Bionic Man - Not Just For The Movies

Recently Val Brown from Ekso Bionics visited the Rehabilitation Institute, bringing a wearable bionic suit with her.  A bionic suit? Yeah we get it, right now you are imagining an Astronaut or Iron Man, well not quiet.  The bionic suit is more of an exoskeleton that allows individuals with any amount of lower extremity weakness to stand up and walk with a natural weight bearing gait. (No Arc Reactor needed.) 

Ekso Bionics hit the ground running in 2005 with strong partnerships and research grants.  They were able to apply the current technology to redefine physical limitations and allow patients to achieve remarkable goals.  They didn't just stop at giving wheelchair users a chance to walk with ELEGS they went on to create EKSO, EXOHIKER, and EXOCLIMBER.  As of December 2012 Ekso Bionics helped users take 1 million steps they may not have been able to take other wise.  Starting this year EKSO is now being implemented in rehabilitative and medical facilities across the world.  

So by now I'm sure your next question is who is it for? Ekso is a gait training exoskeleton designed to be used under medical supervision for patients with various levels of paralysis due to stroke, spinal cord injury or disease, traumatic brain injury, and more.  The EKSO does far more than allowing patients to walk when used in rehabilitative settings.  The EKSO retrains the patient a proper gait, step pattern, and step dosage.  The bionic suit also helps the patient support and position the rest of their body.  During the session information is gathered based on steps and balance while in the suit that the patient and their therapist can review before their next session to continue improvement.  Ekso Bionics may be a new technology but it has already brought so much to the lives of patients that thought they would otherwise not be able to walk again. 

Again, thank you Val Brown for coming by with the EKSO last week it was a great experience for our patients and staff!  

All information and more pictures on Ekso Bionics can be found on their website! 

To see the EKSO suit in action at R!KC visit our Facebook page! 

Despite challenges, these two clients found success

There are two stories in this post, each about a client in the TBI Works Program at the Rehabilitation Institute of Kansas City. These two people beat all odds and are now successfully working!

Kyle Dudley 

Kyle Dudley, 34, was out celebrating his 2003 college graduation. Once he and his friends decided to call it a night, their designated driver began taking them home. Suddenly, their car was t-boned by a drunk driver. The impact caused Dudley’s head to forcefully hit the inside of the car. This resulted in Dudley being in a coma for six weeks and having paralysis in his left arm.

After an extensive stay in the hospital, Dudley went to in-patient rehab where he stayed for one month.

Dudley then worked to recover in therapy at the Rehabilitation Institute of Kansas City (RIKC). The therapists helped him as he began to walk again, chew and swallow whole foods, and talk at the same level as he had prior to the accident.  He then studied music at a vocational rehabilitation school before coming to the TBI Works Program in the Employment Services Department at RIKC in Feb. 2013.

 Music was Dudley’s passion and focus of study before the accident; he still wanted to follow this path. His next step was to find a job in the music field with the TBI Works staff’s help.

After a few months of filling out job applications and  participating in mock interviews, TBI Works Program Coordinator Wendell Wallace noticed Rhino Staging and Event Productions, Inc. was hiring, so he showed Employer Development Specialist Jennifer Grant who helped Dudley pursue this opening. Within a week of giving the company his application, Dudley was hired! He began work in June and is thrilled to be working with what he loves.

“Finding the job was the goal of the entire process,” Dudley said. “The help and effort everyone put into helping me at RIKC was equally important.”  

Arnell Walker

Arnell Walker, 41, spent each day taking care of her five children, working and running errands. On December 2006, though, something happened that would drastically change her routine and life.

While at a family function in Kansas City, Walker was the victim of a drive-by shooting. She was in a coma for two weeks and remained hospitalized three months, during which time Walker experienced two strokes that further impacted her body. Of the many challenges she faced, including learning to walk again, Walker was left with a speech impediment, an inability to read and a lengthy gap of unemployment due to her extensive recovery period.

Walker received extensive rehab services and diligently worked on her own to regain abilities to walk, communicate, cook and take care of her two youngest children.

In 2012, the Missouri Department of Vocational Rehabilitation referred Walker to the TBI Works Program of RIKC's Employment Services Department. The TBI Works staff soon realized what an extraordinary person Walker is. She has a contagious smile and a strong faith. She exercises a strong work ethic and is quick to learn new skills.

