“When I’m standing, I feel like me.”
For Andy, those words captured a meaningful moment in his ICU recovery story following a difficult series of surgeries.
Following a failed liver transplant and a second surgery just weeks later, Andy was profoundly deconditioned. His wife described him as “almost comatose”: unengaged, immobile, and facing an uncertain future.
His care team introduced Verticalization Therapy® early in his recovery. The first sessions were challenging. Andy experienced coughing fits, mobilized secretions, and anxiety as the team worked with him through each session.
Over time, Andy became more alert. He began moving his legs and showing a greater desire to participate in his recovery.
The Turning Point
One moment stood out.
Andy asked to start his own verticalization session. His voice was barely audible through his tracheostomy, but his intent was clear.
He wanted to stand. He wanted to work. He wanted to get better.
For Andy, standing represented more than a physical milestone. In his own words:
“When I’m standing, I feel like me.”
His statement captured the personal meaning that an opportunity to stand could hold during a complex recovery.
Progress in the Weeks That Followed
Weeks later, Andy was sitting in a chair, speaking clearly, moving his legs, and engaging in conversation. He was even talking about James Taylor.
And his goal was clear: to go home.
Andy’s story illustrates that recovery can mean more than progress in physical function. For patients facing complex ICU recoveries, meaningful moments may also include becoming more engaged, finding motivation, and reconnecting with familiar parts of their lives.
For Andy, the opportunity to stand was one of those moments.
Helping Patients Move Toward Recovery
Learn how The Catalyst® and Verticalization Therapy® can support progressive mobility for medically complex patients.