Big and Little Things Stand Out for Brain Surgery Patient

When Joni Buss of Birch Run had two of three brain tumors surgically removed, she suffered some unexpected, but not uncommon results. “I woke up from surgery and couldn’t move one of my legs at all,” she remembers. “The doctor explained that it might take time and therapy to regain use of my leg. He strongly recommended HealthSource for acute inpatient rehabilitation.”

What Joni found at HealthSource were outstanding facilities and therapists. The big things? She was standing within two days of arriving and walking (and running a little) with a brace by the time she was discharged. With outpatient therapy, she made even more progress and only has minor foot and ankle issues. “It was unbelievable. Everything else came back,” she says.

“The therapy was hard but awesome. They push you to your limits but are nice about it. They checked everything constantly and really pushed me to succeed. These people have become my friends — not just my therapists.”

The little things mattered a lot to Joni as well. “When I arrived at HealthSource, I hadn’t taken a shower or bathed in a long time,” she remembers. “Within an hour, I was clean. It felt so good. Everybody was instantly so friendly and helpful. It felt like home.”

Initially, Joni didn’t think she would be able to go to HealthSource. Joni offers one bit of advice to others who might need acute inpatient rehabilitation. “Be sure to ask about your choices,” she says. “Sometimes your medical insurance dictates where you go. That was my case. HealthSource was very flexible about working with my insurance company. It was so worth the effort. My experience was so good, I wouldn’t go anywhere else now.”