Sometimes the road to better health is a little more bumpy than expected – but in those times of confusion, having a coordinated care team can help keep you on the right path to recovery. For one Mitchell man, it took years of patience and perseverance for him to finally live a life with less knee pain.
A Longer Road to Recovery
Brad Vobr isn't your typical physical therapy patient, but he knows his way around the gym.
“I was working in that chair all the time and then I’d stretched my legs out and straight bend and everything,” said Vobr.
That's because for him to get a new knee took far longer than anyone anticipated.
“I had a infection three times and then they finally got the knee in there,” said Vobr.
“What was supposed to be four weeks became six weeks, eight weeks, 10 weeks, 12 weeks…” said Brandi Neugebauer, manager of Mission Services at Avera Queen of Peace Hospital.
“And I was in the Brady Home for like two and a half years!” said Vobr.
Two and a half years of inpatient therapy, a situation that took Brad completely out of his normal rhythm where every day was spent working to strengthen and heal his body.
“I know when they first started seeing him, he couldn't stand. He couldn't walk just because he was so afraid and he'd had all these issues before. It took three people to get him to stand in a machine, and three people to get him to take a couple steps down the hallway,” said Stephanie Boehnke, a physical therapist assistant with Avera Therapy in Mitchell.
“I remember his goal to return home being uncertain at times and it looking like maybe that wasn't going to happen,” said Neugebauer.
Coordinated and Connected Care Efforts
But everyone involved in Brad's care, the therapists, social workers, and Avera@Home staff were all connected and working to help Brad achieve his goal of regaining independence.
“We prayed for him in church when he first had the surgery, when he got the infection, and then when he was in the nursing home and couldn't stand, couldn't move. But the team at the hospital and nursing homes laid a great foundation for when we got to see him as an outpatient, he just did so great!” said Boehnke.
“And I just pushed myself and I finally got it done,” said Vobr.
It's been a long haul, but with the help of therapists like Stephanie, Brad is strong enough to get back on his bike, back to his job, and living life without pain or limitations.
“Yeah, I got back to work and carrying out groceries and everything. And I'm glad I'm back to work because they kind of missed me,” said Vobr.
“One of my favorite things about doing what I do is just getting people back to doing what they like to do. And I think everybody here on our team is the same way,” said Boehnke.
Every therapist loves to see their patients graduate from rehab and not need their services. But this graduate will definitely be missed.
“He was an encourager to other people, just like they were then back to him. And when he got to go home, we all celebrated. And not because we didn't want him to be there. We celebrated because his win was our win,” said Neugebauer
“Just thank them all, and thanks for helping me out… and that I did it,” said Vobr.
Learn more about therapy and rehabilitation services across the Avera footprint
