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The Recreation Therapy Alumni Program is a new addition to Renown Rehabilitation Hospital’s current programs. After daily hospital physical therapy ends, it is an opportunity for other adventures. Shaun Stewart, CTRS (Ceritified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist), tells us about the new Renown Alumni Recreation Therapy Program, its partnership with the City of Reno and upcoming events. It’s no secret that being active and social supports a satisfying, happy life. With this in mind, the Renown Alumni Recreation Therapy Program reinforces this idea. Its goal is to help patients experience the energy, teamwork and commitment that sports and recreation provide beyond the hospital walls. “We are happy to partner with the City of Reno’s adaptive and inclusion programming to create an active community of adaptive sports participants. There are many options for outdoor recreation in our area. This program looks to share these opportunities with those with a traumatic spinal cord injury,” says Shaun. April Wolfe, CTRS, with the City of Reno adds, “The program’s main objective is to empower individuals living with spinal cord injury to live and recreate independently in the community. We also want them to enjoy the activities, improving their emotional and physical well-being by taking part in the Renown Alumni Recreation Therapy program.” First Successful Therapy Event On Aug. 27, 2020, the recreation therapy program’s first event was an introduction to adaptive mountain biking. Eight participants enjoyed a morning of adaptive biking thanks to a grant in partnership with the City of Reno. “Getting back to an active leisure lifestyle following injury can increase your quality of life both socially and physically,” explains Shaun. “It was great to be outside with people of all abilities enjoying the beautiful Nevada sunshine.” We encourage patients of all abilities to develop active skills, make lasting friendships and, of course, have a blast. Certainly any activity is possible with adaptive equipment and a motivated attitude. Future Recreation Therapy Events Below are the details for the next event. Event: Introduction to Wheelchair Rugby Learn the rules of the sport and play with local athletes. When: Sunday, Nov. 1, from 2 – 5 p.m. Where: Evelyn Mount Northeast Community Center, 1301 Valley Rd., Reno, NV 89512 Cost: Free RSVP: Shaun.Stewart@renown.org or 775-982-3612 by Tuesday, October 26, 2020 This event has a 10 participant limit, following six feet distancing guidelines. Please bring a mask to wear. In particular, this will be a learning event and no scrimmages will occur Rugby wheelchairs will be provided. Please RSVP, to ensure the reservation of the appropriate equipment. In case you cannot attend this event, please look for upcoming events which will include adaptive archery, skiing and scuba diving. Renown Rehabilitation Hospital | 775-982-3500 Renown Rehabilitation Hospital is the region’s only hospital with certification by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). It is certified for: Comprehensive Integrated Inpatient Rehabilitation Program Stroke Specialty Program Medical Rehabilitation Case Management Take a Virtual Tour

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University of Nevada, Reno student Khoa Le was paralyzed in 2010 after a longboarding accident. Through physical therapy, a positive attitude and sheer will, Le is walking again. This weekend, Le will walk across the commencement stage to accept his college diploma. “Walking around on my own power is just the greatest feeling,” says Khoa Le, a senior at the University of Nevada, Reno. Just after finishing summer school at the university in July 2010, his whole life changed within seconds after stepping on a longboard skateboard for the first time. He lost control of the board and hit the curb, causing paralysis on the left side of his body. His journey to recovery began at Renown Health Physical Therapy & Rehab. His physical therapist, Dina Barry, says he never complained once in four years. “I started seeing Khoa in April 2011, and we worked for four years together,” says Barry, a lead physical therapist at Renown. “Everything I’ve ever asked him to do, he does. Le is a hard worker, is continuously optimistic and smiling, and I think that is why he’s accomplished what he has.” Le plans to pursue a career as an information systems manager.

