Determined to get her life back to normal, Kathryn Delarme worked hard during two weeks of acute inpatient rehab at the Rehabilitation Center of Penn Highlands Healthcare following surgery for a stroke and gave thanks to the team who made sure she was ready to go home.
“I know it’s going to take time, but everyone I worked with was so skilled. The nurses and therapists were definitely great. They were all experts at what they do, and made me do things over and over and pushed me to get better,” said the mother of three from Sykesville, Pennsylvania. “They wanted me to be ready and confident when I went home.”
Following surgery for her stroke at Penn Highlands DuBois, Delarme was determined to be a good candidate for inpatient rehab that could help her regain function on the right side of her body, which was left numb from the stroke.
The rehab involves intensive therapy and comprehensive care, with patients working with a therapy team a minimum of three hours each day. Delarme’s program included morning and afternoon physical, occupational and speech therapy sessions.
“The program and the people were fantastic,” she said. “The team developed an individualized plan for me to heal and they encouraged me every way possible.”
The admiration was mutual.
“Kathryn maintained a positive attitude throughout her stay,” said Amanda N. Millis, a speech-language pathologist/clinical coordinator who worked with Delarme. “Her motivation and dedication to the program really allowed her to shine and demonstrate progress towards her goals. I really enjoyed being a part of her team.”