Patient Testimonial

Wayne Moore

On September 27, 2014, Wayne Moore, 73, from Independence, Ky., woke up at 4:30 a.m. feeling sick, dizzy and hot on the left side of his body. As he got out of bed, he noticed his left leg wasn’t supporting him. Wayne’s wife, Barb, woke up shortly after and knew he was having a stroke. She called 9-1-1 immediately. Although he was frightened, Wayne remained positive, talking and joking with the paramedics when they arrived.
Wayne was taken to the St. Elizabeth South Hospital emergency room where he was given baby aspirin. The doctor decided against using clot-busting drugs since no one was sure of when the stroke started. Within a few hours, Wayne’s entire left side was completely paralyzed and his speech was slurred.
Wayne spent five days at St. Elizabeth. The first two days were very painful and he had a hard time dealing with “all of the tests and just accepting what had happened to me,” Wayne explains. During that time, he discussed his rehabilitation options with Barb and his son. Wayne’s family toured HealthSouth Northern Kentucky and heard many positive remarks about the facility and staff, ultimately deciding to transfer Wayne there before returning home. When he arrived at HealthSouth Northern Kentucky, Wayne could not walk, get out of bed or perform daily activities without assistance. His first day of therapy was tough, but the staff was “friendly, helpful and treated me with respect,” Wayne says.
“Going from a very physically active lifestyle to not being able to do anything for myself was difficult,” Wayne says. “So, I prayed to God a lot because I knew He’d give me the strength to get through this new experience.”
But, Wayne didn’t have much time for self-pity once his treatment began. He participated in 15 hours of physical, occupational and speech therapy a week, and his sessions were hard work. Wayne spent a lot of time using the AutoAmbulator®, a sophisticated treadmill device using the therapeutic concept of body weight-supported ambulation and robotics to help patients with gait disorders learn to walk again after stroke.
Wayne was determined to gain maximum independence at HealthSouth Northern Kentucky, so he could return home and get back to restoring vintage cars, his biggest passion.
“My therapists wiped me out! My entire team was special and encouraging,” Wayne says. “They work really hard and do such a good job, and they don’t cut me any slack, but I’m grateful for all they did for me.”
Wayne excelled in therapy, but his favorite part was seeing his wife at the end of each day. He had a lot of support from his family and friends during his rehabilitation, and loved when his grandsons, Dawson and Dillon, came to visit.
After 27 days of hard work, Wayne was able to return home. He had mixed emotions of excitement and fear, but his determination helped him succeed in walking again. Today, he’s motivated to recover and cruise in his hot rods again. He participates in outpatient therapy at HealthSouth Northern Kentucky three days a week. He continues to gain strength and balance every day.
“I’ve come a long way from not being able to move my entire left side to now being able to walk with a walker or cane,” Wayne says. “One thing I’ve learned is that recovery can’t be rushed and it takes a lot of patience and perseverance.”