When David arrived at Solara, he required a ventilator and physical, speech, and occupational therapy. After working with his interdisciplinary care team, he was able to discharge to home. 

A Patient Success Story from Solara Specialty Hospital McAllen

David, a husband and father of four daughters, worked in an oil field as a pipe fitter and foreman for eight years before he started feeling weakness in his extremities. He went to his doctor, and an MRI showed nerve damage.

David’s father passed away of ALS when David was young. Remembering what his dad went through, he began having sleepless nights. He was prescribed benzodiazepines for his high anxiety. One day, while exercising on a yoga ball at home, he fell asleep and hit his head. He experienced hallucinations and called for his dad. David was experiencing an allergic reaction to the benzos. He was taken to the ER as a trauma alert due to the fall. David was intubated due to respiratory failure and worsening hypercapnia (high carbon dioxide levels in the bloodstream). After exams, CT scans, and MRIs, he was diagnosed with C5-C6 thecal sac compression – a compression of the spinal cord in his neck.

After his brief stay at the short-term acute care hospital, David was transferred to Solara Specialty Hospitals McAllen for ventilator weaning, and physical, occupational, and speech therapy. He was awake and alert when admitted. He was able to communicate with a speaking valve, and the first thing that he said was, “I want to get back to my family strong. Without any machines. Not in a box!”

The Solara successfully weaned David off the ventilator, and he decannulated. He also returned to eating on his own while participating in PT, OT and speech therapy every day.

Ultimately, David discharged from Solara having regained the ability to walk, while intermittently using a wheelchair. He had the option of transferring to an acute rehabilitation facility, but he opted to go home with outpatient rehab therapy.  

Learn more about: Respiratory Care