Success Story
If you are planning surgery, then you need some physical therapy and R & R afterwards in order to heal. Going home is not always optimum for the healing process.
I have recently had the most delightful, beneficial stay at the Mountain Valley Care and Rehabilitation Center in Kellogg. After having knee replacement surgery, I left the hospital on the third day in awful pain, with no knowledge of what was supposed to hurt. The hospital therapist showed me how to walk with a walker and had me up trying to walk. All I knew was it hurt, the knee was the size of a bowling ball, black and blue, and the pain medicine made me deathly sick.
When I arrived at Mountain Valley Care I was immediately welcomed and shown to my cheery room. An entourage of people came in to welcome me and a therapist appeared right away and showed me how to practice with the walker. The day I arrived was the day of their Valentine party, so I was rolled down to view an unbelievable amount of chocolate, great music, and happy people celebrating and dancing. As the week went on, I was surrounded by caring, kind, attentive and pleasant employees at the facility. They were always checking, always reassessing, comforting, and supporting. When the pain was bad and I did not want to take pain pills because they made me sick, they worked with me to figure out another way.
The physical therapy staff is fantastic. Every day they started in the morning doing activities that were equal to my ability and progressed to harder ones. Then I would go to my room with an ice pack and use the knee-moving machine on my bed. That allowed me a couple hours of rest and yet I was still undergoing therapy. In the afternoon, I would go back to the therapy room and work on upper body exercises in order to gain strength. They always added on to what we did the day before and gave me many exercises that were really fun. If it got too tough, I was told to rest and slow down. The professional, kind, and knowledgeable staff was always so helpful and pleasant in their ability to stimulate me and help me recuperate. I received so much therapy and I made a very fast recovery due to the daily workouts and encouragement.
Living at the care center for three weeks was a rewarding experience. The residents were delightful, fun, and kind. They each had their own unique personality and it was so much fun to get to know them. This was a view of life beyond shoveling snow, working every day, worrying, making ends meet, etc. It was a loving, happy environment that kept me relaxed and laughing.
Why is there a stigma on the word “nursing home”? When I first told people I was going to the care center, they would reply “the nursing home”? It is a care facility and I guess as adults we do not want to look into the future and realize that we may not always be able to take care of ourselves or have our family take care of us. Personally, after going there, I would feel very comfortable there if I could not take care of myself. It was the best “rest and recuperation” I have had in years even though I had to work through the knee pain. Go there and enjoy, be happy for them to take care of you. The food is outstanding, so be careful not to gain weight. Enjoy!
Sincerely,
Anita P.
