STRUGGLING WITH SERENDIPITY
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​disappointing moments

4/12/2016

7 Comments

 
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(This blog tells my family's story. To see more, click "blog" at the top of this webpage.)

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Three days after her second neck surgery, Beth left intensive care on a stretcher in an ambulance.


The rehab center in Toledo had a pediatric wing with six hospital beds in one room. Next to us, a little girl with a brain injury made unhappy sounds in a bed with high rails.

We had moved from a private room in intensive care with constant checks by nurses to...waiting. Waiting for a water pitcher and a cup. Waiting for a box of tissues to wipe away my escaping tears. Waiting for everything, anything. The first day held an eternity of disappointing moments.

How was this the magical place where Beth would regain at least a little strength?

The second morning in rehab, a nurse and I transferred my daughter from the bed to a wheelchair with difficulty. I pushed her down the hall to the first physical therapy session. During another long wait, I tilted the chair back to alleviate her dizziness. She had major adjustments to make--including the transition to a sitting position.

When it was our turn, the therapist said little and moved Beth to a mat table. The therapist solved the immediate, inevitable dizziness by returning her to the wheelchair and tilting the chair back. Done.

We considered other rehab choices in northwest Ohio, not realizing that top-ranked centers farther away also were an option. Beth made the decision to transfer to the St. Francis Center to work with a physical therapist who was an expert on spinal cord injuries. When we traveled by ambulance again, our destination was the tiny town of Green Springs, a fifteen-minute drive from home.


It was a decision we would not regret.

7 Comments
Jill Hire
4/12/2016 04:25:51 pm

Smiling....

Reply
Cindy Kolbe link
4/13/2016 09:25:08 am

Hi Jill! You know what comes next! Moving to Green Springs was the best decision Beth could have made. Not only excellent physical therapy, but meaningful connections as well. We appreciate you! <3

Reply
Deb Ostrander
4/13/2016 01:18:20 pm

Cindy and Beth........I am truly enjoying the blog. Your work is beyond impressive. It disappoints me that your experience in Toledo rehab was discouraging and not nearly what you needed at that time. Being a nurse, I found there are always the good........and those, well who should not be in the medical field. As a certified rehabilitation nurse.......my love was working with SCI's and their families. I would have been honored to have Beth under my wing. Continue this wonderful work........looking forward to additional posts. <3 DEB

Reply
Cindy Kolbe
4/13/2016 06:12:56 pm

Deb, I agree with you, rehab nurses are the best! It's such an important job! And I think my expectations were probably unrealistic initially. For me, the best part of Toledo was you and Rich and the spinal cord injury group! <3

Reply
Deb Ostrander
4/18/2016 11:29:14 am

Thank you for your comments...........I always sensed joy and encouragement from the Kolbe family. We were honored to have you members of the SCI group. Beth is amazing.........a role model for many.

Bill
4/20/2017 09:22:14 am

Thank you again Cindy. You detail both the achievements and setbacks so well. I really look forward to your blog posts and your openness about this life changing event and the effect on not only Beth, but yourself and your family. I gain so much strength from how Beth handled every event. The word inspirational is used too often I believe but you truly are.

Reply
Cindy Kolbe
4/21/2017 12:02:32 pm

Thanks so much, Bill! Beth doesn't like the word, but if anyone is inspirational in our story, it's her. Honestly, she continues to inspire me. She works long days now as a health policy lawyer, but makes time for mentoring and volunteering -- and family and friends. I wish I had her "can-do" outlook!

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