From his inpatient hospital room at Mary Free Bed in Grand Rapids, 32-year-old Devion Holbrook could hear graduations underway. For Mary Free Bed patients, a graduation is a monumental moment that marks discharge from inpatient care. Therapists, nurses and friends line the halls celebrating patient’s progress, ushering them out of the hospital through a tunnel of cheers. Listening from his room, the Mount Morris native knew one thing: he wanted that celebration for himself.
Now, after two inpatient stays at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, not only has Devion graduated, he’s helping other people see what life looks like after a spinal cord injury, also known as an SCI.
Worth the Trip
Following a gunshot wound, Devion was rushed to Hurley Hospital in Flint, Michigan, where he immediately underwent surgery to repair his liver. “You only get one liver, and you can’t live without it. So, they packed it out. It was the term they used. And they closed me up,” Devion explained.
He stayed at Hurley for nearly a month, undergoing multiple life-saving surgeries. Then came the decision on where to go next.
“I wanted to choose the best, because potentially I want to walk again. I don’t want to just give up on walking,” he explained. After meeting with a Mary Free Bed Patient Access team member, Devion decided that destination rehab was worth the trip for exceptional outcomes. He Asked for Mary and made the trip to Grand Rapids for specialty rehabilitative care.
The Mary Free Bed Spinal Cord Injury Program offers an inpatient dedicated unit specializing in helping patients acclimate to life after spinal cord injuries. Mary Free Bed takes on more spinal cord injury rehabilitation patients than any other hospital in the state.
Assessing “Injury Level.”
Following his arrival at Mary Free Bed, Devion met with Dr. Jonathan Vandenberg for a full-body evaluation including an extensive neurological exam. “He poked at my whole body to see where I lose sensation at. And that’s where he came up with what I call it, my ‘injury level’,” Devion recalled.
When a spinal cord injury occurs, the communication pathway between our brains and our arms and legs is interrupted, resulting in difficulty moving and loss of sensation.
“What we’re able to do with that exam is show patients exactly what they can move and what they can feel. And it gives us a much better idea of how their spinal cord was injured and how severe it is. It does give us a window into the future,” Dr. Vandenberg explained.
When Devion was recovering in acute care, he had time to scroll. He watched TikToks and Instagram reels featuring other people with spinal cord injuries. He watched them walk using exoskeletons and transfer themselves to and from their wheelchairs. This gave him glimpses of hope for mobility and independence.
“When he first got here, he was full of questions and looking for answers. He was really wondering: What would life look like after leaving SCI rehab?” Devion’s physical therapist, Kristy Colby, recalled.
The Power of Patience
One of the main goals for the Spinal Cord Injury Program is to help patients process not only the physical trauma of an SCI, but the emotional impact of adjusting to their new lives.
“I had high hopes of walking soon. And when I got here, Vandenberg broke down to me what’s going on and what these numbers mean. I went through mixed emotions. I cried. It was heavy to take on hearing that,” Devion admitted.
Devion’s injury is a complete spinal cord injury, meaning that his brain wasn’t sending signals down along his spinal cord.
“His walking will likely never look the same,” Dr. Vandenberg explained, “But I’m hopeful that he’ll have more and more recovery with time and able to be able to do everything for himself.”
Even with the devastation, Devion knew he didn’t want to give up. He also knew that his sons look up to him. The idea of “giving up” isn’t in Devion’s vocabulary. He’s the oldest of three kids and he credits his mother and his faith for providing him with an unwavering determination.
“Even when he was getting really frustrated with his SCI diagnosis and the things that he couldn’t do, he always would try no matter what and he always had a positive light on things,” said Devion’s occupational therapist, Hannah Schaafsma.
The biggest thing Devion learned during his time at inpatient rehabilitation was the power of patience.
Relive, Relearn, Rehabilitation
Prior to his injury, Devion had no idea what life was like for people who use wheelchairs. Until he met Dr. Vandenberg, he had never heard the term “spinal cord injury.”
“I saw people with wheelchairs and, you know, people doing their basic life stuff. I always had respect for them, but I never saw it coming for myself,” Devion admitted.
With his Mary Free Bed SCI rehabilitation therapy team, his girlfriend and a new set of wheels, Devion began to explore life from a new perspective.
He started learning how to transfer himself, first from his chair to his bed, then from his chair to the floor. In occupational therapy sessions, Devion worked on not only transferring himself, but essential life skills like getting dressed in the morning and personal care.
Midway through his inpatient stay, Dr. Vandenberg noticed that Devion’s white blood cell count was high. He ordered a CT scan, which led to an additional surgery. Following his surgery, Devion was discharged to his home in Mt. Morris.
Rehabilitation: Round Two
Devion’s time recovering at home was tough, but it was also illuminating. When Devion was strong enough to return back to the Spinal Cord Injury Program at Mary Free Bed, he came equipped with a list. He knew what he would need at home to feel comfortable.
He came back with goals specific to living independently at home and in the community in his wheelchair. In his PT sessions, he told Kristy he wanted to work toward being able to go down the stairs to his basement.
Kristy and Devion were able to troubleshoot solutions to everyday problems in real time – like going downstairs and getting in and out of his car.
“Oftentimes, it wasn’t the big, huge things, but it’s the little bits and pieces that he was able to grab from each of our team members that really ended up making him successful and making him as independent as possible,” said Kristy.
If his first rehab stay focused on learning to use a wheelchair after a SCI, round two focused on problem-solving.
When Devion’s own graduation day arrived, he was excited. He made plans to play with his kids, play video games and sleep in his own bed. Most importantly, he felt prepared for life outside of the hospital, saying,
“I got this. I’m going to do it. I’m going to be all right.”
A Picture of Hope (and Freedom)
The halls of Mary Free Bed are lined with photos of patients and therapists. It’s one of the first things Devion noticed when he entered Mary Free Bed. Now, as a Mary Free Bed graduate, Devion hopes that his own photo will help remind future patients about the power of resilience.
“Going through this, it’ll make you want to give up at times. So, if my picture helps somebody, it just means life to me. I helped someone not give up.”
Learn More about the Spinal Cord Injury Program at Mary Free Bed
At Mary Free Bed, we recognize the complexity of spinal cord injuries. We collaborate with University of Michigan for our Spinal Cord Injury Model System, which combines research and other best practices to ensure that our SCI care remains cutting-edge and patient centered. From occupational therapy to speech therapy, our dedicated teams of therapists will work tirelessly alongside you to help you regain independence.
Whether you’re seeking inpatient rehabilitation for a spinal cord injury, or looking to transition to outpatient therapy, we’re here for you. If you’re seeking social support following a spinal cord injury, we encourage you to check out our peer mentorship and support programs, or our Wheelchair and Adaptive Sports (WAS) programs.
If you or a loved one has experienced a spinal cord injury and you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t worry. All you have to do to get started on your road to recovery is Ask for Mary.
We’re spinal cord injury rehab specialists. Learn more about SCI recovery with Mary Free Bed.
