Destiny by His Side: Grand Rapids EMT is Getting His Groove Back after a Stroke
It’s hard not to smile when you’re in the company of Lavell McDaniel. He’s got the kind of laugh that makes others laugh harder. His positivity lights up the room. Ask anyone he knows, and they’ll tell you: Lavell knows how to boogie. “Lavell likes to do little dances,” explained his wife, Destiny. “He […]
Team mindset helps Matthew overcome amputation, stroke and COVID-19
A few months ago, Matthew Stallman didn’t believe he’d be able to enjoy doing things he loved ever again. But with a little help and a lot of determination, Matthew set a goal to compete in a 5K and reached it far sooner than he thought possible. The 43-year-old Traverse City man developed a bone […]
Cousins encourage each other during recovery from strokes
Ruben Sauceda and his cousin, Heriberto (Joe), are both in their early 60s and have spent much of their lives together in the Holland area. “Joe and I grew up together. We went to school together. We did a lot of things together,” Ruben said. “Then, we had strokes together.” Ruben was at his job […]
Kevin celebrates son’s graduation after his own from rehabilitation
Kevin Grubbs survived COVID-19, an aortic aneurysm and three strokes, and with the help of rehabilitation at Mary Free Bed, Father’s Day was a special one for the Kalamazoo father of five. Last spring, the 52-year-old truck driver developed a cough that led to a COVID-19 diagnosis. During a chest x-ray, medical staff discovered Kevin […]
Co-workers who both had strokes reunite during rehabilitation
Mary Free Bed may not seem an obvious choice of location for a reunion of friends, but two co-workers found themselves going through rehabilitation together. Ricky Belton was getting ready for work at Ranir on March 16 when he started having balance issues. He went to work anyway, but his condition grew worse. Co-workers took […]
Fueled by faith and love, Bonnie focuses on recovery from stroke to attend daughter’s wedding
Bonnie Gordon was slalom skiing on Gull Lake near Hickory Corners, enjoying the company of her family, the water’s cool spray and the warmth of an August morning. Then she began to feel winded. “All of a sudden everything was blurry, and I was in the water,” Bonnie said. Family members got her onto the […]
Love is in the air: Rick’s rehabilitation team helps bring daughter’s wedding to Mary Free Bed
When patients and their loved ones come to Mary Free Bed, they become part of the Mary Free Bed family, and “family’s the most important thing.” That’s why Rick Kitchen’s wife, Beth, and daughter, Jaslyn, united with his Mary Free Bed team to make sure he’d be part of a very special family celebration. Rick […]
She’s got the beat: Cardio drumming fuels Marian’s recovery
Marian Johnson is tapping into her drumming skills and rocking her rehabilitation. Marian, who turns 85 next month, came to Mary Free Bed to gain strength and stamina after a recent illness left her weakened. When recreational therapist Katie Harrington asked Marian what type of activities she enjoys, she shared her love for cardio drumming. […]
Matt adopts ‘whatever it takes’ approach to rehabilitation following stroke
Update: Five months after graduating from Mary Free Bed’s Stroke Program, Matt Rorabaugh continues to make great strides in his recovery from a massive stroke. “I feel great, so fortunate,” Matt said. Building on his efforts in Mary Free Bed’s inpatient program, Matt’s continued with physical, occupational and speech-language therapies near his Morley home two-three […]
10-year-old Kalamazoo boy recovers from stroke
Thomas Hay is a typical 10-year-old boy. He loves football, his dog, Jasper, and competing with his big sister. But life became atypical very quickly one October afternoon. While at practice with his flag football team, Thomas collapsed during a passing drill. His father, Andrew, was helping coach the team and ran over to see […]
UPDATE: Julie Scheving celebrates milestones after surviving massive stroke
Updated April 18, 2019 On an April day 10 years ago, Julie Scheving’s life changed. The former Holland resident experienced a massive stroke that limited her ability to talk and move. But when she began her rehabilitation journey at Mary Free Bed, Julie took steps to get her life back. And she’s done just that. […]
UPDATE: Young athlete recovers from stroke with help from Mary Free Bed
Updated October 22, 2019 Lauren Ziegler achieved her goal of running a half-marathon on October 20. She finished the half-marathon at the Metro Health Grand Rapids Marathon five minutes faster than she had planned. She also plans to continue running and run in more races in the future. Updated April 9, 2019 Lauren Ziegler […]
High-intensity gait training fuels stroke survivor’s recovery
Nick Snyder came to Mary Free Bed for rehabilitation following a stroke that caused significant weakness on the left side of his body. Unable to stand without assistance, the 56-year-old Sheridan resident participated in high-intensity gait training to help him regain strength and endurance. When he graduated five weeks later, Nick was walking. High-intensity gait […]
Mary Free Bed stroke study aims to improve outcomes
Researchers and clinicians from Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, Indiana University, and the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, formerly the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, are collaborating to provide greater independence and mobility for people who are recovering from stroke. A five-year, multi-center research study, funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research, is […]
‘Stroke Bloke’ Dale Lamps looks to future with optimism after rehabilitation
Guest blog: Dale Lamps is a graduate of both Mary Free Bed’s Inpatient and Outpatient Stroke Programs. These are my thoughts on the future. The future doesn’t come from nowhere. The future has its anchor in the past … My hemorrhagic stroke happened on Sept. 24, 2016. I had mowed the lawn that afternoon, and […]
Rec Therapy Team ‘blessed’ to be part of wedding
When Jenny Porter and Corey Maillette celebrate their wedding in November on an old farm near the White Mountains in Fryeburg, Maine, they’ll also celebrate their first anniversary. That’s because Jenny and Corey were married Nov. 27 in a ceremony quickly planned by the Recreational Therapy staff at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital so that […]
Advances in foot drop rehabilitation benefit wide range of patients
There have been tremendous strides in foot drop rehabilitation in the last few decades, and Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital therapists have stayed in step with all the latest developments. “Foot drop” is the term commonly used to describe a difficulty in lifting the front part of the foot while walking. Foot drop can mean an […]
Rehabilitation hospital takes patient success to new level
From the Grand Rapids Press – Sunday, April 12, 2015 CLICK the newspaper pages to see larger version and open in new window.
