Jay's Story
Jay Capers, a 20-year-old college student from Aiken, S.C., was a passenger in his friend’s car when it crashed and he sustained serious injuries, including facial fractures and a brain injury.
Following the accident, Jay was rushed to WellStar MCG Health for emergency treatment and was connected to a ventilator because he could not breathe on his own.
By the time Jay left the acute care hospital nearly five weeks after his accident, he was breathing without the ventilator, but still needed supplemental oxygen through his tracheostomy, which is a slit in his airway. Because his tongue was still so swollen, he also needed a nasogastric feeding tube – a tube that went through his nose, down his throat and into his stomach – for nutrition.
Jay transferred to Select Specialty Hospital – Augusta (SSH – Augusta) for its expertise in helping patients strengthen their lungs and regain their ability to breathe independently. Upon arrival, he faced significant hurdles: after so long in the intensive care unit overcoming such severe injuries, he was weak and could not walk without assistance, talk, eat or open his right eye due to facial fractures. Additionally, the brain injury impacted Jay’s insight and judgment.
Jay’s primary goals were clear: to regain his independence, return to school and reconnect with friends and family. The physician-led team that included nurses, therapists and his parents put together a plan to help him meet his goals.
Respiratory therapists worked to free him from supplemental oxygen by lowering the amount of oxygen provided and giving him time off oxygen. This culminated in the removal of Jay’s tracheostomy tube just two weeks after he arrived.
Physical therapy sessions focused on building Jay's strength and mobility. His therapist encouraged Jay to work hard during his exercises, while also talking and jesting with him, earning Jay’s first laugh since the accident. Jay quickly progressed from bedside exercises to walking the facility. By the time he left, the staff was measuring his distance in miles rather than feet. He was often seen walking the halls with his parents outside of physical therapy to improve his endurance.
Occupational therapy helped him practice how to safely perform everyday tasks such as grooming. The newfound sense of control reduced Jay's frustration and feelings of helplessness.
Jay arrived with a severely swollen tongue which kept him from being able to close his mouth, talk or swallow. Jay was desperate for something to drink. The treatment team took an aggressive approach to control the swelling with daily tongue wrapping and medications while a speech-language pathologist designed a way for him to safely start drinking small amounts of water. The combination worked. The swelling subsided and he passed an instrumental swallow study. He was able to get rid of the feeding tube, return to an oral diet and especially enjoyed strawberry banana smoothies from McDonalds.
Most importantly, Jay and his family had faith that things would get better.
Speech therapy also worked with Jay to overcome his cognitive challenges. Initially, he was resistant to their activities and games but walking in physical therapy and drinking in speech therapy provided the perfect carrot to nudge him to participate in cognitive therapy.
The nursing team cared for Jay’s complex medical needs while his parents, Anthony Capers and Delecia Givens-Capers, were constantly by his side, encouraging him to continue exercising on his own and providing the emotional support every patient needs.
Reflecting on his stay at Select Specialty Hospital, Jay said he is grateful for the compassionate care and kindness he received from the entire team – therapists, nurses, kitchen staff and more.
Jay thanked his nurses for bringing him ice and cold apple juice, and his speech therapist who worked so hard to help him safely enjoy a sip of water when swallowing was still difficult.
Just 16 days after admission, Jay was eating, talking, walking and his right eye began to open. He was ready to move to inpatient rehabilitation at Walton Rehabilitation Hospital in Augusta, where he would continue regaining his strength to live independently and get back to the life he had before the accident.
Just eight days later, Jay was home.
Jay has returned to working out at the gym. He is cognizant of his injuries therefore choosing the right workouts. He walks two miles four times a week keeping up with his mother and Mimi, his grandmother. He is spending time with family and friends. He has returned to playing and winning video games. This was a challenge that he was determined to master. He is making plans to return to college part-time. He knows there will be other challenges, but he has faith and family.