Gritman Medical Center | Connections | Spring 2015

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AFTER having a stroke and
experiencing complications in 2013,
Wendy South found herself in a
wheelchair with limited mobility.
“She wasn’t supposed to live, and
most doctors told her that surgery
would result in her inability to walk,
talk or eat,” said
Wendy’s daughter,
Katie Adams.
Katie was con-
cerned her mother
would never be
able to walk again.
But through hard
work and per-
severance with
therapy, Wendy regained her ability
to walk.
Slow but sure success
Wendy’s choice for rehabilitation
was Gritman’s erapy Solutions,
where sta planned a regimen of
physical, speech and occupational
therapy.
“It has become a highlight of my
day when I see how much Wendy
and other patients progress with
their therapy,” said Justin Minden,
Director of erapy Solutions. “We
are here to improve patient lives,
and it feels so good to see that
happening.”
Wendy and Physical erapist
Angela Anderson used exercises in
the therapy gym and HydroWorx
therapy pool. Once
Wendy met her
initial goals, they
began working
on enabling her
to move from her
wheelchair and
eventually learning
to walk.
e therapy
sessions are physically and psycho-
logically exhausting. One especially
di cult exercise had Wendy go
from lying at on her back to stand-
ing up by herself, using a chair for
support. Other exercises involved
going up and down stairs or kicking
a ball.
Talking again
Other treatments concentrated
on Wendy’s speech and cogni-
tive abilities. Wendy worked with
Duane Dale and Brandy Sullivan,
speech-language pathologists. As
a result of her improved speech,
she is more independent and has
been able to resume social activi-
ties that she enjoys—activities that
only a few months before were
impossible.
Before having the stroke, Wendy
was an o ce manager at the Gen-
eral Counsel’s o ce at the Univer-
sity of Idaho, assisting in the search
for a new UI president. She still
struggles to talk—the words come,
but as with so many other things in
her life, only with great e ort and
concentration.
Amazing support
Wendy hopes to be a grand-
mother soon. e prospect of a
grandchild is one of her main
motivators to regain as much ability
as possible. In addition to Gritman’s
help, Wendy said she’s had amazing
support from family and friends.
“ e recovery process is frustrat-
ing,” Wendy said. “I am just so grate-
ful for everyone who is helping me. I
am getting my life back.”
Therapy
restores
life after
stroke
6q
Physical Therapist Angela Anderson, left, works with
Wendy South to strengthen her weakened right side.
“We are here to improve
patient lives, and it feels
so good to see that
happening.”
—Justin Minden, Director of Gritman’s
Therapy Solutions
Thanks to Gritman’s Therapy
Solutions and support from
family and friends, Wendy
South has hope for her future