Paralyzed By Spinal Cord Stroke, Strengthened Through Rehab
We first introduced you to Nick Kiesow in December as he used an innovative mechanical suit to strengthen his body and walk in short stints. Something that was impossible following a stroke in his spinal cord. This type of injury is enough to make the strongest person consider giving up, but not Nick. Everyday, he’s working to beat the odds, one small step at a time.
“You have to learn to crawl before you can walk, is how she explained it to me from day one. And that's what we've been doing almost every single day," said Nick Kiesow.
It's been quite the journey for the 43 year old who left Avera McKennan Hospital's Inpatient Rehab Unit in early December, 2022 and has since been a daily presence in the outpatient therapy program with physical therapist, Stephanie Myers.
"There really hasn't been a lapse in any of our rehab, just knowing full well that's the only remedy for this," said Kiesow.
Nick was the victim of a spinal cord stroke on October 15th, 2022. He says he remembers waking up to find he had no function from his right hip all the way down to his toes. As that day progressed, the stroke sapped his strength and abilities in his left leg and began climbing up his body before settling just below his sternum.
“I was concerned, based on his neurologic exam, that we might be dealing with something spinal cord," said Dr. William Rossing, an Avera Neurologist who treated Nick.
Statistically, just over 1% of strokes happen in the spinal cord and typically cause patients to feel symptoms of sputtering nerve or muscle pain that is reminiscent of a pinched nerve or pulled muscle. Given Nick's age, Dr. Rossing was more concerned about Nick possibly having Multiple Sclerosis or some other sort of demyelinating disorder of his spinal cord. After several tests to rule out other conditions and advanced imaging, the confirmation of a spinal cord stroke was made.
“His stroke is definitely rare with it being a spinal cord versus a stroke that affects the brain itself," said Myers.
When it comes to he therapy routine, Myers says every person that comes in the doors is at a different skill level so care is always individualized to meet the patient's needs. While in the Inpatient Unit, Nick relied a lot on the exoskeleton machine to help him walk and strengthen the muscles in his legs. Over the course of 6 months, his hitting milestones and working to surpass expectations.
“When we first started to walk here, Stephanie was on a stool holding my leg. I was in a harness so I couldn't fall from the ceiling. Now it's two canes and she's just walking next to me and so, I mean, the progression has really taken off!” said Kiesow.
Across the therapy room are various equipment and devices designed to challenge patient's like Nick and assist in healing. Nick is the first to admit that there are no free rides from one exercise to the next. Adding that he'll typically crawl or walking between each exercise. That means even during his breaks, he is still working.
"She maximizes every single minute of our time, which is really good,” said Kiesow.
“He is such a hard worker. It's just really rewarding and a main reason why I'm a physical therapist, just to watch him grow and recover with injuries like this,” said Myers.
One of the areas that is most challenge is the leg press that tests Nick's strength and balance. Because of the stroke, his left leg is at a fraction of the strength it used to be, “and we're just trying to get that to awaken and so doing that leg press, I can feel my right leg doing the majority of the work. Which is why then she'll transfer and Ill do one leg lifts and presses just to try to get more strength through this left leg,” said Kiesow.
Myers says it brings tears to her eyes just to watch Nick's dedication and the success that he's having every day. "Day in and day out, he's sweating, he's crawling, doing things that he doesn't really care for, but he's driven and has goals, and I'm just super proud of him,” said Myers.
“Knowing him as a person, I know that he won't accept anything less than 100%, and I expect that he'll push on until he is he's back to playing on the golf course,” said Dr. Rossing.
Despite the frustrations that come from relearning activities and motions that were once basic, Nick has such an incredible attitude. He knows the only way to beat this and get back to normal is to put in the work at rehab.
"And so coming here, doing the activities and putting in the work is the only way you're going to get back to normal eventually when you get down to one cane and then eventually no gains. I mean, that is really where I feel like we're progressing. That's the goal is just to get back to 100% normal,” said Kiesow.
Gripping a golf club again is one thing, but Nick's ultimate goal is to get back to being an active dad and be able to keep up with his kids.
