Rolando's Story of Recovery from Respiratory Failure with Guillain Barre
When Rolando arrived at Solara, he required a ventilator. After working with his interdisciplinary care team, he was able to discharge to home.
A Patient Success Story from Solara Specialty Hospital Harlingen
Rolando began feeling very weak and developed a cough – symptoms that became progressively worse. Then he noticed his feet becoming numb. The numbness started traveling up his legs until he couldn’t feel them anymore. At that point, he was taken to a short-term acute care hospital.
At the hospital, his condition worsened. He eventually needed to be intubated and placed on a ventilator. He was diagnosed with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure and had to be placed on mechanical ventilator with a tracheostomy. Rolando was diagnosed Guillain-Barré Syndrome – an autoimmune disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks its own nerves, causing weakness, numbness and sometimes paralysis – and was functionally quadriplegic. Rolando had suffered from severe proteincalorie malnutrition, pneumonia, vitamin-D and thiamine deficiencies, and normocytic anemia. He received 5 treatments of IVIG and 7 treatments of plasmapheresis for the Guillain Barré syndrome. He could move his neck and head, nothing else.
Rolando was transferred to Solara Specialty Hospitals Harlingen, where the respiratory therapy team helped with downsizing his tracheostomy. They also utilized a CPAP, a trach collar, and red cap trials while keeping his lungs clean through suctioning. Rolando was eventually decannulated, not requiring oxygen anymore. He also met all his speech goals, communicating at a conversational level, and reached a regular-consistency diet. Rolando also was treated for wounds to his legs, which healed. After arriving as a total care patient, requiring a Hoyer lift to get out of bed and having no bed mobility, Rolando progressed to walking 60 feet with a walker.
Rolando’s story is truly remarkable. He is a construction worker who works hard to support his wife and child. He is excited that he has made so much progress while at Solara Harlingen and is excited for being alive. Rolando was discharged home.
Learn more about: Respiratory Care
Tours are Personalized
Solara Hospitals provide long-term acute care in specialty hospitals in Texas. Scheduling a personalized tour at a location near you will allow you to:
- Meet clinicians and staff who would be involved in your loved one’s care
- Explore relevant treatment offerings and services
- Hear about other patients with similar conditions who have recovered at our hospital
- Get answers to any questions you might have
Most importantly, a tour allows you to envision your loved one in our hospital and determine if we are the best fit to help them on their recovery journey.