Humor and Laughter Help Stroke Survivor Succeed in Rehabilitation
A sense of humor can be priceless when it comes to rehabilitation. Research shows laughter can reduce pain and ease recovery. And humor is exactly what Ann Mitchell needed to get her life back after suffering a stroke. As an English literature teacher at East Grand High School, Ann, now retired, was known for her […]
Woman determined to beat stroke trades wheelchair for cane
Every Wednesday morning, she’d pick up her grandkids, take them to school and stick around for the day as a volunteer at her granddaughter’s school. For Valentine’s Day, she organized crafts to entertain the students and give the teachers a break. She didn’t get to see the finished products on Valentine’s Day, though. Instead, she […]
Faith and rehabilitation help stroke patient make recovery
When John Boone awoke the morning of February 23, the day seemed ordinary enough. He was on a business trip in Jackson, Mich., and the only strange thing about his morning was he couldn’t lift his left leg over the hotel shower’s threshold. He ignored his uncooperative leg and went to work. His day went […]
Former Mary Free Bed Patient Returns as Volunteer
What occurred the night of Christmas 1990 was the last thing Al Bober anticipated. Instead of relaxing at his father’s Chicago home with his family, Al collapsed by a gas pump with a leaking brain aneurysm and immense head pain. “It was like somebody hit me with a sledgehammer,” Al said. He laid in the […]
Couple Stays Positive Through Life-Changing Events
It has been a rough journey for Hernan and Susan Murillo since moving to Grand Rapids in fall 2010. But their bright smiles and positive attitude would make you think otherwise. Shorty after their arrival to Michigan, Susan suffered a transient ischemic attack (TIA), also known as a mini-stroke. She was paralyzed for two weeks […]
‘Good enough’ isn’t good enough for master pistol shooter
By Molly Cartwright After Larry Mennetti survived a hemorrhagic stroke, he was eager to get better, in spite of the hard work and determination required to get there. When he came to Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, the entire right side of his body was unresponsive. He couldn’t sit up, walk or speak clearly. He […]
Stroke survivor experiences faithful care
Father William Zink, the priest at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Marne, Mich., is in the business of caring for others. That changed on December 21, 2010, when Father Zink had a stroke. In a moment, the caregiver became the patient. After three days at Mercy Health Saint Mary’s, Father Zink was transferred to Mary Free […]
Saeboflex therapy helps stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury patients
Twenty-year-old Nicole has a history of cerebral palsy. In 2007 she underwent surgery for a brain hemmorage, which caused severe weakness and increased spasticity in her right leg and arm. Nicole has participated in therapy for the past three years at Mary Free Bed and at home. Part of her therapy includes the SaeboFlex to […]
Mary Free Bed patient just 24 when she had stroke, now healthy at 32
by Holly Grissom, stroke survivor I was a patient at Mary Free Bed in May 2002 after having brain surgery from a cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM) that ruptured in my brain stem on April 19, 2002. I was 24 years old. I had actually just had my birthday 2 weeks prior. All of a sudden, I […]
Stroke patient Sandra Boyce tells her story
The 51-year-old widow from Grand Rapids suffers from diabetes, so she thought that might be the problem. After she rested a bit, her arm went numb and her leg was tingling. “I called my sister and said that something was wrong, and I needed to go to the hospital,” Sandra recalls. Her sister brought her […]
Go Red For Women, Stroke Survivor Stories
The Mary Free Bed Guild is a sponsor of the West Michigan Go Red For Women® campaign. At the 2010 annual luncheon, Mary Free Bed unveiled this year’s public service announcement billboards to the public, sponsored by Mary Free Bed. Go Red For Women is a national awareness campaign sponsored by the American Heart Association […]