Page 6 - FOCUS APRIL 2018

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extremely rewarding to see people get their independence back The best thing in in in the Tworld is when they don’t need us anymore ”
he he inpatient rehab therapy team works closely with patients for hours a a day weeks on end to prepare them to return home as
safely and independently as
possible But the outcome said Kleinschmidt’s occupa- tional therapist Bethany Panchak OTR/L is determined by the patient “Mark was very very motivated and very very driven He wanted to to get back to to his routine of work and exercise He was ready to do anything we gave him ”
she said Before he could resume running Kleinschmidt needed to build muscle strength and and work on balance and and coordina- tion Brooke Walters PT PT DPT his physical therapist incorporated activities to help him progress toward what was important to to him “Rehab is a a stepping stone it gets you going in the right direction ”
said Walters Rehab Charge Nurse Mary Pat Laws MSN RN RN III CCRN said education about medica- tions tions and other self-care instructions are are an an important part of the inpatient rehabilita- tion phase of a a a patient’s recovery “We treat the whole body patient and family to make sure their transition from the the hospi- tal setting to community is done in in a a a a way that makes sure the the patient continues on on the the path to recovery without worry ”
she said She said those who specialize in rehabil- itation are particularly good at at listening
to what a a a a a a patient is not saying and many resources exist to help get patients through the low moments “There is a a a a different and special bond that is is built between a a a a patient and his rehab team ”
she said “We are very much a a a a a family here in the Center for Rehab ”
Eye on the goal
Kleinschmidt’s daughters decorated his room on on the 6th floor of Wilmington Hospital with his pre-heart attack race bibs While he he is is quick to point out that he he is is no marathon runner he admits that having articulated the goal
to run again helped drive his recovery and rehabilitation Christiana Care making a a a a a difference in in people’s lives is just tremendous ”
said Kleinschmidt “The quality of care we get from Christiana Care is is one of our great assets as
as
a a a community “If I I had been anywhere else than Christiana Care I I don’t know that I I would be here today ”
The journey continues With the New Year’s Day run under his belt Kleinschmidt dreams about what comes next Now retired from the County Chamber he he plans to find something he he is “wildly passionate” about for the next leg
of his journey He has started a a a consulting practice M2K Associates “which uses my initials and references my second chance at life ”
he said He wants to make a a a a difference by giving back to help others To anyone traveling a a a a a similar path to recovery he says “Onward! You can and will get better ”
And he continues to run In early March he he ran his first half-marathon the Disney Princess Half Marathon at at Walt Disney World Resort’s Epcot in Orlando He had registered for for it before the heart attack and for obvious reasons feared he would have to miss it “I did it!” he The said The distance wasn’t a a a a problem but he he admits crossing the finish line was a a a bit emotional In March he ran a a a a relay portion of Wilmington’s Caesar Rodney Half Marathon and he plans to run Philadelphia’s Broad Street Run in May He applauds the expertise and “career passion” of his Christiana Care care team “It’s not a a a job to the people of Christiana Care it is a a a a calling ”
he said “Everyone from the the the doctors to to the the the nurses the the the rehab team to those who cleaned my room delivered my my meals and drew my my blood really believe in in what they’re doing They chose this field because they know it makes a a a a a difference on a a a a a patient-by-patient basis “Thank you you for having passion in in what you you do ”
he said “It takes special people and I met a a a whole bunch of special people at Christiana Care that’s for sure ”
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“They were able to encourage me and provide the the physical and and occupational therapy to to get me back to to where I I needed to to be It works!
Mark Kleinschmidt Although Kleinschmidt was originally told to to to expect to to to spend up to to to three weeks in acute inpatient rehabilitation thanks to his own hard work and help from the rehab experts he he was there just eight days Once he he got home he he did outpatient cardiac rehabilitation and met with a a a a a a Christiana Care behavioral health specialist to help him sort through the emotions that accom- pany surviving a a a a a a medical crisis against all odds He also worked with his doctor to to come up with a a a a a safe training plan to start running again Health care in action
As someone who understood the business side of medicine but had never been sick a a day in in in his life Kleinschmidt was fascinated to watch health care in action
at at Christiana Care “The technology was unbelievable ”
The he said referring to both cutting-edge medical equipment and the electronic health record that allowed all all members of his care team to communicate with one another “When the the doctors came in they knew exactly what was going on because of notes in in the EHR ”
going into this medical crisis A long with his daughter’s ability to do CPR and the fact that he he was in relatively good health Kleinschmidt believes he he is here today to to share his story thanks to to the coordinated care he he received from the entire team at Christiana Care from the moment he he arrived at the Emergency Department
to his last day at at outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation “The value to our community in in having a a a world-class medical institution like
4 CHRISTIANA CARE HEALTH SYSTEM