After a spinal cord injury suffered in a work-related accident, then 39-year-old police officer Jon Tucker was unable to walk or use his hands.
Faced with a frightening lack of mobility, he feared he wouldn’t be able to play with his children, do work around the house or go back to his career in a normal capacity ever again.
“I couldn’t even open a sugar packet,” said Jon, explaining how severely limited he was.
He knew he had to do something.
After weighing his options, Jon chose inpatient medical rehabilitation as the next step in his treatment and discovered that there was a leading facility in his hometown of New Albany, Indiana – Southern Indiana Rehabilitation Hospital (SIRH), part of the Vibra Healthcare network.
“I couldn’t even open a sugar packet.”
Comforted by the proximity of SIRH to his home, family and friends, he embarked on his journey to recovery knowing that he was in good hands with an expert care team of physical and occupational therapists.
Working through extensive treatment, he remained focused on a singular goal: regain mobility so he wouldn’t miss out on the important moments coming up in his childrens’ lives.
He soon relearned how to dress, bathe and walk, all while being supported by his team who kept an unwavering dedication to seeing him achieve his personal goals.
Within just a few weeks, Jon went home ready to play with his kids.
“At SIRH, I feel like I am accomplishing something.”
He continued visits to outpatient therapy, through which he returned to work; four months later, he was working at his desk, and two months after that, he was back on full duty as a police office for the City of New Albany, Indiana.
Reflecting on the time he spent in inpatient rehabilitation, Jon highlighted the importance and value of this type of care over other options, saying “At SIRH, I feel like I am accomplishing something.”
And accomplish something he did, achieving his main goal in a matter of weeks after he first began treatment.
Learn more about Southern Indiana Rehabilitation Hospital and the inpatient medical rehabilitation care services they provide.