Until Marie Sehlmeyer found herself in the hospital due to a cerebral aneurysm, she was an active working woman who loved NASCAR and her family. When first admitted to Edgewood, Marie was bed bound and non-communicative. She was unable to move on her own, feed herself, or assist in any way with her activities of daily living.

Now two years later not only can she propel herself in her wheelchair up to 35 feet, but she is able to walk 30 feet with a walker and only moderate assistance. Marie now has the pleasure of not only choosing her entrées at meal time but feeding herself and enjoying every minute of it!

If you want to know anything about Marie (or NASCAR), just ask her. Her cognition has greatly improved and her communication skills are back to normal. Marie socializes with the other residents at activities and loves to go on out-of-facility trips especially to music concerts. It’s not unusual to see her singing along to the music or chair dancing with the staff.

Marie’s phenomenal success story is due not only to her own determination to regain her quality of life, but also Edgewood’s compassionate nursing staff and the skilled dedicated therapists who gently pushed her every step of the way. Congratulations Marie!! We are very proud of you!

Hattie Fortson, a 71 year old woman who lives in Port Clinton with her husband Reverend Joseph Fortson, has always led an active life. Along with being a wife and mother, Hattie is a loving grandmother of 33 and very involved in her church. Up until she suffered a bad fall on the ice this past winter, baking cakes, knitting, sewing, and playing with her dog, Spencer, were just a few of the hobbies she enjoyed. When she experienced her fall, not only did she need surgery but hardware to rebuild her ankle, which meant, she also needed rehab. Hattie knew there was only one place for her to go to rebuild her strength, Edgewood Manor. This was the third time she had come to Edgewood for rehab due to various medical issues. She said, “ I have always had good experiences with my therapists. I like Edgewood. That is why I keep coming back!”

Hattie had an extensive therapy program that was individualized to her needs. She not only had Physical Therapy for five weeks but Occupational Therapy to improve her ability to perform self care tasks. Once Hattie met her goals of decreased pain, ambulation, and safely transferring on her own, she was ready to return home. To continue strengthening her muscles and her balance, she visits Edgewood on an outpatient basis a couple times a week. The staff at Edgewood is proud to have been given the opportunity to assist Hattie in regaining her independence and quality of life.

Charles “Skip” Bynak, a Charter Boat Captain, was used to coming and going whenever he pleased. He took care of himself and was very independent! So when Skip was suffering muscle weakness, poor balance and was not able to care for himself after a heart catherization, he was not thrilled to need additional care.

When Skip was admitted to Edgewood, he needed to work on increasing his walking distance, activity tolerance, and his safety awareness to prevent falls and improve self-care. Skip worked very hard and in just a few short weeks, he met the goals he and his therapists had set for him. He was able to return to his home and community.

Along the way, Skip built great relationships with his therapy team and said, “ My therapists were really good! I couldn’t have done it without both Joe & Jason.” Skip now continues his progress on an outpatient basis. We wish Skip the best of luck and hope he enjoys boating season!