Ronnie's Story
Ronnie Albertson was born and raised in Portsmouth, Virginia, although he later settled down in Chesapeake with his wife and children. Now 73, the retiree enjoys spending time with his grandchildren and occasionally lending a hand with maintenance tasks at a local doctor’s officer where his wife, Jean, once worked.
After more than a week of not feeling well, Jean took Ronnie to the emergency room at Sentara Belle Harbor late one night. Ronnie’s condition quickly deteriorated and he required an urgent transfer to Sentara Obici Hospital in Suffolk for life-saving measures. He was connected to a ventilator and put into a medically induced coma after being diagnosed with pneumonia and sepsis, a life threatening condition that occurs when the body’s immune system has an extreme response to an infection.
Ronnie spent an entire month in the intensive care unit fighting for his life. “They didn’t expect me to live. That’s how bad things were,” Ronnie said. His wife confessed that she started thinking about his funeral. “They told me he wouldn’t survive,” she said.
Ronnie wasn’t ready to give up. His condition began to stabilize and his intensive care team, along with his wife and daughter, began to evaluate next steps for Ronnie to continue his fight. Together they chose Select Specialty Hospital – Hampton Roads, a critical illness recovery hospital known for caring for critically ill, medically complex patients needing extended recovery time.
Ronnie arrived at Select Specialty Hospital so weak that he couldn’t move himself in his bed. Although he no longer needed the ventilator, he still required supplemental oxygen through a tracheostomy and received nutrition through a feeding tube. He was unable to speak, eat, walk or care for himself in any way.
“I remember waking up with that breathing tube in my neck, and no one could understand anything I was trying to say,” he said. “I wanted to get the heck out of there and get back home. I got people at home who need me and are waiting on me.”
A physician-led, interdisciplinary team of nurses, therapists and other health professionals created a plan to help Ronnie reclaim his life and get back home. Respiratory therapists worked with Ronnie every day gradually reducing the amount of oxygen he was on and keeping his lungs clear with pulmonary hygiene techniques – a series of exercises performed by a therapist that help clear secretions from airways.
Physical and occupational therapists worked with him several times a week, helping him roll over, sit up in bed, move to its edge and transfer to a chair. Speech therapists put a special valve on his tracheostomy tube that moved air through his vocal cords, allowing him to speak again. They also worked with him on swallowing exercises to strengthen his throat muscles so he could eventually eat again.
A few weeks after admission, Ronnie began having a persistent headache that was not relieved by pain medication. Ronnie underwent a CT scan that revealed he had a subdural hematoma; a blood vessel between his skull and brain was damaged and formed a clot that put pressure on his brain. Ronnie was transferred to Riverside Regional Medical Center for emergency brain surgery to remove the clot.
“I’m thankful they acted so quickly,” he said. “Everyone really took great care of me.”
Almost two weeks later, he returned to Select to continue his recovery.
Through it all, Ronnie’s wife, daughter and grandchildren were a constant source of support. “They were there for me and they kept me going.”
Several weeks later, after continued physical, occupational and speech therapy, Ronnie was able stand and take a few steps. He passed a special test that demonstrated he could swallow without aspirating and he was able to eat again. His tracheostomy was removed and he was ready for the next and final step in his recovery – Riverside Rehabilitation Hospital.
“I was so happy to have that trach out, eat again, and just be able to stand on my feet again,” Ronnie said. “When they told me I was accepted to Riverside Rehab, that was truly a turning point for me. I knew that meant I was making enough progress to get home.”
After more than a week of not feeling well, Jean took Ronnie to the emergency room at Sentara Belle Harbor late one night. Ronnie’s condition quickly deteriorated and he required an urgent transfer to Sentara Obici Hospital in Suffolk for life-saving measures. He was connected to a ventilator and put into a medically induced coma after being diagnosed with pneumonia and sepsis, a life threatening condition that occurs when the body’s immune system has an extreme response to an infection.
Ronnie spent an entire month in the intensive care unit fighting for his life. “They didn’t expect me to live. That’s how bad things were,” Ronnie said. His wife confessed that she started thinking about his funeral. “They told me he wouldn’t survive,” she said.
Ronnie wasn’t ready to give up. His condition began to stabilize and his intensive care team, along with his wife and daughter, began to evaluate next steps for Ronnie to continue his fight. Together they chose Select Specialty Hospital – Hampton Roads, a critical illness recovery hospital known for caring for critically ill, medically complex patients needing extended recovery time.
Ronnie arrived at Select Specialty Hospital so weak that he couldn’t move himself in his bed. Although he no longer needed the ventilator, he still required supplemental oxygen through a tracheostomy and received nutrition through a feeding tube. He was unable to speak, eat, walk or care for himself in any way.
“I remember waking up with that breathing tube in my neck, and no one could understand anything I was trying to say,” he said. “I wanted to get the heck out of there and get back home. I got people at home who need me and are waiting on me.”
A physician-led, interdisciplinary team of nurses, therapists and other health professionals created a plan to help Ronnie reclaim his life and get back home. Respiratory therapists worked with Ronnie every day gradually reducing the amount of oxygen he was on and keeping his lungs clear with pulmonary hygiene techniques – a series of exercises performed by a therapist that help clear secretions from airways.
Physical and occupational therapists worked with him several times a week, helping him roll over, sit up in bed, move to its edge and transfer to a chair. Speech therapists put a special valve on his tracheostomy tube that moved air through his vocal cords, allowing him to speak again. They also worked with him on swallowing exercises to strengthen his throat muscles so he could eventually eat again.
A few weeks after admission, Ronnie began having a persistent headache that was not relieved by pain medication. Ronnie underwent a CT scan that revealed he had a subdural hematoma; a blood vessel between his skull and brain was damaged and formed a clot that put pressure on his brain. Ronnie was transferred to Riverside Regional Medical Center for emergency brain surgery to remove the clot.
“I’m thankful they acted so quickly,” he said. “Everyone really took great care of me.”
Almost two weeks later, he returned to Select to continue his recovery.
Through it all, Ronnie’s wife, daughter and grandchildren were a constant source of support. “They were there for me and they kept me going.”
Several weeks later, after continued physical, occupational and speech therapy, Ronnie was able stand and take a few steps. He passed a special test that demonstrated he could swallow without aspirating and he was able to eat again. His tracheostomy was removed and he was ready for the next and final step in his recovery – Riverside Rehabilitation Hospital.
“I was so happy to have that trach out, eat again, and just be able to stand on my feet again,” Ronnie said. “When they told me I was accepted to Riverside Rehab, that was truly a turning point for me. I knew that meant I was making enough progress to get home.”