Marvin's story

Marvin Jones, a 50-year-old truck driver from Indiana, had not just one but three strokes while in the New Jersey area. “I was going to the store and I felt the symptoms of a stroke, including one sided weakness and slurred speech. I asked for help from the guard nearby. The staff called 911.”
Once transported to University Hospital, Marvin was given medication to reduce the effects of the stroke. “It helped at first,” he remembered, “but then I had two additional strokes.”
Since Marvin wasn’t from the area, his family, from Ohio, made the decision to have Marvin discharged to Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation (KIR) - West Orange for the next phase of his recovery.
“I had difficulty with my speech, I could not walk and my right arm was useless,” he said. Additionally, he was unable to do activities of daily living, such as grooming. His goal was to walk and use his hand again.
The Kessler physician-led team of therapists developed a treatment plan that targeted his physical and speech-related impairments and aimed to return his ability to do everyday activities. In physical therapy, Marvin engaged in high intensity gait training using the LiteGait system, the treadmill and functional electrical stimulation (FES) therapy to stimulate muscle activity in his right lower extremity. His progress was swift, with notable enhancements in balance, gait speed and endurance.
Occupational therapy sessions focused on restoring Marvin’s upper limb function, employing innovative techniques such as mirror therapy and neuro muscular electrical stimulation. From initial immobility to regaining the ability to perform basic tasks independently, Marvin's journey demonstrates the efficacy of comprehensive rehabilitation strategies.
The first big milestone that Marvin reached was walking without a cane and he felt inspired by his own progress as he scored higher each week on balance tests.
Speech therapy interventions targeted oral dysphagia (swallow) and dysarthria (speaking), resulting in significant gains in speech intelligibility and cognitive communication. With tailored exercises and strategic dietary modifications, Marvin transitioned towards a diet of regular solids, marking another pivotal milestone in his recovery.
“I really enjoyed all the exercises and the equipment at Kessler,” said Marvin. “It was challenging, but it was fun.”
Distance was no deterrent when it came to educating his family on his needs after discharge. “My family is not from here, but the therapists did a virtual family training with my sister, sister-in-law and mom,” he said.
As Marvin prepared for discharge, he had nothing but good things to say about his time at Kessler. “My rehabilitation experience was very good. The staff, the therapists and the aides were good and did everything I needed and asked of them,” he said, adding, “Even the food was good.”
Marvin planned to go home to his family in Ohio and continue rehabilitation in outpatient therapy to continue his recovery journey.