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VALLEY MAN PARALYZED AFTER “FREAK” ACCIDENT LEARNS TO WALK AGAIN - & TALK AGAIN
Brownsville --
At age 66, Oscar Sanchez is walking again – at least with a walker – and talking again – after spending months almost completely paralyzed in a wheel chair following an unusual accident at his daughter’s home in Olmito.
Mr. Sanchez had been suddenly paralyzed in a very unexpected way – when a rocking chair he was leaning back on fell to the ground, breaking into pieces – and leaving Mr. Sanchez with a broken neck and severe spinal cord injuries.
“You don’t expect to get hurt at your own daughter’s home, but that’s how it happened,” Mr. Sanchez said.
Now Mr. Sanchez is well on the road to recovery following extensive physical therapy and occupational therapy at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Brownsville. Valley Baptist-Brownsville offers a full range of rehab therapy at the hospital off Central Boulevard / W. Jefferson – as well as physical therapy at the North Brownsville Medical Plaza, on the Expressway frontage road next to Driscoll Children’s Clinic, which is closer for residents of Olmito, Rancho Viejo, Los Fresnos, North Brownsville, and the Laguna Madre area.
“Mr. Sanchez is doing very well now, but when he first came here in January, he couldn’t stand up at all,” says Charity Hill, PT, one of the physical therapists who has been working with Mr. Sanchez over the past several months.
In fact, before he started rehab at Valley Baptist-Brownsville, Mr. Sanchez needed a Hoyer lift - a large device that uses hydraulic power - just to get up out of his wheelchair and into bed or onto a couch. In addition, Mr. Sanchez couldn’t eat and couldn’t dress himself. His wife, Ofelia Sanchez, said he couldn’t move any of his limbs -- and he couldn’t talk for three months.
Mario Garza, OTR, an Occupational Therapist with Valley Baptist-Brownsville, said Mr. Sanchez can now walk with assistance and talk – and his arm strength is increasing. “Now he can assist himself, by using adaptive devices to dress his lower extremities,” Mr. Garza added. “God willing, he’ll make even more progress.”
Mr. Sanchez and his wife Ofelia both say the therapy is helping – a lot. “It’s good therapy – number one,” Mr. Sanchez said.
“Now he’s very motivated – he’s practicing, doing his exercises,” Ms. Hill added. “His family helps him … he has a huge support system. I think that’s why he’s gotten where he is now.”
Spiros Katzakis, OTR, Program Director for Rehabilitation Services at Valley Baptist Medical Center-Brownsville, said Mr. Sanchez’ improvement has been “remarkable.”
“The work he has done – and the work the therapists have done – is one of those wonderful success stories,” Mr. Katzakis said. “He can now walk at home - which helps his family to care for him. He can do for himself – which is what rehab is all about.”
Mr. Katzakis said Mr. Sanchez also benefited from assistance provided by the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, which helped fund his therapy through the Medicaid program. “It’s a success story for that program as well,” he added.
In addition to Medicaid, Valley Baptist Rehabilitation Services accepts Medicare, most major insurances, and Workers’ Compensation. In addition to therapy for victims of accidents, the physical and occupational therapists assist patients with sports injuries, including sprains and strains; orthopedic problems and joint replacements; back and neck pain; arthritis / degenerative joint disease; neuropathy and balance problems, which can be a complication of diabetes; chronic pain and other problems. For more information, contact your physician, call (956) 698-5500, and visit www.ValleyBaptist.net.
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