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Patient Defies All Expectations, Learns to Walk Again with VNA Care 

One doctor after another told Diane Bowers that she would probably never walk again.

Complications from surgery to repair a life-threatening, leaking artery in her abdomen as well as low blood pressure during recovery are thought to have contributed to damage and weakness in her spine.

She was transferred from the hospital to a rehabilitation facility, where staff eventually switched their focus from helping Diane walk again to teaching her how to be successful using a wheelchair at home. Every day, Diane prayed for just one good leg to help her accomplish many of the things she used to be able to handle on her own.

“Everyone said you have such a great attitude,” remembered Diane. “I wanted to tell them that it’s because I’m not going to be like this much longer. I just had faith.”

Her prayers were soon answered. After Diane returned home, a friend passed along VNA Care’s phone number. The agency has a long track record of helping patients with challenging and complex diagnoses improve functioning and reach their optimal health while living independently at home.

Marie Davis, PT, a longtime physical therapist with VNA Care, was assigned to assess Diane’s condition.

During their first visit, Diane asked Marie if she thought she’d ever stand again. Diane was astounded by Marie’s response, “You’re going to stand today.”

Diane was instructed to put her hands on Marie’s shoulders, and the physical therapist helped her from her wheelchair to a standing position multiple times.

“That was a major accomplishment in my eyes. I don’t know if it was the way she did it, her calmness, or her upbeat personality, but she had this look of ‘we are going to be successful today,’” said Diane.

Over the course of several months, Marie helped Diane make steady progress. Diane mastered transitioning from sitting to standing using a walker.

On another visit, she took her first two steps using a walker and eventually accomplished what doctors never expected — walking laps around her house with a walker for balance and stability.

The milestones didn’t stop there. Marie helped Diane learn different ways to safely perform tasks she once took for granted. Standing at the kitchen counter to make her own coffee again brought Diane to tears.

Stairs were the final challenge. Diane was limited to the first floor of her home and hadn’t been able to sleep in her second floor bedroom since her hospitalization. When she couldn’t lift her foot enough to step up, Marie had Diane sit on the stairs instead and scoot her way up. Marie was with her every step, and had a chair waiting at the top so Diane could rest.

By the time Diane was ready to transition to outpatient rehabilitation therapy, she was able to walk a few steps without a walker. Her new goal, to take her dog Tootsie for walks on the beach, was within reach thanks to the incredible progress she made under Marie’s expert care.

Diane said, “It was my lucky day when Marie walked into my house and took on my case. She is amazing.”