Read More About Perseverance and Physical Therapy Help UNR Student Walk Again

Can you really avoid colds, flu and viruses with simple hand-washing? Amy McCombs, Renown’s director of Infection Prevention, shares how to stay healthy with this very simple practice. Shaking hands, turning doorknobs, drafting emails — all regular activities of everyday life. But whenever you touch another person, or touch an object another person has touched, you’re collecting their germs on your hands. And touching your own mouth, eyes or nose also exposes you to whatever germs you’ve collected. That makes hand-washing the most important step you can take to prevent illness and disease. And while that may seem like an obvious reminder, studies have found that 85 percent of people do not practice proper hand hygiene. We asked Amy McCombs, Renown’s director of Infection Prevention, to give us some hand-washing tips for a safer, healthier life. So what are the correct hand-washing steps? Wash for at least 20 seconds. The biggest thing to remember is to wash for at least 20 seconds with soap and water. A good rule to make sure you’re washing long enough is to sing “Happy Birthday” twice through. Get a good lather of soap going. It’s also important to get a nice lather of soap and make sure you wash between your finger, both the tops and palms of your hands and your nail beds. And if you wear jewelry, you need to remove it or make sure you get lather and friction underneath. Then rinse completely and dry. Is there a wrong way to wash your hands, or is it more about making sure you do it the right way? Honestly, it’s a little bit of both. There is a wrong way since 85 percent of us don’t wash correctly. This could be for a variety of reasons. It could be because you don’t wash long enough, don’t get in between your fingers, don’t clean your palms or don’t clean the tops of your hands. How frequently should we wash our hands? Are there certain times where it is more important than others? As most of us are taught as kids, you need to wash your hands before you eat or prepare foods, after you touch raw produce and meat and after you use the restroom. You should also wash your hands after sneezing or coughing, touching your eyes, nose and mouth or coming in contact with someone who is sick. Do you recommend hand-washing over hand sanitizer? Ideally, you should wash your hands instead of using hand sanitizer, but if sanitizer is all you have, then use it. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are best. Use about a nickel or quarter size and vigorously rub the tops of your hands, palms and in between your fingers until the sanitizer is completely dry. Remember that if your hands are physically dirty, or if you’ve come in contact with bodily fluids, you should thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water instead of hand sanitizer. Does washing your hands really prevent illnesses like the cold, the flu and viruses? Definitely. The CDC recommends hand-washing as one of the best ways to avoid getting sick and spreading illness. Hand-washing has been shown to reduce the number of people who get colds and respiratory illnesses by 21 percent. What else can I do to keep my family healthy? The annual flu vaccine is truly the best form of protection to help prevent the spread of the flu. Even if you do get the flu after being vaccinated, your symptoms will be lessened. Although they are not substitutes for the flu vaccine, simple preventative action can do a lot to help slow the spread of the virus, including these: Wash your hands often Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands Avoid contact with people who are sick Stay home when you are sick Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your sleeve Other precautionary measures include cleaning shared spaces and avoiding shared utensils and drinks. Flu vaccines are still available in the community, including health providers at Renown Medical Group. Call 775-982-5000 to make an appointment. More Hand-Washing Information One of the best things you can do to avoid viruses, colds and the flu is to wash your hands. Protect yourself with even more hand-washing advice from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Roll Up Your Sleeves and Scrub Up!

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How do you take the waiting game out of your Urgent Care visit? Book ahead! Here’s how this convenient service can help you schedule your appointment and see updated wait times at area urgent care facilities. We’ve all been there, done that: It’s after hours, you need to see a doc, and urgent care is slammed. Renown now offers a convenient option that will enhance your experience. Here’s How Book Ahead Works: From your phone or computer, you can check urgent care wait times around our region. This lets you see if the urgent care by your office is busier than the one closest to home — which may help your planning. Through Book Ahead, you can join the line at a specific urgent care just as you would in person. This allows you to stay home or at work as long as possible so you are more comfortable. Book Ahead When and Where to Receive Care We have many choices when it comes to our medical care. Should you visit a doctor’s office, urgent care, emergency care or make a Virtual Visit? It’s important to know which choice is right for your situation or condition. We asked Luis Palacio, M.D., with Renown Urgent Care to explain the differences and how to make your visit as smooth as possible. If you have been experiencing flu-like symptoms for less than 48 hours, call your doctor’s office. They can then determine if you can be treated with a prescription antiviral medicine. Visit urgent care or the emergency room only if you are unable to eat or drink anything and may be dehydrated, have a fever over 102.5 degrees F, or are experiencing shortness of breath. You can use Renown’s Virtual Visits videoconference service for flu-like symptoms so that you don’t need to leave the comfort of your home and you reduce the risk of spreading the virus to others. Virtual Visits allow you to see an urgent care provider from your home or office using a cellphone, computer or tablet with video capabilities. It is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. How Do You Book Virtual Visits? Go to Virtual Visits to get started. Here, you’ll learn what virtual check-in is all about: It allows you to stay where you are and receive text notifications once a care provider is almost ready to see you. Click, join a line, and we will ask you some questions about your symptoms. This allows us to make sure you don’t need to call 911 or go to the ER. Reasons to visit the ER include stroke, chest pain, severe shortness of breath, uncontrolled bleeding, seizures and severe allergic reaction. If you answer “no,” you will see the wait times for each urgent care location. If you need to get in right away, you can select the location with the shortest wait time. Or, if time is not an issue and you’d prefer to stay closer to your home or office, you can select that location. Once you’ve selected a location, you input your cell number, name and number of patients. As your appointment gets closer, urgent care will text you with updates on timing. When you get the text message, you can choose to get “more time” and have your appointment pushed back, or tell them you’re ready to be seen and on your way. Learn more about how to Book Ahead at Renown urgent care below.

