Cynthia's Story
Orthopedic
Cynthia Gura found herself in her element as she directed the placement of food and decorations for her daughter-in-law's birthday party. Unbeknownst to Cynthia, her husband had mopped the floor in preparation for hosting 12 guests for dinner. Her discovery of the freshly mopped floor came abruptly as she slipped and suffered a femur fracture.
“I did not hear a break but I knew something was not right,” she recalled. The 73-year-old didn’t let a little thing like a broken bone stop her from continuing the party preparations, though. “It was very painful, however, when I fell I still was telling everyone what to do with food and so on for the party,” she remarked.
An ambulance transported Cynthia to Baylor Scott & White Medical Center, where she underwent surgery involving the insertion of a rod and nails into her femur. Concerns about her ability to regain her mobility loomed large. Post-surgery, Cynthia's mobility and daily activities were curtailed, including her ability to stand at a counter for cooking.
Determined to regain her autonomy, Cynthia recognized the necessity of expert rehabilitation to regain her ability to walk independently. She selected Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation (BSWIR) – Lakeway, citing the exceptional care she had previously received at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Lakeway. A friend's recommendation also played a role in her decision.
Under the guidance of a physician-led rehabilitation team at BSWIR – Lakeway, a comprehensive care and treatment plan was devised to align with Cynthia's objectives. Rigorous physical therapy was prescribed to fortify her leg and restore her ability to stand, while occupational therapy aimed to enhance her endurance and reintegrate her into daily tasks.
Cynthia expressed gratitude for the unwavering support of her friends and family during this journey toward independence. Leveraging their support and the expertise of her therapists, she embarked on the path to reclaim her self-sufficiency.
“All my friends and family have been wonderful — very supportive,” she said. Cynthia would rely on that support and the help of her therapists as she began the process of regaining her independence.
“Everything you do, it hurts in the beginning. You learn how to manage the pain,” she said. “You know that everything you do in therapy, in the long run, will make you better.” She soon discovered that she enjoyed some of the exercises, saying, “Bicycle is fabulous. It gets everything going and limbers up all the muscles — a good way to start the morning,” she said.
Cynthia’s milestone achievement came when she took her first step. “Then I was able to walk,” she said. “I knew I was on my way to recovery.”
Cynthia attributed her progress to the dedicated staff members, acknowledging their ability to overlook her excuses and instead foster her commitment to the process. “I credit all my success to all of the staff,” Cynthia said. “The thing I liked about all of them was that they learned how to ignore all the excuses I came up with […] and made me work. I would not be walking today without them.”
Cynthia was determined to continue her rehabilitation journey at a Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation - Outpatient facility; she characterized her experience at BSWIR – Lakeway as "excellent" and "uplifting."
“Just pay attention to what the therapist is telling you,” she advised. “Their goal is to improve the lives of patients.”