Allen's story
At 78, retired pipefitter and welder Allen Cochran has spent two decades making memories at his cabin, a place he rebuilt, inside and out. One day as he loaded his riding lawnmower to take to the cabin, a simple task turned into a life-altering event. The mower flipped over, trapping Allen beneath its weight. It took the strength of three people—his wife, Sherri, a neighbor and a passing bystander—to flip the machine off him before an ambulance rushed him to a local hospital. Allen’s injuries included multiple spinal fractures, rib fractures and a collapsed lung. Due to the severity of his condition, he was transferred to TriStar Skyline Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
Allen remembers little from that time except doctors inserting a breathing tube and stating his need for surgery. After 15 days, Allen stabilized and the medical team recommended he transfer to Select Specialty Hospital – Nashville West for specialized recovery care.
Allen’s next clear memory is waking up in Select Specialty Hospital. “I was in a bed and needed help for everything. I had a tube connected to an opening in my neck and was on a ventilator to breathe. I couldn’t eat or walk—I could barely even lift my arms. It was very confusing,” Allen said.
With Sherri by his side, Allen met with his physician-led multidisciplinary team to develop a personalized treatment plan to first free him from the ventilator and feeding tube, then focus on regaining the ability to eat and walk independently.
Under the guidance of a pulmonologist, the respiratory therapy team conducted daily breathing trials—gradually strengthening Allen’s lungs by lowering his dependence on the ventilator and increasing the amount of time his lungs were doing the work. Each day Allen’s breathing improved. After 10 days, Allen was liberated from the machine.
Allen’s speech-language pathologist (SLP) introduced a Passy-Muir speaking valve, which attached to his tracheostomy tube. After inhale, the one-way valve closes, forcing air over the vocal chords which enabled Allen to speak. The effort of talking further strengthened both his core and lung strength. As the next week passed, Allen’s tracheostomy was removed and he was completely breathing on his own.
Allen’s SLP also guided him through exercises to strengthen his throat muscles so he could eat by mouth again. His progress was tested using the fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) procedure. For this, the SLP inserted a flexible tube equipped with a light and camera through Allen’s nose to observe his muscles in action while he swallowed liquid colored with dye. Allen successfully passed the test, his feeding tube was removed and he resumed a regular diet. This motivated Allen as he the thought of sitting on his cabin porch drinking coffee and eating a home cooked meal was within reach.
Meantime, Allen’s physical and occupational therapy teams worked together to rebuild his strength, range of motion and balance. Initially struggling with dizziness and needing maximum assistance, he steadily progressed. He began by sitting at the edge of his bed to improve his balance, then advanced to strengthening exercises including leg lifts and progressive sit-to-stands. One week in, Allen stood for the first time, a key milestone in his recovery. Eight days later he hit another milestone when he took his first steps since the accident.
“If you are in bad shape, this is one of the best hospitals to come to—they’ve taken great care of me and provided so much encouragement,” Allen said. Sherri, their children and Allen’s church family were also a constant source of support and motivation, cheering him on and celebrating his hard work during therapy.
While Allen initially struggled with basic tasks, his occupational therapy sessions focused on improving his balance, upper body strength and coordination. He practiced dressing his lower body with verbal cues and some assistance, gradually gaining independence as his strength and coordination improved.
After 24 days, Allen said his goodbyes to the team with plans to continue building strength at an inpatient rehabilitation facility. Reflecting on his journey from total dependence to regaining significant function and mobility, he offered this advice for other patients facing similar challenges:
“If you follow the lead of the staff at Select Specialty Hospital, you’ll end up doing well,” Allen said.