Lindol: Progress (and Friends) Made

Lindol lives in Vermont year-round, and enjoys spending quality time with his children and grandchildren. While visiting one of his sons, a patient at a short-term acute care hospital, Lindol began having a severe headache. He was taken to the emergency room where a CT was performed, finding a large right cerebellar hemispheric hemorrhage.

Lindol, also experiencing new onset atrial fibrillation, was intubated and required a right front external ventricular drain to relieve the pressure on his brain.

After stabilizing his condition, doctors at the short-term acute care hospital where Lindol was initially admitted transferred him to Kindred Hospital Boston for continued care.

Upon admission to Kindred Hospital, Lindol was on Assist Control mode of mechanical ventilation. Kindred’s interdisciplinary team of doctors, nurses, therapists and specialists began executing a treatment plan tailored to Lindol’s needs.

Respiratory therapists initiated weaning protocol immediately. Within the first two weeks, Lindol was able to tolerate several short periods of weaning on CPAP, and was eventually weaned off the vent and placed on trach collar.

With continued care from the respiratory team, Lindol’s trach was capped and he was placed on oxygen via nasal cannula. A Passy Muir valve was placed to help him speak.

Lindol also received treatment from Kindred’s rehabilitation therapists to regain his strength, function and mobility. His physical rehabilitation went well.

At the time of discharge he required contact guard assistance for bed mobility, log rolling, and transfers in bed, and minimal assistance for sit to stand transfers out of bed. Lindol was ultimately able to walk with minimal assistance in parallel bars for 6ft x 4 trials.

During Lindol’s course of treatment at Kindred Hospital, he was able to make a very good recovery and developed many friends. He kept his sense of humor and was a positive participant in his recovery.

Having improved vastly in his condition, Lindol was able to be discharged to a less intense level of care on May 3. He discharged to a skilled nursing facility in his hometown of Burlington, Vermont for further physical and occupational therapies. Lindol is reported to be making good progress in his continued recovery there.