Physical Therapy - Heads Up Rehab
Irving Rabin
In Febraury of 2009, Irving Rabin was on his way back with his family from a ski trip in Aspen, Colorado when he developed sudden onset of left sided weakness caused by an acute stroke. He was temporarily hospitalized in Aspen before airlifted to California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco.
After being discharged home, Irving is continuing the rehabilitation process in an effort to regain his mobility and left upper extremity function. Initially it was impossible for him to hold any objects in his left hand, but with determination Irving is now able to throw and catch balls of various sizes.
His son calls him "a modern day Atlas - the man who holds the globe above his shoulders".
Philip Schaefer
While at work Philip developed a sudden onset of slurred speech, right sided weakness, and right facial droop. At UCSF a CT scan of his head showed a severe basal ganglia hemorrhage. For weeks Philip was unable to sit without falling over or to even feed, bath, and dress him self. Initially it required two people to transfer him into a wheelchair.
However, with determination and a good sense of humor Philip was able to make the most of his therapy sessions and was able to walk independently after months of rehabilitation.
Philip is currently traveling the world for his job, while he continues to visit the Tiburon Peninsula Club twice a week where he swims with a “recognizable stroke”.
Bruce Wint
Bruce was in the middle of a track workout when he collapsed on the tarmac. He was rushed to Marin General Hospital where he was diagnosed with an acute stroke caused by a blood clot in his middle cerebral artery. Besides the inability to sit or stand by himself, Bruce was faced with left neglect, a visual field cut, and dysarthria.
It appeared that his running days were numbered, but his great competitive spirit got him back on his feet. After many difficult and challenging therapy sessions, Bruce is now able to run around the track with an orthodic device for multiple laps in a row.
Bruce has been busy coaching other master runners and walking daily to "Peet's Coffee" at Red Hill shopping center in San Anselmo.
Rachel Share
At the age of 40 Rachel went through some very difficult times with her husband and two young children. She was diagnosed with a brain tumor, which was resected in October of 2006 at UC San Francisco.
Initially she was able to walk with decreased coordination and motor control of her left lower extremity, but through hard work and dedication she has become very active and independent.
Peter Matthews
After several smaller strokes and some cardiac issues, Peter was hit with a severe stroke in April of 2006. It literally left him speechless and very impaired. He was given a feeding tube due to his inability to swallow properly. The stroke left him with a dense hemiparesis, but while unable to sit or stand Peter and his wife never gave up.
Several months of therapy later, Peter managed to walk about 30 feet with a quad cane and maximum assistance. Once home he continued to work very hard to improve his physical mobility. It has been a long and bumpy road for Peter, but he is currently able to walk up to an hour without a cane or assistance.
Dirk Vlieks
At 33 years of age, Dirk suffered a brainstem stroke while competing at the Honolulu Half Ironman. Suddenly life changed in a heartbeat. He was taken to the Hospital and put on life support. A CT scan showed midbrain hemorrhage with blood in the ventricles and obstructive hydrocephalus. After nearly six weeks in intensive care, Dirk flew back to California via AirMed ambulance and was admitted into Kentfield Rehabilitation Hospital.
His recovery has been long as well as slow at times, but considering the extent of his trauma he has done remarkably well. So well, that he has been able to run several short races, swim regularly, and go on bike rides around the neighborhood.
Roma Smith
On May 7th, 2007 Roma went to UCSF for the removal of a tumor in the 4th ventricle of her brain. The removal, which had to occur through the cerebellum or back part portion of her brain, was successful but left her with some unexpected events and deficits. A week after surgery there was buildup of CSF (cerebral spinal fluid) in the lateral ventricles of the brain and an extra ventricular drain had to be placed to control the excess fluids.
Eventually she made it to Kentfield for rehab, where she worked very hard for months on end to improve her coordination with transfers, walking, and activities of daily living. Finally, after nearly 7 months and some great support from her loyal and dedicated family of close friends Roma made it home at the end of November 2007. Currently she is engaged in various therapies in an effort to improve her mobility.
For all the latest on Roma, please visit her blog or website.