Concierge: Anjali Sebastian and Noa Hacker
Patient name: Nethiyar Nair
Patient age: 73
Admission Date: 03/31/2014
Admitted From: Westchester Medical Center
Discharge Date: 04/01/2024
Discharged To: home
Length of Stay: 10 years
Reason for Stay: Tuberculous Meningitis
Details of Experience:
Mr. Nair moved to the United States from New Delhi, India, in 2013 and was immediately diagnosed with TB meningitis, the deadliest form of meningitis, which only affects approximately 100 people annually. Mr. Nair’s prognosis was grim, and he was not expected to survive. After a few months of battling in the hospital, Mr. Nair arrived at The Grove (then Hebrew Home Hospital) in March 2014. Mr. Nair arrived in dire shape, requiring 24-hour care, observation, and a peg tube for a few months. Besides his physical state, Mr. Nair had difficulty with his situation, translated into feelings of sadness and defeat.
At the start of his journey here at The Grove, Mr. Nair experienced numerous hurdles. The admitting hospital papers indicated his chances of walking again were extremely slim. Initially, the outcomes were quite minimal, and it took approximately 3-4 months to see preliminary improvement in his physical state. Mr. Nair eventually recognized the possibilities for a healthy future, which inspired him to work toward his goals.
After a few months of intensive therapy and medical care, his condition improved tremendously, and everyone, Mr. Nair at the helm, began to believe that a miracle was possible. His treatment protocol included electro-stimulation therapy, strengthening, and muscle building. With faith and prayer, as well as communal support and familial support, particularly from Mr. Nair’s wife, Radha, Mr. Nair has been able to gain the motivation to exceed the expectations set for him at the onset of his journey.
While initially requiring a maximum assist of two people for both transferring and standing, Mr. Nair has now gained a lot of strength and motor control, enabling him to perform these skills with limited assistance of one person or with supervision. Mr. Nair can now walk up to 200 feet using a front-wheeled rolling walker and one flight of stairs using bilateral hand railing, both skills with limited assistance. Having gained a lot of upper body strength, Mr. Nair can now perform all of his activities of daily living (ADLS) alone or with minimal assistance, all critical skills for him to regain before moving back home.
Mr. Nair has gained a tremendous amount of independence that he thought he had lost, leaving us a different person than the one who first arrived at the Grove. Mr. Nair and his family are forever grateful to the Grove for becoming both a home and a family for him for the past 10 years. Everyone who has crossed paths with Mr. Nair throughout his stay has impacted him tremendously and shaped who he is upon his departure from The Grove. He is leaving with renewed strength in both physical and emotional realms, understanding he could not have reached this pinnacle of success without the work, love, and support the Team at The Grove provided.