Mrs. J: Beating the Odds

Mrs. J, 83, was admitted to Kindred Hospital St. Louis – St. Anthony’s from a short-term acute care hospital in July. She had been in the ICU of the short-term hospital for nearly a month. She was on full ventilator support and was receiving hemodialysis three days a week for complications during her hospitalization. The Kindred clinical liaisons were called in to meet Mrs. J and her family, and they quickly grasped the idea that Kindred specialized in the intensive long-term level of care that their mother required.

Mrs. J transferred to Kindred with the hope of being liberated from mechanical ventilation. Her family committed to the transfer even though their commute was one hour each way. Mrs. J’s husband and son visited every single day, giving Mrs. J the support she needed.

Mrs. J’s daughter and many other family members and friends were also faithful visitors. Within two weeks, Mrs. J began to show significant improvement and had regained renal function. This allowed the discontinuation of the hemodialysis treatments, which was a significant step in her recovery.

Within another week Mrs. J was liberated from mechanical ventilation and the tracheostomy – another huge advancement for someone who had almost given up three weeks before.

On August 31, Mrs. J was discharged to a less intense level of care, a skilled nursing facility very close to her home and family. As Mrs. J prepared to leave the hospital, her prognosis was good – she was expected to return home after a two-week stay at the nursing center.