Julie's Story
At 73, Julie Solomon is a retired librarian with a vibrant life. She volunteers, travels, takes piano lessons, spends time with friends and cares for her two cats.
Julie’s life was disrupted when she was hospitalized for 10 days due to acute respiratory failure and pneumonia. Then two days after returning home, Julie fell and hit her head. Emergency medical services rushed her to Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital, where doctors intubated her and placed her on a ventilator. They also discovered that her kidneys were failing and began dialysis.
Fortunately, Julie’s breathing improved with treatment. Although doctors liberated her from the ventilator, she still needed supplemental oxygen and dialysis. Her ordeal left her weak and unable to walk, prompting her case manager to recommend Select Specialty Hospital – Oakland to continue her recovery.
When Julie met with her physician-led, interdisciplinary team, she told them her goals were to learn to walk again and to no longer need oxygen or dialysis. Driven to regain her health, she was eager to work with her rehabilitation team to rebuild her strength and regain her independence.
Initially, physical therapy focused on helping her move from the bed to a chair and improving her endurance. Julie initially participated in strength training and balance exercises while sitting on the edge of her bed but just four days after her admission, Julie could stand for two to five minutes. Two days later, she walked 10 feet with assistance. Remarkably, five days later, with her therapist’s help, she stood with a walker and walked 20 feet – a true turning point in her recovery.
“My son was with me, and he was delighted,” she recalled, thrilled to meet the distance goal set by her physical therapist.
While she sometimes felt overwhelmed, her nurses consistently reassured her that she was improving and on the right path to recovery.
Thanks to breathing exercises in respiratory therapy, Julie’s progress continued. Eleven days after her admission, she no longer needed supplemental oxygen. Around the same time, nephrology suspended her dialysis treatment for the remainder of her stay.
A crucial element of Julie’s recovery was the steady support of her family, who visited multiple times a day to provide love and encouragement. “Team Julie” played an essential role in her journey, reminding her of her strength and resilience.
“I learned that I can do this. I have faith in myself,” she said. “I have learned to be fearless.”
Just 15 days after admission, Julie was walking with assistance. She transferred to an inpatient rehabilitation hospital to continue her recovery.
Today, she’s home and “doing everything again … I’m driving, exercising, volunteering and having lunch with friends.” She still needs dialysis three times a week but even so, “I have a great life,” she said. “I’m doing great.”
“I’m forever grateful for their kindness and their excellent care,” she said of the team at Select Specialty Hospital. “They got me over the hump so that I could really recover. They made me believe in myself, that I would recover, and I did.”
Julie’s life was disrupted when she was hospitalized for 10 days due to acute respiratory failure and pneumonia. Then two days after returning home, Julie fell and hit her head. Emergency medical services rushed her to Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital, where doctors intubated her and placed her on a ventilator. They also discovered that her kidneys were failing and began dialysis.
Fortunately, Julie’s breathing improved with treatment. Although doctors liberated her from the ventilator, she still needed supplemental oxygen and dialysis. Her ordeal left her weak and unable to walk, prompting her case manager to recommend Select Specialty Hospital – Oakland to continue her recovery.
When Julie met with her physician-led, interdisciplinary team, she told them her goals were to learn to walk again and to no longer need oxygen or dialysis. Driven to regain her health, she was eager to work with her rehabilitation team to rebuild her strength and regain her independence.
Initially, physical therapy focused on helping her move from the bed to a chair and improving her endurance. Julie initially participated in strength training and balance exercises while sitting on the edge of her bed but just four days after her admission, Julie could stand for two to five minutes. Two days later, she walked 10 feet with assistance. Remarkably, five days later, with her therapist’s help, she stood with a walker and walked 20 feet – a true turning point in her recovery.
“My son was with me, and he was delighted,” she recalled, thrilled to meet the distance goal set by her physical therapist.
While she sometimes felt overwhelmed, her nurses consistently reassured her that she was improving and on the right path to recovery.
Thanks to breathing exercises in respiratory therapy, Julie’s progress continued. Eleven days after her admission, she no longer needed supplemental oxygen. Around the same time, nephrology suspended her dialysis treatment for the remainder of her stay.
A crucial element of Julie’s recovery was the steady support of her family, who visited multiple times a day to provide love and encouragement. “Team Julie” played an essential role in her journey, reminding her of her strength and resilience.
“I learned that I can do this. I have faith in myself,” she said. “I have learned to be fearless.”
Just 15 days after admission, Julie was walking with assistance. She transferred to an inpatient rehabilitation hospital to continue her recovery.
Today, she’s home and “doing everything again … I’m driving, exercising, volunteering and having lunch with friends.” She still needs dialysis three times a week but even so, “I have a great life,” she said. “I’m doing great.”
“I’m forever grateful for their kindness and their excellent care,” she said of the team at Select Specialty Hospital. “They got me over the hump so that I could really recover. They made me believe in myself, that I would recover, and I did.”