Michelle's Story
Stroke
A retired real estate business owner and a 4th-degree black belt, Michelle Palmer was used to a very active and independent lifestyle. Originally from California, Michelle's adventurous spirit had taken her and her husband across the US and Canada in an RV.But during a stop in Bryan, Texas, Michelle experienced a transient ischemic attack (TIA), a warning sign of stroke. Despite initial recovery, a subsequent angiogram in Houston led to a major stroke and the discovery of her Moyamoya disease, a rare vascular disease of the brain in which the main arteries become narrowed and block blood flow.
After her incident, she was taken to the ICU and then to a specialist at UT Southwestern Medical Center who focuses on Moyamoya disease. She underwent many scans and a surgery to attempt to repair the damaged arteries. While this surgery was successful, a few days later, she hemorrhaged, causing a significant bleed in her brain. Michelle had another emergency surgery to remove a part of her skull to release the pressure on her brain.
Once she was medically stable, her physicians recommended an intensive inpatient rehabilitation program to help her regain mobility and independence.
“I was basically immobilized,” recalled Michelle. "I wasn’t really happy about that but my husband was really good about that. It was emotionally draining, but I have to stay positive for both of us.”
Michelle chose the specialized care of Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation (BSWIR) - Fort Worth's Day Neuro Program.
“My husband said this is temporary, but we can help your pathways in [your] brain come back ... he bought flashcards to help me before I started Day Neuro.”
Upon admission into BSWIR – Fort Worth's Day Neuro Program, the 55-year-old's challenges were profound, including visual deficits, decreased mobility and cognitive impairments. Michelle's goals were clear. She wanted to return to normalcy, do financials and grocery shopping, and, more importantly, drive independently.
BSWIR – Fort Worth's physician-led team put together a comprehensive approach to rehabilitation focused on her objectives. They utilized a mix of physical and occupational therapies to address her unique needs. Physical therapy exercises were designed to make her body stronger and help her build stamina for daily activities like showering. Occupational therapy helped her improve hand skills and complete household living and job tasks like math and cooking.
In addition to her physical challenges, Michelle’s cognition was impacted – specifically her speed of processing, ability to solve complex problems and memory. The team’s speech therapists worked to address these concerns, engaging Michelle in solving time management and mathematical problems to improve her speed and logic in problem solving and recalling word lists to strengthen her memory.
Several "ah-ha" moments marked Michelle's rehabilitation, each a testament to her growing strength of spirit and body. She learned to overcome the fear of falling and showering with confidence.
"After only three weeks, I felt like a different person because my strength improved,” she said. “I felt confident, and mentally, I realized there was hope for me and that I could improve ... the simplest thing, squatting, helped me to be able to do things.”
When asked how the therapies helped her journey, she said, "It all had an impact. Group activities helped a lot to be with people going through similar things to me. I realized I can't give up because I'm not alone. It encouraged me to work harder. My therapists were so encouraging."
Support was a cornerstone of Michelle's recovery, with her husband's research leading them to BSWIR - Fort Worth's Day Neuro Program and her son and brother providing constant encouragement.
Reflecting on her time at BSWIR - Fort Worth, she praised her therapy team, mentioning, "The miracles here are endless. All the therapists and staff have a fire in their eyes, I can see how much they want to help others. They're angels. This place has given me the strength to fight back no matter what happens after my next surgery. Day Neuro is a hidden gem that needs to be shared."
Upon discharge from BSWIR - Fort Worth Day Neuro, Michelle is having another surgery to replace the bone that was removed earlier. She will then move to outpatient therapy to continue her rehabilitation journey.
Michelle offers hope for those facing their own health challenges: "There is hope when you give your time and effort to this facility. You have to give yourself no option if you want to get yourself where you want to be. You have to trust the people here with obedience and respect. They know what they're doing.”
“There's a reason behind everything they give you to do."