Will, a 45-year-old pilot was at home in May 2020 when he suffered a stroke. He had no medical risk factors and was fit and healthy although he’d been feeling unwell for a couple of weeks beforehand. After 3 and a half months in Poole Hospital, Will had community physiotherapy from the NHS for 8 weeks and this went well. But it was clear he had a long way to go and as a family man with young children, he was desperate to get back to his adventurous outdoor lifestyle. As a family, they enjoyed walking, climbing, and swimming and were always out and about.
While in the hospital, Will was offered intensive rehabilitation at Bramshott Grange in Liphook, but he was so keen to get home to his family that he just couldn’t face the idea of more time away. He had thought he’d be able to make more progress at home than was the case; standing was difficult and he couldn’t walk around his home confidently. He then took up the opportunity of a 4-week intensive package at Bramshott and worked extremely hard to reach his goals.
“Highlights for me were achieving all the goals set except 1… getting on and off the floor. Triumphs were going up and down stairs and walking around inside and outside. Access to state-of-the-art facilities and equipment like the M2 robot and motormed exercise equipment and access to more complex tasks like meal preparation and cognitive tests really helped me progress. Ellie (physiotherapist) lent her infectious enthusiasm every day, it was so impactful and the sessions were fun and motivational”.
Intensive rehabilitation involves bespoke packages with specific goals and a host of therapists working collaboratively to achieve measurable improvements in the things that matter to the patient. Will worked with physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and clinical neurological psychologists. Together, they addressed the many aspects of his difficulties and helped him piece together the skills and tools necessary to meet the many challenges he faced. This MDT (multidisciplinary) approach is incredibly powerful and the results speak for themselves. The clinical excellence of an experienced team, access to the latest neurotechnology, a safe and structured environment with time and space to try ambitious rehabilitation and Will’s true grit and gusto won through.
“I’m back home now and I cannot believe the difference those 4 weeks have made to my life. I haven’t even sat in my powered wheelchair once. I stand and walk around my home and have walked 3km outdoors. My energy levels are higher and I can take part in family life to a much greater extent. Since I have been home I have continued with community-based therapy and have
been able to progress further using the building blocks I developed at Bramshott. A huge thank you once again to everyone there who helped me so much.”
Now he’s home, Will works with his Occupational Therapist Rachel, to further develop his confidence and ability to live his life more fully. In keeping with the can-do attitude Hobbs is renowned for, he has recently been out and about on an adapted quad bike… Rachel adds
“Will is going up and down the stairs, making his own meals and making the most fantastic family dinners. He has progressed to picking his children up from school and regaining his role within the family. This progress means he can be supported easily by his Support team and his wife has returned to work as an NHS Consultant. Will can now walk at the weekends with his family and access so many of the beaches and woodlands around them… well done Will, keep in touch!”
Where there’s a Will, there’s a way!