Charles Nance
An active, young, working gentleman, Charles Nance was involved in a horrific car accident that changed his life significantly. Charles suffered spinal cord injuries to his C3 and C4 in the accident and required a discectomy. Unfortunately for Charles, that was only the beginning of his struggles.
Charles subsequently developed a stage four (to-the-bone) decubitus ulcer on his coccyx. Soon after, he suffered respiratory failure, and though Charles was able to avoid being placed on a ventilator, he still had a long road ahead of him. He transferred to Kindred Hospital for extensive wound care, where he spent a couple of months beginning his recovery journey.
In need of intensive rehabilitation to regain his strength and mobility, Charles then transferred to Southern Indiana Rehabilitation Hospital (SIRH). When he arrived at SIRH, Charles didn’t even have enough strength to stand. But his encounters with the therapy team at SIRH motivated him to work hard. He first met Megan and thought, “She is kind of cool.” He also appreciated Antonio, who “never let me give up, and pushed me even though it was difficult.”
Charles is a popular man in the Louisville area and had many family, friends, and associates coming to see him at the inpatient rehab hospital. The staff at SIRH joked with Charles that he had more visitors than any other patient in the hospital’s history. His wife and other visitors all noted that the SIRH team was responsible for pushing Charles to get better each day.
As such, it was with much fanfare and happiness that when Charles discharged from SIRH, his family and hospital staff lined the halls to celebrate his return home. The hallway filled with thunderous applause as Charles stood on his own, and with the assistance of his walker, walked out to his waiting car. “I wasn’t sure this day would happen,” he said.
As Charles was being seated for the ride home, his nurses, therapists, and wound care nurse told him to keep pushing every day and, one day soon, to come back and visit. Charles left SIRH having grown his group of supporters and friends, who will surely help him continue to progress in his recovery.
