Forty-seven-year-old Darius Dillard from Boiling Springs, S.C., works for UPS. In his free time, he enjoys traveling and spending time with his friends.

One morning while getting ready for work, Darius’ legs felt weak and gave out from underneath him, causing him to fall backwards onto his bed. His face wasn’t drooping (a sign of stroke), so he thought he was okay. The next day, however, his right leg began dragging, and his sister took him to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with a stroke.

After his initial treatment, Darius chose Spartanburg Rehabilitation Institute (SRI) for specialized rehabilitative care.

“My mom had been to SRI and did well there,” he says. “Being close to my sister made it easier for family and friends to visit, and I’d heard great things about the facility.” The hospital holds a national certification in stroke rehabilitation from The Joint Commission, demonstrating its commitment to achieving better outcomes for stroke patients.

Upon arrival, Darius experienced significant fatigue and balance difficulties. His right arm and leg were weak and stiff, making it hard for him to stand, move, and transfer on his own. Walking also was difficult, which put him at high risk of falling. Daily activities such as using the bathroom and showering were challenging due to balance issues and reduced coordination in his right hand.

Darius worked closely with the hospital’s interdisciplinary healthcare team, who developed a customized treatment plan for him that included physical and occupational therapy.

In physical therapy, he focused on improving his walking and strengthening his right leg. “I had a lot of trouble with my leg dragging,” Darius says. “Physical therapy helped strengthen it and taught me to focus on lifting my leg when I took steps.” He also practiced sitting and standing from different surfaces, as well as balance activities such as stepping side to side and reaching toward objects on the floor.

In occupational therapy, Darius worked on regaining movement and coordination in his right arm and hand. “OT worked on my arm and hand to help me get movement back in my fingers and lift my arm,” he says. “My grip is still a little weak, but it’s improving.”

After 20 days at SRI, Darius made steady progress toward independence and now walks without assistance. “I would like to get back to doing what I was doing before the stroke, such as driving, hanging out with friends after work, and traveling,” he says.