Concierge Name: Yosef Unger
Patient Name: Oliver Ancruem
Patient Age: 36
Admission Date: 05/22/23
Admitted From: Jacobi Medical Center
Discharge Date: 09/06/24
Discharge To: Home
Length Of Stay: 1 Year and Three Months
Reason For Stay: Below Knee (BKA) (and later) Above Knee Amputation (AKA)
How Did This Patient Hear About Sans Souci: Case Worker at Jacobi Medical Center
Details of Experience:
In the last week of Spring in 2023, on a Monday afternoon, Oliver Ancruem was wheeled through the doors of Sans Souci Rehabilitation and Nursing, ready to begin the next step in his journey. He looked around and took it all in. He breathed in the fresh, clean air and could feel the staff’s positive energy. Feeling so welcomed by the friendly demeanor of one of our extraordinary CNAs, he made his way to a beautiful room in a place that he would come to love.
Oliver’s journey didn’t begin on that day. It started seven months earlier on a morning that felt like any other. Oliver left his house and buckled on his helmet. He swung his legs over his Harley-Davidson, turned on the engine, and sped off into the morning traffic. That is the last thing he remembers. He woke up four months later, on February 10th, 2023, in Jacobi Medical Center. His family was grateful that he was finally awake and aware of his surroundings. As his sister filled him in on his missing memories, she mentioned to him that part of the recovery process required an amputation of his right leg. It was a difficult moment. However, Oliver recalls “feeling so grateful that I was alive.”
After a challenging experience at another nursing home and a return admission to Jacobi Medical Center, it was time for Oliver to find a new place to recover. His mother’s friend, a social worker in the hospital, mentioned Sans Souci. He looked it up on Google and knew “that it was the right place for me.” After settling in and beginning our rehab process, feelings of sadness started to gnaw at him. He saw many other patients, amputees like himself, practicing walking with prosthetics with the assistance of Todd Schaffhauser and Dennis Oehler, CareRite’s Gold Medal Paralympic winners whose invaluable support of our Amputee Walking School and Comprehensive Amputee Rehabilitation Program brings an unprecedented level of success to our amputated patients. Oliver started to turn into himself, playing video games and not socializing with others. Shortly after that, he befriended his roommate, and things began to turn around.
While at Sans Souci, he learned that he would require additional surgery to resolve complications from his initial amputation. He was readmitted to Jacobi on February 5th. After the surgery, he returned to Sans Souci. It was an agonizing time waiting for the wound to heal. Two months later, on April 11th, the surgical site was completely healed, and Oliver was ready. Three days later, the big day arrived. With the assistance of Bill Uy from Sans Souci’s Rehab Team, Oliver, after 1 year, 5 months, and 17 days, put on his prosthetic and stood up on his own two legs. He finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel beginning to shine.
After that milestone, Oliver had a minor setback. Due to crossing his legs, he was not walking correctly, which was hindering the progress he was making. He underwent a hip replacement to correct his gait and needed some more time to recover. Oliver fondly remembers when his physical therapist, Bill, visited and cherishes the memory. Once he was cleared, he continued to progress by performing his therapeutic exercises, and on July 23rd, he was able to climb his first flight of stairs since the accident.
Forty-five days later, Oliver was ready for discharge. While he enjoyed his time at Sans Souci and created many friends and everlasting memories, it was time for him to return home. He sorely missed hugging his niece and his dog and was so excited to go home to them and show them all the progress that he had made. With emotional goodbyes and promises to be back, Oliver made his way out of the building through the same doors he had come in, but with a different view, one of hope, a future, and one day, to getting back on the leathery seat of a motorcycle.
The Rehab Notes from that time read, “Resident made significant progress and functional gains with skilled intervention and was safely discharged home with his definitive prosthesis at his highest potential.” Oliver looks back fondly during one of his weekly visits. “The Rehab and Nursing Teams here are really on point,” he says. “The Rehab Team brings a great sense of humor and calmness into a serious environment. The nursing team does great with the wound care, and I have no complaints”. In the five-star Google review that he left, he added,” I’m going to miss this place, all the staff, and the fun activities they have in Recreations as well, and I would highly recommend this Sans Souci.”
Todd and Dennis shared the following…“We were amazed by Oliver’s recovery and remember when we first met him, and he could barely move. To see him walking in the community and mentoring our patients is incredible. We are so very proud of him and his accomplishments. He is the perfect example of Keep Moving Forward!!” says Todd. Dennis adds, “Oliver is the essence of the CareRite difference. Overcoming a year of rehab for all his devastating injuries and coming back to mentor all our amputees is extraordinary.”
Everyone at Sans Souci is proud of Oliver and always looks forward to his visits. We wish him continued success and look forward to seeing him back on that bike!