POSITIVE ATTITUDE HELPS IN HEALING
Radius Rehabilitation Therapists Keep Patient's Spirits High

"I was kind of done for – that's the long and short of it."

Boston resident Aaron Teixeira always has liked to be active, whether driving a school bus or snowplow, or caring for his nieces and nephews when his rheumatoid arthritis prevented him from working. “I was a caretaker for them, watching them, picking them up, always being with them,” he says.

So Mr. Teixeira, 55, was quite concerned when what he thought was the flu led to months of hospitalization. At Carney Hospital, he was diagnosed with pneumonia and polymycetis and stayed there for almost a month before being transferred to New England Medical Center for specialized treatment.

After almost another month, Radius Specialty Hospital - Boston stepped in to help return Mr. Teixeira to good health. "Of the three places I've been, Radius was the best," says Mr. Teixeira. "Attitude of staff is important, and everyone had a great attitude. I wanted to recover and the Radius environment helped."

When admitted, he was able to walk only two steps with assistance and was unable to climb stairs. He speaks highly of the rehabilitative care and attention given him by everyone from the dietician to nurses to speech and physical therapists to Radius Vice President of Clinical Services Melrose Lahood and Chief Medical Officer Nicholas Nace. Ms. Lahood "spent time with patients to make them feel special. I appreciate what she did." He adds, "I can't say enough about physical therapy. They provided a lot of encouragement, especially when I wasn't feeling well."

After three and a half weeks, Mr. Teixeira was discharged in better health, fully able to climb up and down a flight of stairs and walk under supervision. He left with a walker, a wheelchair, a cane and a plan to continue physical therapy at home.

At a recent hospital visit, Ms. Lahood was "surprised and pleased" to see Mr. Teixeira walk without any assistive devices. He reports that he is now able to care for the nieces and nephews he loves so dearly. "This is a man of faith with a positive attitude," observes Ms. Lahood. "He is committed to his recovery."

PUBLISHED WITH PERMISSION.