Nancy Paganoni was transported from Prince William Hospital to Gainesville Health and Rehabilitation Center (GHRC) over a month ago. “At that time she was unable to speak, recognize anybody, walk, or even move her fingers,” said John, her husband of 52 years.
Nancy added that leading up to that, she had a “series of calamities,” beginning with a left knee replacement. After surgery, she started rehabilitation and had begun to walk with a walker and to climb stairs, when she was struck with C. diff, a bacterium infection that landed her in the emergency room. “I went from rehab, to intensive care, to cardiac,” Nancy recalled.
Her husband vividly remembers the midnight phone call from the hospital, saying that they did not think his wife was going to make it. After she was stabilized, Nancy was brought to Gainesville. “I was here for 2 weeks, with no conception of where I was, or who I was,” Nancy said. Her husband remained at her bedside all of his waking hours.
The GHRC therapists worked with her, even though she was not able to move. One morning, John walked into Nancy’s room, and she looked up from her bed and said, “Hi, how are you?” Her husband was ecstatic. He said, “The lights came back on for Nancy.”
The couple has a passion for bluegrass music, so John bought her a CD player, along with some bluegrass and gospel CDs, and miraculously, when he played them, she began to sing, remembering all the song lyrics.
Participation in physical and occupational therapy enabled Nancy to “conquer her fears and anxieties, enabling her to make great advancements,” said Mechelle Greeley, one of Nancy’s therapists. Catalina Lemke, her PT said that, “slowly Mrs. Paganoni overcame many fears in the process, the biggest one being the fear of pain, and this made a huge difference in her physical and functional recovery. She also had the incredible support of her husband, who created equipment at home for exercises that we gave him to do with her, allowing us to take care of the heavy treatments.”
They added that she went from not being able to move at all, to being able to sit on the edge of the bed. She can now walk 60 feet with a walker, and is getting stronger every day. “No exception, by in large, the therapists are amazing, as are the CNAs and nursing staff,” John said. “The center has a marvelous staff.”
In the 1980’s, Nancy volunteered at Air Force base hospitals with medical support. They have moved around the U.S. a lot, being a military family, and had two sons, before they settled into Independent Hill as their hometown. She assisted in opening the pediatric ward of Prince William Hospital, and worked there for 20 years. She retired as an RN after 45 years. Before her knee surgery, she enjoyed water aerobics, sewing American Girl doll clothes, and cooking.
“It has been a long, hard road. I have a great desire to live, and am not ready to cash it in. I want to see my grandchildren married. I want to go home.” Nancy is getting her wish, and will be returning home soon. The staff at GHRC will miss both her and her husband, who also volunteers at the Center playing his hand-crafted mandolin. Congratulations, Nancy on your rehab success!
By Diane Clark, Activity Assistant
