Gary's Story

Gary Johnson smiles during therapy with two team members.

Gary Johnson is an active 59-year-old, and if you didn’t find him on the basketball court, you would find him on the racquetball court.

But it wasn’t a sports injury that led him to Ochsner Rehabilitation Hospital – it was a fall in his shower. Indeed, slips and falls are the most common type of bathroom injury, accounting for more than one-third of all bathroom injuries in the United States.

Gary had fractured his left shinbone. He was rushed to Ochsner Hospital main campus, where he quickly underwent surgery to realign the bones in his leg.

After the procedure, additional medical issues complicated his recovery – advanced liver disease, a blood clot in his leg and rapid heartbeat. Once his medical status was stabilized, Gary was approved for transfer to a rehabilitation facility so that he could regain his strength and mobility.

For that, the decision was easy. Gary chose Ochsner Rehabilitation Hospital, as he had been a patient there previously and enjoyed the experience.

When he arrived at Ochsner Rehabilitation Hospital, Gary met with his physician-led care team which included nursing, physical (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) to map out his recovery plan. Gary wanted to get back to his normal, active life and “be independent again.”

His care team noted that he could only put minimal weight on his left leg, and he continued to struggle with low blood pressure and decreased strength. It was clear that Gary required significant assistance for changing positions from sitting to standing, walking and taking care of everyday needs, such as dressing and bathing.

For starters, Gary’s doctor stabilized his blood pressure with medication, and the nursing team monitored him closely to ensure he was ready to engage in therapy. Physical therapy (PT) activities would aim to strengthen his body and leg while increasing his endurance and activity tolerance. Occupational therapy (OT) would focus on refining his fine motor skills and help him improve his abilities to bathe and dress.

In PT, he started with transfers—moving from sitting up on the edge of the bed to standing. This initially required assistance from two therapists, and Gary was only able to stand for 15 seconds. He stuck with it, and in a week, walked three feet with assistance. This achievement was a turning point for him—and his early motivation.

To build strength in his leg, Gary was introduced to a special therapy bike. He was put in a reclined position on the bike, which allowed him to work the muscles in his left leg without putting weight on it – a key element to allow his bones to heal. He also performed seated leg kicks, hamstring curls, seated marches and clamshells—opening and closing his legs at the knees while seated – all to build his leg strength.

To strengthen his upper body, Gary performed bicep curls, seated rows and pull down exercises. Gary soon began walking short distances with a rolling walker and required less assistance to transfer. The team could see Gary became even more determined with each milestone. His leg was healing quickly, and after 20 days of inpatient rehabilitation, he was cleared to put weight on his left leg.

Concurrently, Gary worked with his occupational therapists on managing his self-care needs. At first, he required total assistance to pull on his pants. But Gary’s occupational therapist focused the sessions on increasing functional strength to make him more independent. For example, she taught Gary how to use adaptive equipment to assist him with donning and doffing his clothing. She also taught Gary energy conversation techniques, such as pacing his activities and sitting to complete tasks. Gary also focused on other aspects of his mobility with standing balance and strengthening exercises. The day he took his first shower after his injury, Gary knew his goal of independence was on the horizon.

After 27 days at Ochsner Rehabilitation Hospital Gary was walking 55 feet with a rolling walker, transferring positions without assistance and managing his self-care needs with some occasional help.

He was not quite ready to get back on the court, but he looked forward to getting back to a normal life at home.

As Gary prepared to discharge from Ochsner Rehabilitation Hospital, he took time to praise his team: “They helped me do what I needed to do to get stronger.”

And when asked to give his thoughts on those who are going through the rehabilitation journey, he offered: “do what they tell you to do.”