body dressing with moderate assistance (working toward minimal assistance) and dressing with minimal assistance.
“The rehab team has done a bang up job. All of them – they all did a great job,” he said with appreciation. “I got movement back in my arms, a little movement back in my knees. I am now off the vent and can talk.”
Support from his wife, Karen, was crucial to his recovery. “My wife is a god-send. She helped me so much. I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for her,” said George. He was also grateful for support of his community, who provided Karen with meals and donated materials to make George’s homecoming easier.
As he prepared for discharge, George noted, “Kessler is the place you want to be to get you back on your feet. They focus on you and your needs, making it personal.”
After completing his rehabilitation, George looks forward to returning home and continuing outpatient therapy in his neighborhood.