Junoh's story
At just 23 years old, Junoh Kim's life changed drastically following a serious car accident that left him with a spinal cord injury. Hailing from New York, and originally from South Korea, Junoh is a finance student at NYU Stern with aspirations of entering the investment banking industry. Prior to his injury, he enjoyed exploring the city and taking weekend golfing trips.
At Penn Presbyterian Hospital, Junoh underwent a spinal fusion to stabilize the vertebrate in his neck after the car accident. He was diagnosed with a complete spinal cord injury, which left him unable to move the lower half of his body. After a month at Penn, his doctors recommended a comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation program for the next phase of recovery.
Junoh chose Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation (KIR) - West Orange because the facility came highly recommended by a friend. Upon admission to KIR - West Orange, he faced significant challenges, including decreased arm and leg strength, limited neck mobility and difficulties with daily activities like dressing and feeding himself.
Despite the overwhelming nature of his diagnosis, he remained hopeful about his recovery. “It was initially devastating to see my lower body not moving at all, but now I’m hopeful that with time my strength will come back and I’ll be walking again,” he shared.
With a determined and hopeful spirit, Junoh set clear goals for his rehabilitation. He aimed to achieve independence in daily tasks such as brushing his teeth and feeding himself, though ultimately he yearned to walk again. A physician-led rehabilitation team provided Junoh a custom plan that included occupational and physical therapies to help him meet his goals and a comprehensive spinal cord injury education program.
Physical therapy focused on improving Junoh’s mobility and strength. He made progress with the help of equipment such as a standing frame, which supported him in an upright standing position, and an exercise bike that sent electrical stimulation to work the muscles in the legs, even though he couldn’t control the muscles. This treatment helps improve muscle strength and prevent loss of bone density. His therapist also incorporated gravity-eliminated exercises, which are done parallel to the ground so as not to work against gravity. Soon he learned how to navigate his wheelchair and transfer safely in and out of it.
Adding to the complexity of his injury, Junoh could no longer feel when his bladder needed to be emptied. Therefore, in occupational therapy, Junoh learned intermittent catheterization techniques for bladder management. Similarly, the nursing staff worked with him on bowel management.
His occupational therapists also helped him improve his sitting balance and hand strength. This was achieved through a combination of repetition, neuromuscular electrical stimulation to activate weakened muscles in his arms and hands, and adaptive techniques. This treatment led to relearning daily activities like dressing, grooming and eating.
“I really enjoyed using adaptive equipment,” said Junoh. “It made me feel more independent.” He found the Dining with Dignity utensils helpful for feeding himself and was introduced to devices that helped him to dress, cook and use his phone independently.
He recalled an exciting breakthrough: “When I was working on gravity-eliminated exercises, I realized for the first time that I was able to wiggle my toes. It was really impressive and I became very optimistic about my leg recovery.”
Support from family and friends was crucial in Junoh's journey. They visited regularly, providing emotional support and participating in education programs at Kessler to prepare for his return home.
As Junoh readied for discharge and next steps, he looked forward to continuing his rehabilitation journey in South Korea where he will return with his family.
Junoh described his overall experience at Kessler as “amazing” and praised the dedication of the staff. “All my doctors, therapists, nurses and everyone on the support staff have been very friendly,” he said. “I can feel that they're trying hard to give me the care I need.”
