Patient Spotlight: Stewart Stoddard
- May 5
- 2 min read
Stewart Stoddard, a 78-year-old retired military engineer, who lived at home independently with his wife and despite his medical history of diabetes, chronic kidney failure, coronary artery disease (CAD), he was able to care for himself and navigate two sets of stairs . However, a significant decline in his function and mobility, coupled with cognitive issues resembling a neurological issue, drastically changed his life and required hospitalization. His mobility was unstable, leading to frequent falls—27 in just five days. Cognitive dysfunction affected his memory, problem-solving, and safety awareness. Stewart’s hospital treatment was focused on increasing shortness of breath requiring oxygen supplementation, anemia, metabolic acidosis, bladder dysfunction, hyperkalemia, and worsening kidney failure. The hospital team in consultation with Stewart and his wife determined that inpatient rehab would be needed to continue his improvement.
Upon arrival at Reunion Rehabilitation Hospital Inverness, Stewart had a stooped-over gait, needed cues to straighten up, and required assistance for minimal walking, with frequent periods of rest. He was unable to walk 10 feet without assistance and self-care was limited. Even with these challenges, Stewart aimed to return home with his wife. With his hard work and an inspired rehab team of physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech language pathologists, a remarkable transformation happened in only 8 days and he returned home able to care for himself and walk short distances with minimal assistance.
Stewart wanted to share his story of progress and his appreciation for the Reunion Rehab Inverness team:
"I came here and wasn't healthy, and I'm leaving healthy, strong, and ready to go home. It’s a wonderful new building .., but the thing I keep telling people is that it's not the building, it's the people that make this place so great. It's a team effort from top to bottom, including for the patient. I highly recommend Reunion Rehabilitation for anyone seeking recovery. If you have to go some place for rehab, you should come here."
Thanks, Stewart, for your perseverance and sharing the positive feedback about our team and hospital at Reunion Rehab Inverness.