“Make the most of it, make it fun and work hard”
[May 2023] Good advice, especially if you’re working on rehabilitation after having a stroke. That’s exactly what our friend Steve Martin of Henning, Minnesota, was up to when he repeated this mantra; “Make the most of it, make it fun and work hard.”
Steve suffered a life-changing stroke only a few months ago. “I knew something was wrong,” remembered Steve, “and I had to crawl up the steps and into the car.” The weather that day was March going out like a lion. “We got into the car, bound for Fergus Falls,” said his wife, Joan, “and it was a real snowstorm out there! It was very difficult to see, difficult to drive. Semi-trucks were coming down the middle of the road. Thankfully, we reached the hospital, and they began to assess Steve’s condition.”
Steve’s stroke left him unable to use his entire right side. He was admitted to the hospital where he stayed for four days. “I couldn’t do anything,” recalled Steve, “and even walking was nearly impossible when I left the hospital. It wasn’t possible for me to return home at that point, so I went to PioneerCare.” Steve and Joan were acquainted with Pioneer; Joan’s mother had been a resident.
Steve had been told while in the hospital that he may not get much better. “I was feeling pretty humble,” said Steve, “but I was also determined; determined to get better and stronger despite what I had been told. I’ve always been a positive person and I wanted that trait to help me regain some of what I’d lost.”
“While I was at Pioneer, I told them my goals were simple but important; find a way to fish, play cards and drive my boat.”
With just one good arm, Steve was encouraged to use a quad cane. “I told them I didn’t want to use that,” he said, “after all, how can I carry my coffee if my one good hand is on a cane?” Joan remembered that positive spirit in Steve right from the beginning of his rehabilitation. “He’s always had such a positive attitude,” said Joan with a smile, “and I just know that’s what helped him be successful in his quest to get better and stronger.”
That same positivity allowed Steve to put smiles on other faces at Pioneer. “When I first got to PioneerCare, I made it a point to get to know the other residents,” he said, “and I love being the guy who can add a little brightness to the room. It didn’t take long, and we quickly became friends.”
Speaking was difficult for Steve. Only about 65 percent of what he said was understandable. Steve worked tirelessly with Pioneer’s speech therapy team. “I remember Leah,” said Steve, “and I was her very first patient. She helped me so much. Leah helped me understand where my difficulties were and how to fix them. I remember her saying “Louder, slower with more intensity.” Cassidy, another of my speech therapists told me the same thing. She came in wearing a mask one day and then it was my turn to tell her to speak louder, slower, and with more intensity. We all laughed!”
Steve worked on his exercises while lying on his bed. “While I watched movies, I would be doing strength exercises,” he explained, “and I felt like I was making good progress. Growing up, I was a wrestler, so I was good on my feet. I had been injured before and I just knew I could do it.”
“My life would’ve ended if I couldn’t have come back and now, here I am. We’ve been blessed. Thank you, PioneerCare!”
Positivity and hard work were just what the doctor ordered, and Steve was ready to go home. He wasn’t finished with his work, however. There was more to do, and he and his positive attitude were ready for Pioneer’s Outpatient Care. “We couldn’t have asked for better care,” said Joan, “and I was there with him every day. I was feeling more encouraged every day, even though some days were better than others. Their outpatient therapy was amazing, and I hate to think about where we’d be without Pioneer. I needed their care, their backing and support, and their fellowship. They took care of me, too!”
Cassidy Beck, a Physical Therapist Assistant at Pioneer was one of the people lucky enough to work with Steve. “He was such fun,” she said, “a hard working and driven man. I came into the therapy room one day to find Steve doing lunges at the parallel bars before his session even began! Steve always had a smile on his face and enjoyed working with the staff here at Pioneer.”
Not only did Steve enjoy working with Pioneer staff, but the staff truly enjoyed his positive and dedicated attitude. “Steve told us from the beginning what his goals were,” said Natalie Marquart, Director of Rehab, “and we worked with him on that each day with those specific things in mind. He had such a drive for recovery and he put in the work every day, even when he wasn’t feeling well. Steve’s wife was also a wonderful support system for him and truly a part of his success.”
“These patients experienced personal successes through their work with our therapy professionals and have developed a good rapport from the start of their recovery process.”
Steve is just one success story of many who have taken advantage of outpatient care at Pioneer. “While outpatient therapy has been available in our therapy department for years, it hasn’t been widely known by the community,” noted Nathan Johnson, PioneerCare CEO, “most who have utilized it are like Steve, who previously worked with our therapy staff on an inpatient basis.”
Steve is now following his rehab regimen at home with the help of his faithful wife. “We’ve been supporting each other for 55 years,” he said, “and I just know that has had a big part in my success. While I was at Pioneer, I told them my goals were simple but important; find a way to fish, play cards and drive my boat. I have a long list of things to do, and I feel confident. I give my highest grades on everything at Pioneer. My life would’ve ended if I couldn’t have come back and now, here I am. We’ve been blessed. Thank you, PioneerCare!”
Perhaps you know someone who could benefit from this care just as Steve and many others have done. “These patients experienced personal successes through their work with our therapy professionals. They’ve developed a good rapport from the start of their recovery process,” Nathan explained. “After discharge from our inpatient therapy program, they’ve chosen to come back and continue with outpatient therapy to meet their personal goals. We welcome others to choose Pioneer Therapies on an outpatient basis and we’re excited about expanding our service to the community in this way.”
– Written by Mary Dolan for PioneerCare
