Rex's Story
There aren’t many 86-year-olds out there as active as Rex Pratt.
Whether it’s biking, fishing, restoring furniture or boating, Rex likes to keeps busy. Before retiring, Rex spent 42 years as an office manager for a veterinary clinic. He and his wife Norma live in Edwardsville, Illinois and have two sons who live nearby. Rex treasures spending time with his family, particularly his four grandchildren – who live all across the United States.
When Rex learned he needed to undergo surgery for a torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder, he wasn’t overly concerned. At first, the surgery seemed to be a success but as Rex began his recovery, he started experiencing pain, swelling and redness. It was clear something was wrong.
An MRI showed Rex had contracted a staph infection in his shoulder. The condition, known as septic arthritis, is a rare and serious complication that occurs when bacteria enters the body, potentially causing permanent damage to the joint. After being diagnosed and treated with IV antibiotics at a hospital close to home, Rex was transferred to SSM Health DePaul Hospital to undergo surgical debridement of his shoulder socket, a procedure that involves removing dead, damaged or infected tissue in order to promote healing. At that time, surgeons also irrigated Rex’s shoulder, which involves washing out the wound with a sterile solution to remove debris and bacteria.
Rex would spend nearly a month in the hospital with doctors closely monitoring his infection and treating him with IV antibiotics. His infection and the procedures to remove it left him with limited mobility in his left arm and the prolonged hospital stay left him weakened. When it was suggested that he make inpatient rehabilitation the next stop in his recovery, Rex was excited. Other than returning home, Rex’s main goals were to be able to get back on his bicycle, go fishing and mow the yard.
Upon arrival at SSM Health Rehabilitation Hospital – Bridgeton, Rex needed two people to help him stand to use a walker. He was only able to walk about five feet before becoming too fatigued. He needed assistance for all of his personal care tasks, including bathing, dressing and using the bathroom. Because Rex is left-handed, he was impacted significantly. Rex’s physician-led care team of nurses, physical therapists and occupational therapists worked with him to create a care plan that would get him back to the active lifestyle he enjoyed.
Rex quickly bonded with his physical therapist, who is also a cyclist. When his therapist realized that Rex was highly motivated by being able to see his progress, she incorporated specialized rehabilitation equipment into his therapy sessions. Rex used a sit-to-stand trainer into his sessions, which provides weighted assistance to patients while they practice standing in order to build leg strength. With time, Rex was able to the decrease the amount of weighted assistance required to stand as his strength increased.
Physical therapists also had Rex use a recumbent stepping machine, which allowed him build leg strength and endurance in a way that resembled biking. The machine also allowed Rex to gently increase the range of motion in his shoulder to maintain mobility and build strength. As he became stronger, the intensity was increased by adjusting resistance and target speed.
With time, Rex began to walk longer distances using a walker. Because he was so motivated by objective progress, his physical therapist kept a “distance tracker” on the whiteboard in his room so when he set a new distance record, they would cross out the old record and log the new one. “If he was feeling discouraged, we could look back at the distance tracker to see how far he had come from when he first started,” his therapist said.
Occupational therapists also used rehabilitation technology to help him gain strength and mobility in his left arm. Rex utilized a zero-gravity mobile arm support device designed to assist with shoulder instability and increase movement in weakened arms and shoulders. Using the device allowed Rex to improve his ability to reach as well as improve overall coordination. As his left arm became stronger, occupational therapists had Rex use resistance bands and light weights to further his progress. Additionally, therapists introduced adaptive equipment including a reacher and a sock aid, which is a device where a sock can be slid over an opening so the foot can easily be placed in the sock. This helped Rex better dress the lower half of his body.
As Rex began to achieve milestones, including getting out of bed independently, feeding himself, taking a shower and dressing with fewer rest breaks and less assistance, he felt “elated and joyous,” he recalled. “It was an unbelievable feeling.”
His family, including his wife, son and daughter-in-law participated in training so they’d be prepared on how best to help Rex when he returned home. “My family was there every day,” he said. “We’ve been talking to my brother and brother-in-law every day, giving them a progress report.” The support from his family and friends only made Rex more determined to work hard.
After 19 days at SSM Health Rehabilitation Hospital – Bridgeton, Rex had made remarkable progress. He was able to stand up without assistance and could walk 210 feet with a walker and supervision. He was able to get in and out of a car with minimal assistance and navigate a curb using a walker. Rex gained a significant amount of strength and endurance, making him able to tolerate activity with fewer and shorter rest breaks. He needed only occasional assistance for balance while completing his personal care tasks. Being left-handed, Rex was able to use his left arm more efficiently during tasks including feeding himself and even writing his name. “He was so proud to be able to sign his name on the thank you note he gave us,” his occupational therapist shared.
Rex plans to continue his recovery at home with home health care. He was excited to get back on his stationary bike before progressing to his regular bike. Reflecting on his rehabilitation experience, Rex said it was “an A+,” continuing, “It was an unbelievably smooth process. Everyone just wanted to help me. And the food was great. It really made me appreciate what the staff does every day.”