Sixty-seven-year-old Jeanne Griggs from Landrum, S.C., works as a horse driver, driving carriages, riding horses, and navigating other drivers around the horse farm. She has one son, a daughter-in-law, three grandchildren, and many close friends.

Recently, Jeanne began feeling tired and noticed weakness on her right side. After falling in her bathroom, she went to the emergency room and was diagnosed with a stroke caused by an aneurysm. After initial treatment at an acute care hospital, the clinical liaison recommended Spartanburg Rehabilitation Institute (SRI) for specialized rehabilitative care.

When Jeanne arrived at SRI, she was no longer independent with basic activities such as dressing, walking, transferring, and showering. She was also unable to drive. She worked closely with the hospital’s interdisciplinary healthcare team, who developed a personalized treatment plan for her including speech, physical, and occupational therapy.

The speech therapist taught Jeanne how to slow down and take her time when communicating, and how to organize her medication. Occupational therapy focused activities of daily living like helping her to relearn how to dress herself and stay safe in the shower. Physical therapy played a key role in helping her regain strength, coordination, and relearn how to walk. To support her return to horse driving, they created a simulation in the gym where she could practice mounting a horse.

After one month at SRI, Jeanne was discharged home. She can now walk independently with a cane, dress herself, and shower safely.

“I’m able to live at home alone with help from friends and look forward to working with horses and driving again,” she says.