Life was hectic for Connor Smith. He had just finished at the top of his class at both the fire academy and paramedic school and was looking forward to starting work in northern Nevada. It was winter 2019, and he was ready to have some fun. The plan was to ride ATVs at Sand Mountain with his brother Cody, dad Lance and some friends, but a jump would change everything. Connor’s ATV took off but landed awkwardly, and he remembers immediately knowing he was paralyzed.
Connor’s mom, Dana Shugar, was at home when she received the upsetting call from Cody, who told her he had an accident. Connor was flown to Renown Regional Medical Center, the area’s only Level II Trauma Center.
After a seven-hour emergency surgery, Dana learned that Connor would live but only had a slight chance of walking again due to a spinal fracture. “The surgeon saved his life. It’s amazing how your life can change in a matter of seconds,” she said.
Once his condition stabilized, Connor moved to the Renown Rehabilitation Hospital and began physical rehabilitation. “Thank God for the people at rehab,” Dana said. “Dr. Pence, the therapists, nurses and all the employees were a wonderful support system, explaining everything and answering all our questions. The kindness they showed got me through.” Connor agrees, calling the Renown rehab team nothing short of amazing.
Determination in Action
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“At one point, I was considering going out-of-state for rehab, however, the care I was getting at Renown was great,” shares Connor. “And most importantly, having my friends and family there was vital for my recovery at that time.”
Dana agrees, “He has a very strong support system here with his family and friends. Keeping Connor in town was key to his recovery.”
While at the Rehabilitation Hospital, Connor felt the first movement in his legs, and it gave him hope and drive to keep working. “During rehab, I learned very quickly that I had to take the small victories, no matter what they were, and to not to get down on myself and to keep looking forward,” says Connor. He now has feeling in his legs, and his feet are ticklish again.
Connor continues to reach new milestones. Recently he built up his strength and walked on crutches at his friend’s wedding. He swims, stands, goes up and down stairs and drives. Connor is still improving and is determined to walk without crutches again, all with a good attitude and support from his family and friends.
Remember the 2000s era iPhone commercial with the “There’s an App for That” tagline? Let’s put a healthcare spin on that – at Renown Health, there’s a unit for that. Emergency, labor and delivery, pediatric acute care, trauma, surgery, the list goes on.
When it comes to critical care, your mind probably jumps to either the intensive care unit (ICU), emergency room (ER) or a unit that provides care for a more standard hospitalization. But what about the patients who fall in between those two levels of care?
Yep, there’s a unit for that at Renown, too. It’s called the Intermediate Care Unit (IMCU), located on the sixth floor of the Tahoe Tower (T6) at Renown Regional Medical Center, boasting a dedicated team of nurses, physicians, critical care technicians and more.
The IMCU cares for patients who still need close monitoring and specialized care but don't need an ICU stay. Everyone in this department shares common missions: catch early signs of change, intervene swiftly and help patients progress to a lower level of care – and eventually, back home.
Pelvic Floor Therapy: Relief and Recovery for All Ages
Pelvic floor dysfunction affects millions across the U.S., yet many people remain undiagnosed for years due to limited awareness and access to treatment.
Injuries. Pain. Loss of speech or voice. Trauma. Muscle weakness. For the average person, these issues are often thought of as setbacks – and when you experience these setbacks, basic tasks of daily life can become a struggle.
Think of it this way: what if you could no longer pick something up off the floor without intense back pain? What if your joints start getting stiff and you can’t move your knees the same way? What if you suffer a brain injury and need to re-learn how to swallow?
All of these hypothetical situations can happen to anyone. But at Renown Health, there is one team dedicated to intervening at the right time, in the right place.
That team is Renown's Outpatient Rehabilitation Therapy department, where setbacks become breakthroughs.
