Patient Testimonial

Ray Nelson

After suffering a massive hemorrhagic stroke, I was carried into HealthSouth on a stretcher, my right side totally paralyzed.  Twenty-one days later I walked out the door of HealthSouth, returning home to the applause of the HealthSouth employees and to the amazement of some of my acute care doctors!

I had spent twenty days in a coma following my stroke and was unable to feed myself, much less stand or walk.  On my first morning at HealthSouth my 5’ occupational therapist and my 5’2” physical therapist arrived to stand me up.  I am 6’6” and weighed just shy of 300 pounds, but they were not fazed one bit!  They had me standing within a few minutes.  At that moment, I knew they were going to do amazing things with me.

My speech therapist had the most challenging job of all.  My bleed had occurred in the area of my brain that controlled my “word recall”.  I love football and my therapist and I talked about football, redeveloping my ability to select the proper words.  Looking back, I am amazed at what she was able to accomplish in such a short period of time.

One of the most memorable moments for me was when my wife wheeled me to the cafeteria and I held a spoon with my right hand!  It had a foam enlarger on it, but I was able to feed myself for the first time in over a month!  

Five years ago I was discharged from HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital. The road to recovery has not always been easy, but I am blessed to say I have NO PHYSICAL DEFICITS!  The HealthSouth staff deserves credit for the work they did for and on me!