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Virtual visits are basically secure, video conferencing visits with your health provider. Of course if you are sick, you want to avoid going outside of your house. With Renown Health’s virtual visit program, you can now see a provider from the comfort of your own home. As we work to keep all of our patients home and healthy, we’re here for any ongoing healthcare needs you have. There are two easy ways to access a virtual visit with Renown Health. If you need an urgent care visit, you can get in line using your MyChart account You can make a virtual visit with some Renown Health providers you see currently Virtual Urgent Care from a Renown Provider By using MyChart, you can now login and request to “Talk to a Doctor.” After filling in some information and confirming your healthcare concern, you will be put into a virtual line. The healthcare team will notify you by text or email when a provider is ready to talk to you virtually. Virtual urgent care visits are available for all ages. Get To Know MyChart Virtual urgent care visits are available for all ages, and can address: Common cold and cough symptoms Muscular, tendon or joint pains not caused by injury Allergy or sinus symptoms Pink eye Urinary discomfort Diarrhea without vomiting Rashes or skin sores Backache Nail problems Screening examination for sexually transmitted illness (without symptoms) Medication refills (not controlled substances) Symptoms for In-Person Urgent Care Visits Shortness of breath Chest pain Abdominal pain Numbness or weakness of any location that is new Traumatic injuries (including eye injuries or something in the eye) Severe pain of any other body location Dizziness or confusion Bleeding from any location High fever (greater than 102 degrees for all ages) Persistent vomiting Loss of vision Ear pain Substance abuse or psychiatric problems Virtual visits are open 9 a.m. through 6 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday for Nevada residents. Renown Provider Virtual Visits Many primary and specialty care appointments for adults and children are now available virtually. If you have a provider with Renown Medical Group, call 775-982-5000 to see if you can have a virtual appointment from the comfort of your home. MyChart Assistance If you need assistance with your MyChart account, please call 775-982-6686. For all other questions about scheduling and appointments, please call 775-982-5000.

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After having a heart attack, a Mammoth resident travels to Reno to complete rehab. He’s already lost 15 pounds and gained a healthier outlook on life.  Eric Smith travels from his home in Mammoth Lakes, Calif., to Reno twice a week to participate in Renown Health’s Healthy Heart Program.   “Living in Mammoth, it’s a three hour drive for me up here. Well, it’s my life or it’s a drive,” says Healthy Heart Program participant Eric Smith. The Mammoth Lakes, Calif., resident travels to Reno twice a week to participate in the 72-session program. which includes heart-healthy classes, exercise sessions and cooking demonstrations. “The cardiac rehab program here is excellent,” Smith says. “It is the only program that I am aware of that combines nutrition and exercise together. What’s the point of exercising to get your heart strong if you are still eating poorly and not educating yourself on that?” Smith’s heart issues began when he was 46-years-old. He received an angioplasty, which is a stent to hold a coronary artery open. Two years later, Smith had a heart attack and was flown to Renown Regional Medical Center for emergency bypass surgery on four arteries to allow blood to flow to his heart more freely. An avid skier, ski racing coach and tile setter, Smith admits that it is sometimes difficult to eat right when you’re on the go in a tourist town. Since starting the cardiac rehab program, Smith says he is feeling more optimistic on making lasting lifestyle changes after meeting other people who are going through the same challenges, like food cravings and trying to get stronger. “The big thing is getting educated on food,” says Smith, who has swapped out heavy breakfasts for whole grains and fruit, and steak dinners for baked fish. In just a few months of starting the program, Smith lost 15 pounds. He looks forward to passing along what he’s learned to his friends.  “Everybody benefits from this program, especially if you have experienced a heart attack,” Smith says. “But if you don’t have those issues, you can still get the benefits from eating healthier.”

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Meet Connor Smith 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.

