Wilson Takes on Recovery from Tumor Surgery at ARU
June 26, 2023
After undergoing a knee replacement in January 2023, Wanda Wilson began feeling numb and weak in her legs. Over time, the symptoms developed to the point of her becoming wheelchair bound.
As symptoms worsened, she was admitted to the University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB) Hospital and had to have a spinal tumor removed in early-June. At UAB, she began working with therapy but still required significant assistance with her self-care. Wilson was only able to take a few steps with assistance and was still unable to move her left foot.
Wilson entered the Acute Rehabilitation Unit (ARU) at EAMC-Lanier to continue her rehab journey. While there, she continued occupational and physical therapy services and made significant progress.
During her time in the ARU, Wilson was coached through mobility safety, navigation of stairs, energy conservation and fall recovery. Through hard work and perseverance, she could walk 175 feet with a walker and climb the steps needed to get in her home by the end of her stay and was able to complete all her self-care needs without help.
“Therapy was fun,” Wilson said. “I am very pleased and didn’t know what to expect. I feel like I had the best training and saw good results. There are good employees that work here—I would recommend it to anyone who has trouble moving.
“I loved the quality of care and quick responses from nursing. Because of therapy, I am further along with my goals of feeling normal.”
When asked what she would say to other patients considering care at the ARU, she replied, “You’re going to love this place, the staff does what they say they will do.
“Therapy has good equipment, and they address working in the kitchen and how to get off the floor if you have fallen. The program is broad.”
