Because of Siskin, I can live!

On April 19, Siskin Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation’s lobby was filled with applause, laughter and tears when Joel Rogers walked out of the main doors and was able to go home to his wife and 12-year-old daughter. Only 129 days earlier, Joel’s life hung in the balance and was forever changed.

In the Salvation Army, one of the busiest but most exciting times of the year is Angel Tree distribution. Joel, director of Christian Education for the Chattanooga Area Command, was getting ready for his favorite day of the year when he started to feel dizzy.

He went outside to his car to rest and let the dizziness pass but quickly realized that things are getting worse. His wife Cheryl, who also works with the Salvation Army and was present, rushed him to the emergency room fearing a heart attack.

After running preliminary tests, the medical team realized that Joel was in far worse shape than what they originally thought. Joel had suffered an aortic dissection and required immediate, life-saving surgery.

“A nurse pulled me to the side and warned me that the situation was going to move very fast,” said Cheryl.   

Joel was airlifted to CHI Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he underwent an extensive 10-hour surgery to replace his aortic root and arch. Coding multiple times in transit on the operating table, Joel’s heart had to be manually massaged during the operation. Over 30 members of Joel’s family and friends waited with Cheryl during his surgery.

The surgery was successful, but the doctors were concerned he suffered brain damage due to the lack of oxygen, and said he had a 30% chance of survival. His family and friends continued to pray for his recovery, holding on to the sliver of hope.

For 22 days he remained in a medically induced coma while his body healed from the trauma, using a tracheostomy to breathe and dialysis for his kidney function. Each day he grew stronger and was able to wean of the 30+ medications and begin breathing on his own.

When the time came to pick where he should go for inpatient rehabilitation, Siskin Hospital was high on their list.

“During this whole process all of my co-workers kept saying he needed to go to Siskin because that is where he was going to get the best care. Getting to Siskin was our ultimate goal before coming home,” said Cheryl.

After two months in the ICU, Joel was transferred to Siskin Hospital to begin his inpatient rehabilitation. His team included physical and occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, an extensive nursing staff and physicians, all working together to help during his recovery process.

Due to his prolonged coma and restricted mobility, Joel had lost his strength to stand and was unable to walk. The intubation and tracheostomy also caused significant damage to his vocal cords and left him unable to safely swallow without the possibility of aspiration.

Sara Tinter, MS, CCC-SLP, CBIS, was his primary speech language pathologist and worked with him every day during his time at Siskin Hospital, helping improve his swallowing muscles and his voice.

“After 97 days of not being able to eat anything by mouth, I was excited to clear him for his first meal,” said Tinter. Joel was then able to request one his favorite meals, a Chick-fil-A chicken biscuit.

His primary physical therapy team, Katherine Gibson, DPT, and Jonathan Lane, PTA, focused on regaining his balance, strength and coordination using assisted walking methods, while his occupational therapy team, Becky Coode, OT, and Madeline Robbins, OT, focused on helping him get back to his everyday life.

“We used a variety of methods to build up his strength and confidence. By the last week of his inpatient therapy, he was walking over 400 yards consecutively,” said Lane.

Throughout Joel’s 10 week stay at Siskin Hospital, friends and family continued to show their support through fundraisers, visits and cards. The walls of Joel’s hospital room remained covered with hand written cards from across the globe including Cambodia, United Kingdom, Japan and Nepal.

He quickly became well-known and well-loved throughout the hospital, being an encouragement for his peers and not only his direct care team, but the entire Siskin Hospital team. Many of the staff celebrated with him as he left the hospital and continue to rally around him and his family.

While Joel has come a long way, he still has a long recovery ahead. He remains steadfast in his faith and hopeful for his future, largely in part due to the care he received while at Siskin Hospital. 

“When I got to Siskin, I was alive, but had no quality of life. They gave me my life back,” said Joel.