Mr. N: Great Strides Toward Recovery

Mr. N, 54, came to Kindred Hospital in January 2009 after a bad bout of pneumonia had sent him into acute respiratory failure. He arrived at Kindred after treatment at a local short-term acute care hospital left him on a ventilator for two months. Mr. N had lived for 13 years at home under tracheostomy home care and nocturnal ventilation, requiring an oxygen level of 40 percent.

Upon admission, Mr. N began immediate treatment not only for acute respiratory failure, but also for a bad case of recurring cellulitis in his lower right leg. He was monitored daily by a primary care physician, a pulmonologist and the wound care team.

In just three weeks, Mr. N was weaned off the vent. By the end of his stay, his required oxygen level was down to 30%.

Mr. N also received IV antibiotic therapy and topical medications as part of his wound care treatment program. Within only 14 days, his painful cellulitis and ulcerations had vastly improved.

With his wounds significantly healed and his new independence from the ventilator, Mr. N began working diligently with Kindred’s rehabilitation staff to get back on his feet.

After just six weeks of medical treatment and physical rehabilitation at Kindred, Mr. N. left breathing on his own and able to walk. Having made huge strides toward recovery at Kindred Hospital, Mr. N was transferred to a skilled nursing facility for continued rehabilitation in the hopes of an eventual return home.