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From Bedridden to Back on His Tractor
SBL Home Health restores strength and mobility for an 84-year-old cancer survivor.
In less than a year, SBL Home Health helped 84-year- old Donald Kelsheimer from being bedridden to riding his lawnmower across the yard.
While healing from cancer surgeries in the fall of 2023, the Casey resident lost a tremendous amount of strength and muscle mass despite having physical therapy in the nursing home.
“For three months, I just lay in bed all day. The most I could do was sit up a little bit to eat, but I didnʼt hardly move at all,” he explained. “I couldnʼt do anything. Life was not great during that time.”
“My legs were tiny and had almost no muscle at all,” he said. “I was just skin and brittle bones when I came home.” He and his wife, Judith, knew he needed advanced help. Luckily, a friend of theirs, Tiffany Davidson, RN, suggested they reach out to SBL Home Health for support.
In January 2023, just a few weeks after leaving the nursing home, SBL Home Health began working with Donald to get him back on his feet. Donaldʼs body was so weak that he was still bedridden for a few weeks. “It was probably three or four weeks before I could fully get off the bed, but I did it eventually,” he said. “I was finally able to stand off the edge of the bed and use a walker for support. It was a tremendous feeling.”
The SBL staff instructed Donald to take a few steps at a time with breaks in between. The process was slow, but it built up the strength Donald needed. He exercised his legs two or three times each day with gradual improvement. “When the staff first started, I couldnʼt lift my legs off the bed,” he said. “I got to the point that I could lift my leg a foot- and-a-half in the air with their help.”
Even with other health problems delaying Donaldʼs recovery, SBL Home Health was able to get Donald back on his feet and active with the support of a walker within nine months. “Iʼm grateful for the staffʼs help, but I am equally grateful for the prayers from family, friends and the SBL staff,” Donald said.
“There are some people who help you because they care about you, and you can tell with that staff that they care.”
“Itʼs been great to be able to get up and go on my own,” he said. “For so long, I couldnʼt hardly move, but now I can get around and do what I need to.” In fact, Donald mows the lawn with this riding mower, and he climbs into his tractor to travel around the property.
Donald appreciates the SBL Home Health staff who not only gave him the exercises he needed, but also who encouraged him and gave him the confidence that he could be mobile again. “There are some people who help you because they care about you, and you can tell with that staff that they care,” he said.
For more information about SBL Home Health, call 1-800-879-3212.