BREATHING BETTER WITH PULMONARY REHAB
Pulmonary rehab at WNH opened in March 2023 and, as of this publication, has 20 active patients with 11 patients on a waiting list. Since opening in March, we have welcomed a second respiratory therapist, Serenity Morris, and are almost ready to add a third to our growing team. The growth potential is unlimited. As more patients are referred, additional staff will be added. This program is unique from other traditional pulmonary rehabs which only offer group class type sessions. The therapy sessions at WNH are all one-on-one with a respiratory therapist. This individual attention allows for a personalized experience to help patients achieve goals in a more timely manner. During treatment, the referring provider receives patient results from the initial evaluation and monthly progress of a six-minute stress test and a forced vital lung capacity test that can be compared to prior results. The program length is 18 weeks with 2-3 visits per week. Pulmonary rehab won’t cure lung disease, but it will improve a patient's quality of life and allow them to breathe a little easier. Questions? Contact the pulmonary rehab team at 620.222.6294.
RYAN'S JOURNEY
Thirty-three-year-old Ryan Smith was the program's very first patient. We caught up with him and respiratory therapist Michelle Jones to learn about Ryan's experience with WNH pulmonary rehab and the impact it has had on his quality of life. Michelle says, "The first session with Ryan, he terrified me. He got on the treadmill and his lips turned blue. He had his oxygen on and we did a six-minute stress test. I was afraid that we weren't going to make it the entire six minutes." In late summer, towards the end of Ryan's treatment sessions, Michelle reported that he was able to maintain a quick walking pace at a slight incline for up to 30 minutes with his oxygen staying steady. "He is doing amazingly better than when he first started," she beamed. In March, Ryan was on a waiting list for an immediate lung transplant. Part of the requirements for the transplant was completion of a pulmonary rehab program. Through his dedication to the rehab program and Michelle's support during all of IT'S A MARATHON. IT'S NOT A SPRINT. IT TAKES TIME AND CONSISTENCY EVERY DAY, MAKING LITTLE IMPROVEMENTS TO HELP ACHIEVE GOALS OF BEING ABLE TO BREATHE EASIER.
MICHELLE JONES, RRT Pulmonary Rehab Specialist
Ryan's treatments, the lung transplant can be postponed for up to five years. "It's not immediate like what it was before he started the program. He has worked very hard to achieve that," shares Michelle. Prior to participating in the rehab program at WNH, Ryan was driving to Wichita regularly for rehab sessions with his lung specialist. The program in Wichita was a group setting as opposed to the one-on-one sessions offered to patients in Winfield. Ryan, who suffered lung damage in his early teens, says the one-on-one setting has been a great experience for him. "It's been fun, but a lot of learning curves. We've got fun banter. You get to talk and you have someone there just in case something goes wrong. They understand your lung issues and they know when to push and when not to push so you're not over-exerting your lungs and causing more issues." Ryan has eight young children at home. Before the rehab program, he wasn't able to walk much or play with his kids without toning down their activities. Now, he says, "I can do more and get up with my kids and go outside for a little bit. I can't run marathons, but I can do little activities and it makes a difference every day. When I finish with the program, what am I looking forward to the most is being able to play with my kids without having to stop as much." One of the first things Michelle picked up on was Ryan's infectious personality and his love for his family, which she says helped him along his journey to breathing easier. "Ryan is the nicest guy that you would ever want to meet. He has the best attitude. He's always positive. He works really hard. He is always happy, always smiling, even when he's having problems breathing. He has eight children to be there for." WNH's pulmonary rehab program is growing and has a waiting list of patients ready to step towards getting their breath back. Michelle explains, "Anyone with shortness of breath, this program can benefit them. If you think you can't, you definitely can. We start out slow and we work at your level and make tiny improvements every day. It's a marathon. It's not a sprint. It takes time and consistency every day, making little improvements to help achieve goals of being able to breathe easier." Ryan graduated from the pulmonary rehab program in August 2023 and is looking forward to spending more active time with his wife and kids. William Newton Hospital is proud to be able to offer a program like pulmonary rehab in Winfield, continuing a commitment to providing big-city medicine in a small-town setting.
2
