Our Tuesday featured patient is Jeff! 

Jeff has been training with VIP for over 5 years after suffering from multiple strokes. He works hard at VIP every week and is known for his belief that being a stroke survivor is his superpower!

He has made incredible gains with respect to his balance, functional strength, gait pattern and range of motion. Jeff leads by example and inspires all of us to train hard and never give up!

Jeff is as tough as they come and inspires us all to find our own superpower to fight through life's challenges.

We also featured Jeff's story, in his own words, back in 2016 and it is definitely worth a read: 

On December 15th 2013, life as I knew it, changed forever. It started as a normal enough day, once I got to work, I started to feel tired and sick. I thought I was coming down with the flu, right before the holidays no less. I grabbed my things, told my boss I was going home sick, and I'd be back in a few days. I then proceeded to drive 20 miles home on the freeway. To this day, I don't remember much of the drive.

Once I arrived home, a quick thinking family member realized the truth --- I was having a stroke. 911 was called, EMS arrived & I was taken to Grossmont Hospital. After running a series of tests, I was admitted to the ICU. My prognosis was not good. I had lost everything, toes to nose, on my right side. I couldn't even swallow. After 7 days, I'd improved enough to be transferred to the neuro unit.

After 5 days, on Christmas Day, I was sent to inpatient rehab. That started 6 weeks of intense therapy, speech, PT, OT, etc. Finally, on February 7th, I was discharged home. In a wheel chair. Months later, I would learn that I actually had 4 bilateral strokes. The cause has never been determined, despite extensive testing and numerous doctor visits.

I started outpatient therapy a few days later. Three days a week, 3 hours a day. I continued to improve. I was able to trade the wheelchair for a cane and leg brace. On November 11th, 2014, I returned to work part time. I'm very lucky to have such a great employer.  Fast forward, to today, I'm working about 20 hours a week and still in therapy. I'm blessed to be able to go to VIP Neuro rehab.

It would have been easy to give up and focus on what I'd lost. Instead, I used what I did have left to improve. Remarkably, my cognitive skills weren't damaged -- I couldn't speak, but I was texting away in the neuro unit. It's been a battle and the improvements have at time been slow in coming. Luckily, I'm rather stubborn. A cousin told me that you don't really miss things until they're gone. How true! Learning to function as a one handed lefty has been a real challenge. So has the near constant fatigue.

​My outlook on life has changed dramatically. I'm more grateful than ever now.  One day at a time, one step at a time.

Check it out.... we have LIMITED EDITION VIP shirts available during the week of the VIRTUAL Fundraiser! Show your support for VIP and order today!

​CLICK HERE TO ORDER

TOMORROW starts our VIP 6th Annual Fundraiser: Virtual Edition! Check out a video from our President, David, on what you can expect to see each day this week. 
​CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR LIMITED EDITION VIP SHIRT

Please join us VIRTUALLY to support our patients who are as TOUGH as they come and see how  they have been thriving through all the unexpected events of 2020!

​Additionally, LIMITED EDITION 2020 VIP shirts will be available during this week long event!

​Online ordering will open Monday, Oct 26th.
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October 26th - 30th, 2020

Congrats to our April - Patient Appreciation Month Winners - Julia, Andrew, Jeff and Tramaine! We are very thankful for all of our patients and miss getting to see you all. Hopefully we will be able to get back to work soon! We will update you all on our plans for May 2020 shortly.
​Stay safe and healthy- David Charbonnet

VIP typically celebrates Patient Appreciation Month each April as a way to say THANK YOU for being part of our family and we would not want to miss this in 2020, especially through the current climate!

We are very thankful for each of our patients and their families. Each one of you makes VIP what it is today, and it would not be the same without you all. The hard work you put in each session and the determined attitudes of you all are inspiring! 

Due to the limitations of this year, we will still do a raffle drawing each Friday of April 2020, but all patients will be entered one-time. The winners will receive a $50 VIP Therapy Credit, which will be placed directly on your VIP account and may be used toward your next therapy session.  Winners will be notified by email! 

We hope you all are remaining healthy, and we cannot say enough how thankful we are to have you as part of our family at VIP NeuroRehabilitation Center!