"She's just amazingly positive and has this great attitude," said Jennifer Grant, Employer Development Specialist at RIKC.

It's little wonder that when Walker was introduced to representatives of the Human Resources Department at The Intercontinental Hotel KC, a second interview was immediately offered. She was hired the following day, even though the position she applied for was not currently open. Walker enjoys working with great coworkers in a luxurious atmosphere, and her employers appreciate her positive attitude and hard work, making this a win-win for both employee and employer.

Walker's success story is a shining example of the team effort of the TBI Works Program in RIKC's Employment Services Department. Her strength plus the expertise of the program can both be contributed to her success!

Child Beats All Odds

Her face sports a great big grin. She looks around the room through her bright pink sunglasses that she wears no matter where she is. She holds a tiny yellow car and tells everyone she sees about it. She is a 3 ½-year-old girl named Sephora Kalantari, and, if you had seen her a year ago, she would not have been able to do any of these things.

Sephora was born with two heart defects— pulmonary atresia and a hypo plastic right heart. One doctor told Sephora’s mom Debbie Kalantari, 22, that this is a unique case for two reasons: most cases of a hypo plastic heart deal with the left, not the right side; and, the doctor said, this was the only known case in the world with the two heart defects together. Sephora needed heart surgery but she was not healthy enough for the surgery until she was 2.

In March 2012, Sephora had open-heart surgery. The following day, she suffered a heart attack and a stroke. She had to be on a breathing machine for about five days after the surgery to sustain life, according to Debbie. A CT scan showed brain damage affecting the left side of her body caused by the stroke. After 51 days in the hospital, Sephora returned home at last with her mom and younger brother Zayden.

Once they were home, Sephora cried incessantly. The only times she would smile or laugh were whenever her brother spoke, which is why Debbie credits Zayden as a big part of Sephora’s recovery. Another big part of Sephora’s recovery is the staff at the Rehabilitation Institute of Kansas City (RIKC). Sephora’s transition to RIKC was difficult. She did not like being held and struggled to complete tasks without crying. Now, Sephora lights up when Speech-Language Pathologist Robin Miller-Gioia picks her up and hugs her. She has become a hard worker, attempting any task asked of her.

When Sephora started at RIKC, there was concern she was blind in both eyes. After a short amount of time, Sephora started identifying objects, and they discovered that she has vision in one eye. She learned to sit up on her own, and began to speak and reach for objects. After a course of intensive therapy, the team felt Sephora was making such fantastic gains that she was ready to transition to development preschool with follow-ups at RIKC to be sure she continues making gains.

Less than a month ago, Sephora had her second open-heart surgery. This time, the surgery went well, and Debbie said she is doing great! Sephora returned to RIKC to continue her recovery process. Debbie is proud of the person Sephora has become with the help of her RIKC team.

“I am so thankful for the people [at RIKC] who do what they do,” Debbie said. “Not everyone can do this work. The [staff at RIKC] is so patient and loving, and have overflowing optimism.” 

Sephora and her brother Zayden play on the slide,
which is something she couldn't do a year ago.

Meet Bill - A Life Preview



Bill and his wife

In November of 1982, Bill was injured in a hunting accident on the opening day of deer hunting season. He became sick and fell out a deer blind, breaking his back. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Bill's accident.

"I just enjoy life and I owe a large part of this to the Rehabilitation Institute of KC for getting me back up and running (rolling)," explained Bill, who went through our medical rehabilitation programs. "They put me back together and got me on my way so I could get back in the world and be an asset to the community."
 
When Bill was discharged from the hospital, he was in a full body cast for six months. Bill's positive outlook on life kept him going: "I had my arms, so that was a blessing. You do the best you can with what you have."

This same active lifestyle led him to his current job as the I.T. Director at H.U.D. for Region VII in Kansas City Kansas. While playing wheelchair basketball with some friends, Bill was asked if he was interested in a part time job. That part-time job grew into a full-time career. "I found something I was good at -- working on computers, tearing them apart and putting them back together, working with my hands," he explained.

In addition to his career, Bill continues to hunt to this day. He is a part of a handicap hunting club and has even modified his boat and ATV to make them accessible. 

Bill does not let his injury hold him back, explaining that he lives on a farm, and commutes 140 miles to work each day.

"There's not really much I don't do, other than walk," explained Bill. "I just go about it a different way."