Dr. Christopher Rucker is a 69-year-old retired ENT physician from Boiling Springs, S.C. He is a Civil War history buff and enjoys competitive flatwater kayaking, bird watching, and spending time with his wife and pets.

Having previously experienced Guillain-Barré syndrome 18 years ago—a neurological disorder where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the nerves—Dr. Rucker recently began to recognize familiar symptoms of the disease, which prompted a call to EMS. He was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome and decreased respiratory effort after being taken to a local hospital.

After initial treatment, Dr. Rucker was transferred to Spartanburg Rehabilitation Institute (SRI) for inpatient rehabilitation. He chose to receive rehabilitation at SRI because of positive comments he heard from several members of the community and its proximity to his home.

However, three days after his admission to SRI, Dr. Rucker was readmitted to the emergency department due to acute respiratory failure with hypoxemia, or low levels of oxygen in his blood. This second hospitalization was significantly more complex and included a stay in the ICU, intubation, a tracheostomy, and the placement of a PEG (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy) tube. Following a month-long hospital stay, Dr. Rucker was once again stabilized and returned to SRI to continue his rehabilitation journey.

Upon admission to SRI, Dr. Rucker had minimal function in both his upper and lower extremities and was largely dependent on others for mobility, transfers, and daily activities. “I knew my recovery would require a highly skilled team and a tremendous amount of effort,” he says.

Dr. Rucker worked with the hospital’s interdisciplinary healthcare team to develop a personalized treatment plan that focused on helping him regain strength, mobility, and independence. Physical therapy targeted improving his ability to walk, increasing his independence with transfers, and enhancing lower body coordination, strength, and balance. Occupational therapy focused on building upper body and core strength, while also helping him safely perform daily activities on his own.

After a 29-day stay at SRI, Dr. Rucker was discharged home. He continues to make progress through SRI’s outpatient physical and occupational therapy programs. He now walks with a rolling walker, manages all transfers, and completes most daily tasks with modified independence.

At home, Dr. Rucker takes walks outside twice a day with his walker and enjoys bird watching. He’s happy to be back in his own space with his wife, Jeannie, and hopes to walk independently soon.

Dr. Rucker expressed his appreciation to the staff at SRI, saying, “The personal interest in my progress was paramount. Everyone here has been great.”