Phil's Story
Phillip (Phil) Darty, 67, hails from Kentucky but has worked in 33 states throughout his career in railroad construction and maintenance. Retired, he now calls Campbell, Ohio, home. Married for 23 years to his wife, Gloria, the couple count two sons, a daughter and five grandchildren between them. Together, they engage with their community through the bilingual church where Phillip and Gloria serve as pastors. It’s a calling that Phil pours his heart into, calling the ministration his “only hobby.”
It was Phil’s driving desire to let nothing get in the way of serving that first sent him to seek medical care for chest pain and a rapid heartbeat. Doctors diagnosed Phil with an irregular heartbeat and early heart failure. After monitoring Phil’s condition for several years, doctors told him it was time for heart valve replacement surgery. However, before the surgery date arrived, Phil suddenly took a turn for the worse.
Phil felt unwell and fatigued but when his legs swelled and grew discolored, Gloria and his son rushed Phil to the emergency department at Cleveland Clinic. Doctors diagnosed Phil with respiratory and kidney failure which were causing his heart and lungs to fill with fluid. When he reclined for a test, Phil’s oxygen levels plummeted, and the medical team immediately placed a tube into his windpipe to support his breathing with a ventilator. A few days later, Phil was on the operating table for open heart surgery. Doctors replaced his failing heart valve and restored blood flow by using grafts of three healthy blood vessels to bypass the blocked arteries.
The surgery was successful and Phil was sent to the intensive care unit. A week later, doctors created a surgical opening in his windpipe, called a tracheostomy, to connect him to the ventilator which had taken over the work of his lungs since he was first intubated. After 28 days’ time, Phil was medically stable but otherwise a much a different person.
“I couldn’t breathe, talk, eat, walk, take care of myself or even use the restroom on my own,” recalled Phil. Doctors recommended a critical illness recovery hospital. Phil’s family researched care options and, impressed by their tour of the hospital, chose Select Specialty Hospital – Boardman.
Soon after arriving, Phil met with his physician-led multidisciplinary team including pharmacy, nursing, and respiratory, speech, physical and occupational therapy.
“I immediately felt comfortable…fantastic doctors and the entire staff treated me like I was part of their family,” said Phil.
Under the guidance of the doctors, pharmacy created a medication plan to control pain and prevent infection as Phil’s surgical wounds continued to heal. Phil’s nurses kept a close eye on him, changing his positon in bed to prevent pressure wounds and making sure he had his medications at the correct times.
“The nurses always explained to me what meds they were giving me, and they always listened to me and my family. A lot of people don’t realize how important it is to patients that their family is respected and given comfort as well,” said Phil.
In order to get Phil home to his family, respiratory therapy worked on reducing his reliance on the ventilator. They closely supervised him while having him spend increasingly longer periods of time off the ventilator, strengthening his lungs as they took over the job from the machine.
Meantime, Phil’s respiratory therapist worked with the speech therapist to give Phil his voice back. They attached a Passy-Muir Valve to the hub of his tracheostomy. The valve allows air in on a patient’s inhale then closes, forcing the air over the vocal chords so a patient can speak. In addition to allowing speech, the valve has the added benefit of strengthening a patient’s lungs.
Meantime, Phil was working with physical and occupational therapy to strengthen his muscles so he could get back on his feet. The therapists first worked with Phil on simple movements in bed—pushing against his legs while they encouraged him to push back with increasing strength. They also helped him into a special cardiac chair next to the bed—this aided his circulation and built core strength while ensuring proper positioning for his heart. After one week, Phil was sitting on the edge of the bed with close supervision. By week two, Phil was able to stand from the bed and pivot to the chair without assistance. Shortly after that, he took his first steps.
Phil’s family and friends were there for every milestone, cheering him on. “Everyone participated in my recovery. My congregation has been so supportive… they have been here for me and my wife,” Phil said.
Motivated by the hospital team, family and church support, Phil continued to move through his recovery milestones. His hard work with the respiratory team paid off when, in less than a month from arriving, Phil was breathing independently, free of the machine.
He then participated in a special swallow study with speech therapy and was cleared to immediately return to drinking and eating a regular diet. Phil also progressed in occupational therapy, where gains in upper body strength and coordination from consistent exercises led to him learning to dress, groom and bath himself independently.
“When I started walking and breathing on my own, I knew I’d make it home. God was watching over me, he gave me a mission and I have to finish my mission,” Phil said.
After 31 days at Select Specialty Hospital, Phil was ready to continue building on his gains with inpatient rehabilitation before heading home and returning to his congregation and mission. For others facing a similar recovery journey, Phil shared this insight about his time at Select Specialty Hospital:
“This is the place to come and get better. Hands down, this has been the best experience I have had at a hospital.”