Greg has always been an avid outdoorsman, and physical therapy was the last thing on his mind. He has spent much time hiking the Blue Mountains of Tennessee, and he also skied regularly, and he was good at it. After graduating from college, he went on what should have been an ordinary ski trip in Stratton, VT. However, this was where everything would change.

How Life Changed for Greg

While performing a complex trick, Greg’s ski fell off mid-flight and he landed on his head. At first, Greg felt fine. He got up and continued skiing for the remainder of the afternoon. That night, he went to bed looking forward to another day on the slopes with his friends and fellow skiers. 

The next day, though, Greg woke up not feeling like himself. He began to vomit and convulse. Greg was rushed to a hospital. The surgeons discovered a blood clot in his brain, and doctors needed to perform emergency brain surgery on Greg.  

While the procedure saved Greg’s life, it left him “locked-in”. This means that he was unable to use his extremities, speak, or swallow. At age 21, he became completely dependent on his family and caretakers.

Two Years of the Usual Therapy

Over the next two years, Greg received all therapies and services available to him, both within and outside of insurance. He received physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT), and speech-language therapy (ST) for about 180 minutes per week. 

Greg also received Activity-Based Restorative Therapy (ABRT) at a clinic in Brookfield, CT. While he went frequently and for longer periods, the ABRT program did not offer concurrent multi-planar neuro-muscular training. As a result, Greg's improvement stopped.

Finding Moving With H.O.P.E.

Greg, his parents, and his doctors knew he needed a lot more physical therapy. In 2016, Greg’s psychiatrist referred him to MWH. Greg’s big goal was to live more independently. His other goal was also big: to get a Master's degree in Chemistry. A team of experienced physical therapists at MWH worked with Greg and his family to plan how to improve his cognitive and motor skills so he could achieve these goals.

In the beginning, Greg was almost completely immobile and extremely dependent on his family and caregivers. He was unable to feed, bathe, groom, dress, or use the toilet without the full assistance of an aide. He also had no control over his bladder or bowels. However, on his first day, he walked 60 feet over 7 minutes while heavily assisted. 

Moving with H.O.P.E Difference with Activity-Based Restorative Therapy

Over the past 2.5 years, Greg has received over 2000 hours of therapy at MWH, a level of access that is unparalleled. His ABRT trained Greg to use all three planes of motion, with a heavy focus on walking, pivoting, and sidestepping.

Greg has made tremendous progress. Today, he can walk 60 feet in just over 1 minute with minimal assistance. His personal best is 48 seconds. He is also able to stand and maintain proper posture of his trunk while bearing ~95% of his weight on his legs. He has gained full mobility of his upper trunk and upper appendages.

Greg is almost completely independent. He is able to feed, bathe, groom and dress himself and only needs minimal assistance in using the toilet and walking and he has regained full control of his bowels and bladder.

Today, Greg lives in his own apartment. Although he has a live-in aide, he is mostly self-sufficient.

What’s Next for Greg?

Greg is working to complete his Master's degree. He looks forward to getting a job in either chemistry or pharmaceuticals. One perk he looks forward to in employment is vacation time so he can camp and hike with his friends and family.

You must have sufficient access to the right type of physical therapy for your case. At Moving With Hope, we create a unique treatment plan for you with the input of your existing medical team. We are committed to working with you to regain as much of your mobility and independence as possible.

Contact us today to begin the dialogue on how we can empower you, strengthen your support network, and give you a renewed burst of hope. We can’t wait to meet you!