Rob was admitted to Blackheath Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre, our Neurological Rehabilitation Service in London, from an acute hospital.
He had suffered a hypoxic brain injury following an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest while cycling on Hampstead Heath in 2020, with a downtime of 20 minutes. As a result, Rob experienced significant balance problems, impulsivity and weakness, making it impossible for him to walk or transfer independently. He also presented with severe receptive and expressive dysphasia, dysphonia and dysarthria, speaking only a few intelligible words with no reliable ‘yes/no’ response, and his severe cognitive impairment left him disoriented in time, place and person, with a limited attention span and impaired memory.
When Rob arrived at Blackheath, he was assessed as being at high risk of falls and required 1:1 supervision at all times. He shares that he found the environment on the unit to be supportive from the start, and staff were especially helpful during periods when he was unable to see his family due to COVID restrictions.
Over eight and a half months of rehabilitation, working closely with the multi-disciplinary team at Blackheath, Rob:
- Regained his ability to walk
- Regained his ability to speak
- Relearned how to cook
- Took leave from the unit to reintegrate with family life at home
- Was discharged home to his family
“I was very delighted about my progress. I liked the fact that I gave my best and improved beyond expectation!”
– Rob
