A Nightmare Ends in Triumph

How Tameca & Larry survived and thrived

The nursing staff at Sheltering Arms Institute (SAI) is a powerful force in the recovery of its patients. Larry Moses went through an odyssey of health issues requiring extensive care and fortitude to overcome. Thanks to newly minted nurse Tiara Blair, he lived to talk about them and share his story of being determined to fight back, and a young nurse who saved his life.

Larry Moses and Tameca Day still talk about that 7-Eleven Store on Chamberlayne Road where they met. Tameca explains, “I used to get off work late at night and he would always have hot coffee waiting for me.” Larry, who was working the night shift, felt their connection immediately. Their relationship blossomed and they fell in love. In 2017, Tameca and Larry welcomed a beautiful daughter, T’Lyra (a combination of their names).

Larry woke up one March night in 2020 finding it hard to breathe. Having suffered very few health issues in his life, he was not one to seek out medical care. “I knew immediately I had to go to the hospital,” recalls Larry. Tameca, remembers thinking that something was very wrong.

COVID had launched its ugly spread in this country, so VCU Medical Center had adopted strict protocols to ensure the safety of staff and patients. That night, Tameca says, “I had to release him to the care of someone else. I could not care for him, and it was frightening. He couldn’t have any visitors!” At VCU Health, Larry was diagnosed with pneumonia, then suffered a blood clot which affected his liver and kidneys. It was a whirlwind of health issues that happened all at the same time. During the following weeks, Tameca was unable to see Larry or check his progress in person due to the pandemic’s restrictions. Tameca recalls how hard it was on their family. “I’d make little signs like ‘We Love You Daddy’ and stand on the street with our daughter so he could see us and know how much we missed him.” Thankfully, he recovered and went home. Another health set-back occurred eight months later.

Larry was at his desk when something went wrong — again. “I felt extremely tired, and half my body went limp. I’ve never been sick like that. One of my co-workers asked if I was okay. My boss called an ambulance.” He adds, “I didn’t feel any pain, but felt really tired.” Larry didn’t realize at the time that he was having a stroke, which led to another lengthy hospital stay; afterwards, Larry was taken to Sheltering Arms Institute (SAI). Larry knew he was weak from the stroke, but he was determined to get better.

Tiara Blair, a recent graduate of Henrico County Public School St. Mary’s Hospital School of Practical Nursing, she was hyper-focused on helping patients. Tiara remembers the first time she checked on Larry in his room; he appeared weak and lethargic. She recalls, “I asked his technician and his therapists if this was normal behavior for him. They told me that this was not like him.” Tiara adds, “Later on in my shift, I noticed that he was not breathing well. There was a lot of wheezing. In my gut, I knew he needed to go to the Emergency Room.” Larry was immediately taken back to VCU Health. Tiara was right. Larry had contracted pneumonia a second time.

When Larry Moses returned to SAI to recover, Tiara was his nurse. She recalls how he immediately recognized her, then thanked her for saving his life. It was a deeply meaningful moment in her new career. “I cried because sometimes as a nurse you don’t know the impact you have on your patients. And that everything I do hasn’t gone unnoticed. Someone is better because of me!”

Larry credits the SAI nursing team for helping lift his spirits during this final round of healing. He says, “I am a proud guy. I have a family and I want to work. I decided that I’m not going home in a wheelchair. Every day I gave it one hundred percent.”

For many patients the journey is only beginning once they are discharged from an inpatient physical rehabilitation facility and Larry was not an exception. He continued his physical therapy at SAI’s Hanover Outpatient Center and, he was very motivated to get better. Kierstan Gastrock, a board-certified neurologic clinical specialist, recalls how he set specific goals for himself. “Every session was about making things super functional for him. When he was going to take his daughter to the park, we worked on how to handle different situations like walking on soft surfaces or stepping up on a curb.”

Kierstan points out that Larry was willing to trust her and try new things that would aid in his recovery. She played an integral part in supporting Larry’s return to a more normal life. “I really like helping people try to regain function after a catastrophic event. It’s meaningful work. Every time I saw Larry, he was doing something different or better.”

Larry and Tameca are like a dynamic duo of love and support for each other. Today, they are moving forward with their lives. Larry is grateful for the care he received at SAI. He is now living his best life. “I have a few drawbacks but I’m getting there.”

To learn more about supporting Sheltering Arms Institute and its continuum of care please contact Kyle Amey, kamey@shelteringarms.com or 804-342-4131. learn