Overcoming West Nile

Bill S.’s recovery journey began in August 2023. When he and his family were vacationing at Stonehenge in England, he believes he was bitten by a mosquito. After returning home with his family on August 9, he woke up the next day with a severe headache accompanied by chills and a fever.

A few days later, Bill was totally incapacitated. Unable to get out of bed, his wife ended up taking him to the ER. From there, things worsened. He went into respiratory failure, was placed into a coma, and was intubated. About this time, they found out he was suffering from Neuroinvasive West Nile Virus Meningoencephalitis. He was completely paralyzed and unable to move.

After three weeks in the ICU/Cardiac floor, Bill was moved to a rehab hospital where he worked with physical, occupational, and speech therapists. They were able to determine not only were his arms and legs affected, but his core muscles (abs, hips, and diaphragm) were greatly diminished as well. Bill was experiencing cognitive issues and a variety of hallucinations both day and night.

Bill started therapies at our Colorado RWW Outpatient Clinic in the middle of January 2024. His therapy team consisted of Kelly Hambleton, PT, and Kayla Mehaffy, MOT, OTR/L, CBIS. At the time, he was wheelchair dependent and getting in and out of a car was very challenging. He could not stand and required the use of a sliding board. Bill also required assistance with his activities of daily living (ADLs).

Bill stated, “What I noticed almost immediately was Kelly and Kayla’s understanding of how the West Nile Virus affected my nerves and muscles. They knew how quickly my muscles would get fatigued and would back off.” Kelly worked with Bill’s orthotic doctor to figure out the best way to handle weakness in his left leg and foot. He ended up with a knee ankle foot orthosis (KAFO).

Bill worked hard in his therapies with Kelly and Kayla. Reflecting back, Bill stated, “Kelly worked primarily on my lower body and balance, and Kayla worked on my upper body and core. Progress seemed slow at the time, but as I look back I feel as though they gave me my life back. For that, I’m forever grateful.”

Bill also attributes his progress to his family, saying, “I also feel the need to acknowledge my family in my journey. They were there every bit of the way. My wife, son, grandson, sister-in-law, and neighbors all did their part in helping with rehab or giving me the mental support needed to cope with such a traumatic experience.”

In thinking about his progress, he stated, “I went from not being able to stand or walk, to walking with a walker, to a cane, to hiking with my wife at Rocky Mountain National Park with a hiking stick, to playing disc golf with my son and grandson.” He went on to say, “The new normal for me is dealing with the weakness of my left side.”

Bill’s recovery is incredible to see. In talking about his therapists Bill said, “Through Kelly and Kayla’s help, I now get around my house without the need of a cane, but I still utilize my AFO for my foot drop. I’m able to assist with most activities around the house including cooking, some yard work, household maintenance, etc.”

It has been over three months since Bill was released from therapy with Rehab Without Walls, and although his recovery journey is not over he is very grateful for his time with Kelly and Kayla. He added, “Both therapists were so great to work with. They have great attitudes and usually laughed at my jokes. I believe I was able to expand Kayla’s musical horizons so I give back where I can.”