“Getting Back on My Feet”

Bree H.’s journey began when she experienced kidney failure at age 15 and started her dialysis treatments a year later. She began experiencing more severe medical events at age 25, including blood clotting disorders and by age 28, she had her first below-knee amputation on her left leg. The complications continued with an acute infection of her surgical site requiring additional surgical intervention.

Bree experienced two years of recovery working hard learning to walk with her new prosthetic until she found out the blood flow to her right foot was compromised. Bree quickly went in for a second below-knee amputation, this time on her right leg. Flash forward to June 2024, when Bree first arrived at Level Eleven for her physical and occupational therapy evaluations; she was wheelchair bound and unable to move her right leg without experiencing pain.

After working diligently for four months to improve her lower and upper body strength Bree was attempting to stand on her left leg. She has progressed to walking with a walker, completing floor transfers independently, climbing stairs, and is even able crawl hundreds of feet. She is currently awaiting a second evaluation to obtain a prosthesis for her right leg so she can continue reaching her goals of returning to walking.

Bree’s main goal was to, quite literally, get back on her feet. Bree wanted to return to her life as a young, vibrant, and determined 30-year-old, and take back her independence to venture out into the world. Bree’s main goal was to improve her mobility so she would be able to attend social events with her friends and walk her dog Kush.

Bree says she would like to recognize the Level Eleven Trenton physical and occupational therapy staff for being so positive and supportive through her journey and helping her realize walking is possible. All the staff have become friends, cheering her on, and keeping her going. She continues striving to accomplish things big and small. Bree says she will forever be appreciative of all the staff.