Read More About The Road to Recovery Close to Home

Meet Dave Pierson and his Wife Kathy Dave Pierson, 73, and his wife Kathy were just ten days away from a celebratory retirement trip to Africa in May 2021 when severe leg pain and discomfort landed Dave in the Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital. Unbeknownst to the couple, they would not be making the trek to Africa, and it would be several weeks before Dave would be back home with his wife in Carson City, their life drastically different than before.   It all happened so fast. After a prompt referral from the VA Hospital to Renown Regional Medical Center, Dave received treatment for a bacteremia infection and underwent emergency spine surgery due to an epidural abscess. However, once his surgeon Edward Perry, MD completed the emergency procedure at Renown Health, Dave learned there was still a long road ahead. He had extremely limited body function and would need to learn to walk again.  A Husband, Baseball Fan and Veteran  Until this emergency spinal cord surgery, Dave had lived an especially healthy life in his retirement, traveling the world with Kathy, taking photographs along the way and attending ball games for their beloved team, the Reno Aces. Dave, a Vietnam veteran, and Kathy planted their roots in Carson City surrounded by countless friends and family, eagerly awaiting Kathy’s retirement.   The Long Road Ahead  It was those same friends and family who remained by Dave’s side throughout his recovery process.   At the advice of the Renown team, Dave began a personalized physical rehabilitation plan at Renown Rehabilitation Hospital just days after his initial surgery. It was with the help of Charles Krasner, MD, an Infectious Disease Specialist that Dave made a smooth transition to be cared for at the Rehabilitation Hospital. Dave spent six weeks of inpatient treatment relearning fundamental occupational skills and motor functions such as eating and drinking, getting dressed, using a wheelchair and eventually taking his first steps, aided by a walker.   The couple proudly remembers a day at the Rehabilitation Hospital when Dave successfully buttoned up his shirt using a small apparatus designed to aid in the task. "It was a little thing, but it was a monumental thing," Kathy shared.  Dave achieved physical and cognitive victories, both on a small and large scale, over the next six weeks. Kathy visited every day she could, always prepared with a photo of the couple's past travels to encourage Dave.   The Rehabilitation Hospital staff grew close with the Piersons, sharing stories and photos of their dogs, travels and life. The nurses kept Kathy updated about her husband’s condition and prepared her for the journey to come, this included extensive education related to Dave’s future at-home care.   Benjamin Pence, MD, Dave’s lead rehabilitation doctor and the Director of the Institute for Neurosciences, always seemed to know just how to motivate Dave on his most challenging days. As a ranger in Vietnam, the phrase, “drive on ranger” meant a lot to the veteran when it came to determination and perseverance. So, the phrase was used as encouragement by Dr. Pence and the Rehabilitation Hospital team throughout Dave’s journey, becoming a fond memory about hope and determination during recovery.

