Weldon's Success Story

From Cornerstone Specialty Hospitals Austin

Weldon leads an active life, taking care of his grandchildren and enjoying his passion for attending tractor club events. After undergoing a scheduled open-heart surgery, Weldon faced unexpected medical complications, including acute and chronic respiratory failure, hypoxia, and critical illness myopathy. These setbacks led to him being placed on a ventilator for an extended period. After several weeks in the hospital, Weldon was transferred to Cornerstone Specialty Hospital Austin for extended medical care to continue his recovery journey.

Before Weldon’s admission, the interdisciplinary team at Cornerstone carefully reviewed his medical history and developed a comprehensive care plan tailored to his unique needs. The primary goals were to wean him off the ventilator and to address the physical deconditioning he experienced due to prolonged bed rest. Upon his arrival, Weldon was admitted to the ICU, where the team immediately began implementing his care plan. Weldon was highly motivated and engaged in the process, participating in daily, intensive weaning therapies. The ventilator weaning process included a structured program of breathing exercises designed to strengthen his respiratory muscles. These exercises involved gradually increasing the time Weldon spent breathing on his own, supported by techniques such as incentive spirometry, which helped improve his lung function and capacity. The respiratory therapy team also implemented synchronized breathing techniques to ensure Weldon could adjust smoothly as the ventilator support was reduced.

Over the course of three weeks, with the support of respiratory therapy, Weldon made remarkable progress. His determination, combined with the careful titration of ventilator settings and consistent practice of breathing exercises, led to his successful liberation from the ventilator, allowing him to breathe independently once again.

In addition, Weldon participated in a robust rehabilitation program, including physical, occupational, and speech therapy. The physical therapy team focused on rebuilding his strength and endurance, helping him to regain mobility and independence. Occupational therapy worked with Weldon to enhance his ability to perform daily activities, ensuring he could return to his role as an active grandfather. Speech therapy was also instrumental in addressing any swallowing and communication difficulties that arose due to his extended ventilator use.

With success over success, Weldon passed all goals set in his care plan and was able to discharge to a lower-level care for additional rehab. From the entire team at Cornerstone, we wish him all the success in this recovery.