The Will to Rise: One Patient’s Journey After 15 Years of Agony

On the morning of February 11, 2025, a hard-working man* lay in bed, tears streaming down his face. He had not slept and he couldn’t move. A few minutes later, an ambulance arrived and took him to Adventist Health Sonora.

A crushing injury

Years earlier, he had suffered a devastating injury. He never saw a doctor but instead pushed through the pain, rehabilitating himself and returning to work. For over a decade, he lived with crushed discs in his neck and lower back, masking the agony with alcohol. Yet every morning, he got up and went to work — until February 2025.

One Friday afternoon, he collapsed on his kitchen floor, unable to feel his arms or legs. His son managed to lift his 250-pound frame just high enough to get him into bed. That night, he lay awake, consumed by pain and fear, but it was also the night he chose to live.

Emergency surgery and expert care

After arriving at Adventist Health Sonora, he underwent surgery with Anh Le, MD, a well-respected spine surgeon at Adventist Health Sonora. “The patient presented to the emergency department with incomplete tetraplegia related to his cervical and lumbar spinal stenosis,” Dr. Le recalls. To further complicate the matter, his care team found that he had undiagnosed Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a condition that can cause weakness and loss of feeling in the legs, feet, arms, and hands. Treatment began with extensive surgery including lumbar decompression as well as anterior cervical diskectomy and fusion.

After surgery, Dr. Le and his team recommended a transfer to Adventist Health Lodi Memorial. “As he recovered from surgery, he no longer required hospital care. But because of the complexity of his neurological deficits, he needed intensive rehabilitation to regain strength and the ability to take care of himself at home,” Dr. Le recalls. “I knew that he would receive the appropriate level of care along with rigorous rehabilitation at Adventist Health Lodi Memorial.”

Empowering the best possible recovery

Adventist Health Lodi Memorial offers one of the region’s only hospital-based acute physical rehabilitation programs. Unlike standalone care facilities that offer nursing care and therapy services, Adventist Health Lodi Memorial provides not only 24-hour care and daily physical, occupational, and speech therapy, but also direct access to lab tests, diagnostic imaging, and emergency care — without a challenging transfer to a hospital — should the need arise.

A team approach to recovery

The patient’s transfer to Lodi paved the way for his remarkable recovery. The procedure with Dr. Le set him up for success, and soon he was surrounded by a team that would become his second family.

From the moment he arrived at Adventist Health Lodi Memorial, he was met with compassion, determination, and relentless encouragement. His team of physical and occupational therapists, recreational therapist, rehabilitation aides, registered nurses, and certified nursing assistants all pushed him to exceed expectations — like Kayla, a physical therapist who became a daily source of inspiration and emphasized that quitting was never an option.

The acute rehabilitation team treated his body and lifted his spirit. One physical therapy assistant, Jesse James, customized a wheelchair using parts from various models. It was a masterpiece of ingenuity and care. Chris, a registered nurse, sang “Amazing Grace” one evening, his voice and guitar filling the room with peace. And the patient had many occasions to offer compliments to the chef, as every meal was a delight.

As his strength returned, he began to defy every prediction. He could sit up unassisted, shower independently, and even dress himself. Adventist Health Lodi Memorial’s physical medicine and rehabilitation doctors saw his potential and recommended his stay be extended by an extra week, a gift that changed everything. That extra time allowed him to reach milestones he never thought possible.

“I am very pleased with this outcome and honored to have been a part of his healing,” says Dr. Le. “Adventist Health Lodi Memorial’s acute physical rehabilitation program is a great resource for any patient who needs extra support in their recovery.”

This story is one of grit, grace, and gratitude — about a patient who worked hard, driven by a dream to go duck hunting with his son. It is a reminder that we’re all made for more and that healing is not just about medicine, it’s about people.

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Learn more about Adventist Health Lodi Memorial's Acute Physical Rehabilitation program. 

*The patient’s name has been omitted from this story to protect his privacy.