Read More About Dave's Story: How One Ranger Drove On

It’s true that a road trip can change your life, and it did for Sergeant Brandon Ott, just not in the way he was expecting. For nine years, Brandon worked alongside his friend, Denton Tipler, at the police department in Florence, Oregon. To break the monotony of the COVID-19 lockdown, they planned a ‘guy’s trip’ - a pandemic safe, motorcycle adventure traveling through Idaho and Washington. On the morning of July 22, 2020, they set out on their journey. But by 8 p.m., they ran into rough weather - with wind, poor visibility and heavy rain as they rode into Nevada. Four miles from their destination, on a desolate stretch of Highway 140, a gust of wind hit Brandon. Denton watched in disbelief as his friend bounced, tumbled and ultimately came to a stop after sliding over 100 yards. He flagged down the next vehicle, a semi-truck, and the driver did traffic control while another passerby drove to get cell service and call 911.  A Distressing Call  About 10 p.m. the same night, Angie Brog, Brandon’s partner, picked up her phone at the Florence police station. A Nevada highway patrolman let her know Brandon was in a motorcycle accident and had been taken to a hospital in Winnemucca, NV. From there he took a life flight to Renown Regional Medical Center.  Angie immediately called Brandon’s parents and told Addison, their 9-year-old daughter, the news. They quickly packed their bags and drove to Nevada. On the drive to Reno, an ER doctor called Angie to give her Brandon’s status, “I can’t thank him enough. I was so worried. He even gave me his personal cell phone number.”   Upon arrival, she ran to see Brandon in the trauma ICU. “His face was shattered, he had a collapsed lung, a tube was down his throat and something was in his head to relieve pressure from his swelling brain,” she remembers. “He was not expected to live.”  While Brandon was in a coma for three days, Angie was by his side, trying to come to grips with a new normal. “The doctors did not sugarcoat it,” she recalls. “They told me to prepare myself if he pulled through.”  It was a rough week in the ICU with Brandon heavily sedated, so he could heal. From there he was transferred to the neurology floor, where he slowly improved. While there, his daughter Addison got to see him for the first time. Angie says, “When Addison saw her daddy for the very first time, she was relieved, happy she could hug him, and that he was alive.” Miraculously his legs were not broken and he was able to hold simple conversations and walk a few steps.    As the days went on, Brandon’s dad returned to Oregon, and the Inn at Renown became the family’s new home. “It was such a blessing to be so close to Brandon,” Angie observes. “It allowed us to relax a little being in the same building and let us settle in.”  The Comeback Brandon’s first memory after the accident was waking up in the Renown Rehabilitation Hospital, 16 days after his accident, not knowing where he was. (Brandon experienced amnesia due to his brain injury and doesn’t remember the days prior to his rehab stay.) He recalls looking around the hospital room and seeing the photos Angie posted of their family on the walls and wondering, “How did they get pictures of my family?” Immediately after learning that Brandon was awake, Angie raced back to the hospital, went outside his window and talked to Brandon on the phone, reassuring him that they were there for him and everything was going to be ok.  The next morning, he saw Addison for the first time that he remembered since his accident. They each put their hands to the hospital window “touching” each other in an emotional reunion. During the pandemic, each rehab hospital room was designated with an animal, so family and friends could visit outside safely.  Brandon was in the ‘moose’ room. “Whoever thought of that was a genius,” notes Brandon.  A new phase of Brandon’s recovery began at the rehab hospital. "He worked so hard while he was there,” Angie shares. With a minimum of three hours of daily therapy sessions, including speech, occupational and physical therapy. Angie participated in every aspect of his therapy, “I learned so much from the therapists; they included me in everything,” she recalls. “The compassion and patience they have is amazing. It takes a special type of person to do this job. I cannot say enough good things about the Renown Rehabilitation Hospital staff. If he would have been anywhere else, I’m not sure he would be alive,” she says.  It wasn’t easy. Brandon had a brain injury that required a bolt in his skull to relieve the pressure, and a broken left collar bone and left eye socket. His entire face had to be reconstructed. He remembers his face hurting and thinking he looked like Freddy Krueger. When he saw himself in the mirror for the first time, he was surprised to find he only looked thinner, with a gauze pad on his temple.   Prior to the accident, Brandon weighed 300 pounds, but had just finished a year-long fitness journey losing 119 pounds, by doing CrossFit and overhauling his diet. During rehab his weight dropped to 160 pounds and he was known as “the double portion” guy, eating extra food to gain weight.   Shaun Stewart, Therapeutic Recreational Therapist, recalls Brandon riding the recumbent cycle during his recovery. “I remember him saying he didn’t know if he was ever going to be able to ride a bike again and was appreciative when adaptive sports were discussed. He was very willing to participate and excited to be able to get on a bike again. He had a positive attitude and always was willing to get up and get back on the bike.”  Better Together Although Angie and Brandon were in a committed relationship for almost 11 years, they were not legally married at the time of his accident. “In our minds, our lives were perfect,” Angie asserts. “We had lived together for so long and have a child together.” However, because of COVID-19 restrictions, Angie had to lie and tell the medical staff that they were married so she could be by his side. When Brandon woke up from a coma, she told him, “No matter what I’m your wife.” He asked, “What do you mean, you are my wife?” After hearing Angie’s explanation, Brandon said, “Then, let’s do it.”   “We realized when faced with death that the benefits far outweighed the negatives in becoming husband and wife,” Angie discloses. “The rest is history.”  On Tuesday, August 18, 2020, Brandon and Angie were married underneath the trees behind the rehab hospital. Their family, friends and several staff members attended the ceremony. “I think that’s a first for us,” declares Dr. Gavin Williams. “I cleared him for capacity to make decisions, and we had a COVID-friendly wedding on our back lawn before he went back home to Oregon.”  The next day, Brandon officially left the hospital. “I felt good. Like ‘he’s gonna make it,’ but I was also scared,” mentions Angie. The family stayed in town for a couple of days to make sure everything was ok and then traveled home to Oregon.

Read More About Love Endures: A Remarkable Recovery Leads to a New Future