Deidra's Story
Deidra Gibson, a native of New Orleans, lived a busy and active life as a secretary for various law firms for over two decades.
However, life posed a new challenge when she was diagnosed with glaucoma. Facing worsening eyesight, she underwent surgery on her left eye, but her vision remained impaired.
One day while visiting her eye doctor, she began to exhibit symptoms of a stroke. She was rushed directly to the emergency room where a series of tests, including an MRI, confirmed her doctor’s fears.
Recovering from a stroke may be one of the greatest challenges a person will ever face. Because of her stroke, Deidra experienced weakness, impaired sensation and impaired proprioception (the body’s ability to sense movement, action and location) on her right side. She had limited movement in her right arm and problems with her coordination.
After a week at Ochsner Main Campus, Deidra stabilized. Her physicians recommended an intensive inpatient rehabilitation program to help her regain mobility and independence.
She transferred to Ochsner Rehabilitation Hospital to continue her recovery journey. Deidra selected the inpatient rehabilitation hospital as she recalled her mother had a positive experience when treated there.
At Ochsner Rehabilitation Hospital, Deidra faced numerous challenges including cognitive impairment, mobility and the management of basic activities of daily living. But she was determined to reclaim her life, and with the support of her physician-led multi-disciplinary team, she eagerly participated in therapy sessions. She identified a primary goal to conquer the four steps leading to her house.
In physical therapy, Deidra faced her biggest hurdle - impaired vision affecting her balance and spatial awareness. Therefore, her physical therapist developed a comprehensive plan, focusing on strengthening and controlling her right side through targeted exercises like stepping over obstacles, toe taps, squats and step-ups. She met this hurdle with determination and perseverance.
With the use of a bodyweight support system called the Litegait, her endurance and strength improved quickly. As her rehabilitation progressed, Deidra tackled stair training, though at the start she needed assistance. Armed with grip tape on the steps to compensate for her visual deficits, she practiced daily.
Her occupational therapists provided her with adaptive equipment and training to enable her to regain independence in her activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing and grooming.
Beyond physical challenges, Deidra encountered difficulties with cognition, memory and communication. However, with the support of the speech therapy team, she engaged in various tasks to improve her cognitive-communication skills. Through sequencing, story recall, word categorization and functional discussions, she gradually regained her memory and processing abilities. Her word finding skills continued to improve, bolstering her confidence.
By the time of her discharge, Deidra could walk over 500 feet with her rolling walker, ascend and descend four steps with minimal assistance, and enter and exit a car without help. She was also mostly independent with her self-care and functional mobility, only needing supervision for some tasks.
Everyone agreed that Deidra’s positive attitude and incredible work ethic proved instrumental in her success.
After 18 days at Ochsner Rehabilitation Hospital, Deidra was discharged to continue her rehabilitation at home, supported by home health therapy and a home evaluation from Lighthouse for the Blind, a local organization assisting visually impaired individuals.
Deidra was excited to be returning to her own space.
Looking back on her journey, she expressed her profound gratitude, stating, "It amazes me what you guys do. I was broken, and y’all put me back together."