Ozell's Story
After struggling with shortness of breath and thickening mucus for several days, 55-year-old Ozell Whitfield’s family found him unresponsive on the floor of his home. The father of nine was rushed to SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital where he went into cardiac arrest. The medical team jumped into action, stabilizing him.
Doctors diagnosed Ozell with a cerebellar stroke—blood wasn’t reaching his cerebellum, the area of the brain that controls complex movement and balance. Soon after that diagnosis, Ozell went into respiratory failure. Doctors intubated and connected Ozell to a ventilator, which provided oxygen. After a week, the team made several failed attempts to free him from the ventilator. After that, Ozell’s doctor surgically inserted a tracheostomy tube into his airway to provide a more comfortable, long-term breathing support.
Two weeks into his ICU stay and now stable, Ozell’s medical team recommended transferring him to a critical illness recovery hospital for further care and healing time. For that, his family and fiancé, Shawn Cousins, chose Select Specialty Hospital – Town and Country.
Ozell’s medical events and hospitalization had taken a toll on him. Upon arrival at the Select Specialty Hospital, Ozell could not move or breathe on his own. He couldn’t speak or care for himself. All he wanted to do was get well enough to return home to his children. After assessing Ozell, his physician-led care team of nurses, therapists and other clinical staff developed a personalized treatment plan for Ozell that included physical, respiratory and speech therapy.
At the outset, Ozell’s nurses kept a close eye on his IV medications, participated in evaluations of his lung function and cognitive abilities and tried to keep him as comfortable as possible. As part of the hospital’s early mobility program, nurses helped Ozell sit upright at least twice daily, a more natural position that engaged the muscles used for breathing and helped strengthen his core muscles and improve balance.
In an effort to free Ozell from the ventilator, respiratory therapists began spontaneous breathing trials. They slowly reduced his ventilator support each day, allowing Ozell’s lungs and diaphragm to take over more of the breathing function; with that, those organs slowly became stronger.
Challenged by significant dysarthria—weakness in the speech muscles—Ozell’s speech-language pathologist took him through various therapeutic exercises to improve his slurred speech. In one session, his therapist attached a speaking valve to his tracheostomy tube allowing air to pass over his vocal cords. It helped help him create sounds and words. Repeating words and sounds allowed Ozell to refine his speech. Meantime, his breathing had improved and he was liberated from the ventilator, eight days after admitting to Select Specialty Hospital. Two days later, doctors removed his tracheostomy tube.
Breathing on his own gave Ozell more energy for physical therapy. He had already begun rolling side-to-side in bed, moving to the edge and sitting upright. These movements engaged his core and leg muscles, building strength that would eventually allow him to stand. Ozell also did arm and leg lifts as well as reaching exercises– all served to increase his range of motion, strength and endurance.
With improvement came more vigorous therapy, including light weight lifting and resistance exercises. The result was Ozell was strong enough to begin standing trials on day 12. Supported by his therapists, he got to his feet from the edge of the bed. His occupational therapist introduced the use of a standing frame to help Ozell remain in an upright position while participating in exercises to regain some of his independence. By focusing on self-care activities like brushing his teeth and combing his hair, Ozell came a few steps closer to managing his own everyday needs. Once he was more confident with his footing, Ozell was able to focus on transferring from his bed to a nearby chair.
After 17 days at Select Specialty Hospital – Town and Country, Ozell was breathing on his own, handling his self-care activities with minimal assistance and standing for short periods. He was ready to move to an inpatient rehabilitation facility to continue his recovery.
With the prospect of returning home on the horizon, Ozell said he looked forward to watching football and spending time with his children and fiancé, who had been with him every step of the way.
Doctors diagnosed Ozell with a cerebellar stroke—blood wasn’t reaching his cerebellum, the area of the brain that controls complex movement and balance. Soon after that diagnosis, Ozell went into respiratory failure. Doctors intubated and connected Ozell to a ventilator, which provided oxygen. After a week, the team made several failed attempts to free him from the ventilator. After that, Ozell’s doctor surgically inserted a tracheostomy tube into his airway to provide a more comfortable, long-term breathing support.
Two weeks into his ICU stay and now stable, Ozell’s medical team recommended transferring him to a critical illness recovery hospital for further care and healing time. For that, his family and fiancé, Shawn Cousins, chose Select Specialty Hospital – Town and Country.
Ozell’s medical events and hospitalization had taken a toll on him. Upon arrival at the Select Specialty Hospital, Ozell could not move or breathe on his own. He couldn’t speak or care for himself. All he wanted to do was get well enough to return home to his children. After assessing Ozell, his physician-led care team of nurses, therapists and other clinical staff developed a personalized treatment plan for Ozell that included physical, respiratory and speech therapy.
At the outset, Ozell’s nurses kept a close eye on his IV medications, participated in evaluations of his lung function and cognitive abilities and tried to keep him as comfortable as possible. As part of the hospital’s early mobility program, nurses helped Ozell sit upright at least twice daily, a more natural position that engaged the muscles used for breathing and helped strengthen his core muscles and improve balance.
In an effort to free Ozell from the ventilator, respiratory therapists began spontaneous breathing trials. They slowly reduced his ventilator support each day, allowing Ozell’s lungs and diaphragm to take over more of the breathing function; with that, those organs slowly became stronger.
Challenged by significant dysarthria—weakness in the speech muscles—Ozell’s speech-language pathologist took him through various therapeutic exercises to improve his slurred speech. In one session, his therapist attached a speaking valve to his tracheostomy tube allowing air to pass over his vocal cords. It helped help him create sounds and words. Repeating words and sounds allowed Ozell to refine his speech. Meantime, his breathing had improved and he was liberated from the ventilator, eight days after admitting to Select Specialty Hospital. Two days later, doctors removed his tracheostomy tube.
Breathing on his own gave Ozell more energy for physical therapy. He had already begun rolling side-to-side in bed, moving to the edge and sitting upright. These movements engaged his core and leg muscles, building strength that would eventually allow him to stand. Ozell also did arm and leg lifts as well as reaching exercises– all served to increase his range of motion, strength and endurance.
With improvement came more vigorous therapy, including light weight lifting and resistance exercises. The result was Ozell was strong enough to begin standing trials on day 12. Supported by his therapists, he got to his feet from the edge of the bed. His occupational therapist introduced the use of a standing frame to help Ozell remain in an upright position while participating in exercises to regain some of his independence. By focusing on self-care activities like brushing his teeth and combing his hair, Ozell came a few steps closer to managing his own everyday needs. Once he was more confident with his footing, Ozell was able to focus on transferring from his bed to a nearby chair.
After 17 days at Select Specialty Hospital – Town and Country, Ozell was breathing on his own, handling his self-care activities with minimal assistance and standing for short periods. He was ready to move to an inpatient rehabilitation facility to continue his recovery.
With the prospect of returning home on the horizon, Ozell said he looked forward to watching football and spending time with his children and fiancé, who had been with him every step of the way.