Rehabilitation for Young Patient is a Tall Order

At 55 years of age and 6' 10” tall, he's slightly younger and much taller than most of their rehab clients. However the staff at Radford Green Health Care and Rehabilitation in Lincolnshire was up for the challenge of getting William Butrym of Libertyville, literally back on his feet after bi-lateral knee replacement surgery late last year.

Butrym said that his many years of playing basketball had taken its toll on his knees and he'd postponed the inevitable replacement surgery as long as possible. “We'd taken other treatment as far as we possibly could. I decided I wanted to have the surgery while it was still of my own choosing, on my own time frame,” he said. Butrym also decided to go the more aggressive route of having both knees fixed at one time, rather than having them done separately. “The surgery and rehabilitation are very painful. People told me if I only got one done at a time, I wouldn't want to go back for the second,” he said.

Butrym had his surgery performed at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville. Eight days later, he went straight from the hospital to Radford Green for his rehab. All of the research he had done recommended rehab over home recovery. “Going to rehab keeps you honest. Even if you're extraordinarily motivated to recover, if you go straight home you're going for the comfort. They say that when you decide to exercise in general, getting to the gym is half the battle. Being at Radford Green was like getting to the gym and being pushed to do the things you don't want to do or don't think you can do,” he said.

Butrym felt welcome from his first moment at Radford Green. The physical therapist, occupational therapist and nurse all met him at the door to greet him at his arrival. They had pre-ordered an extra-large wheelchair and extra-long bed to accommodate his height. “Radford Green had coordinated all of this in advance through a pre-admission plan,” Butrym said. “It was absolutely wonderful. The attention they gave me was wonderful.”

Butrym added that the staff physicians at Radford Green were able to coordinate his care, which eliminated having to wait for call backs or directives from his internist. “They did full assessments; they were able to respond to questions and issues immediately. They were outstanding,” he said. “They truly made it a better stay. I felt like I was in really good hands.”

Butrym said that while at Radford Green, he had physical and occupational therapy each day. “The therapists did a great job pushing me to proper limits. It was very demanding and painful but that's why I was there…to get better,” he said. They also coordinated follow-up therapy for him to receive at home upon his discharge after a week. When he left Radford Green it was with the assistance of only a cane.

Three months post-surgery, Butrym said that he's continuing to feel stronger and better every day. “It was Radford Green that got the ball rolling by pushing me and motivating me. I'm grateful for that. I was really well cared for and I would highly recommend Radford Green to anyone looking for rehabilitation.”

Sedgebrook is a premier continuing care retirement community (CCRC) offering a diverse lifestyle, maintenance-free living and outstanding amenities. Radford Green Health Care and Rehabilitation is on the 92-acre Sedgebrook campus in Lincolnshire, Illinois. Sedgebrook is owned by Senior Care Development LLC and managed by Life Care Services LLC. For additional information visit www.welometosedgebrook.com or call l 847-901-331.9