Harrisburg resident Beth Harris travels for rehabilitation care at Good Shepherd after suffering a stroke
Beth Harris leads a reflective discussion on her journey with Good Sheperd after suffering a stroke.
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Beth Harris
Beth Harris suffered a stroke in July of 2020. She stayed at Good Shepherd Rehab Hospital for inpatient therapy and then later returned for outpatient therapies. Transcription:
Harrisburg resident Beth Harris travels for rehabilitation care at Good Shepherd after suffering a stroke
Caitlin Whyte: Beth Harris was at home when her stroke happened just over a year ago in July of 2020. Like many of us, she got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, but soon realized she couldn't feel her left side. She says she was in pretty bad shape by the time she got to the hospital.
Beth Harris: I had a blood clot and a bleed. So I got to the hospital in good time for them to be able to treat me and give me my best chance. From there, I was in ICU for probably 12 days. I was in the ICU. Then, that's when they started looking for therapy places for me.
Caitlin Whyte: Now, Beth's sister is a nurse. So between her and Beth's husband, they got to work researching rehab places in the region and found Good Shepherd, so Beth could begin her road to recover.
Beth Harris: Dr. Kimmel was my doctor and I had a lot of really good nurses. One in particular that I don't know her last name, but her name was Donna and she was wonderful. I was going through a rough time at the time because my son was starting college for the first time and I was not able to be there with him, and it was very upsetting. And she happened to be there that day, just really helped me through that time.
Caitlin Whyte: Beth knew her path was going to be long and winding to get back to who she was pre-stroke.
Beth Harris: It was all a challenge for me at first, because when I got there, I couldn't do anything. I couldn't use my left side. I couldn't walk. I couldn't really do anything because when I had my stroke, it affected my left side. So when they started me with therapy, I mean, everything was challenging, but I had the absolute best therapists there. And they were very encouraging and they challenged me, which is what I needed.
Caitlin Whyte: Beth was driving over two hours each way to Good Shepherd and doing all of the therapies there, speech, occupational, physical. But aside from the more mechanical aspects of recovery, she said finding the confidence to keep going was another obstacle she had to overcome.
Beth Harris: I know that it's sometimes it's very hard to stay positive. I know a lot of times I would think about the things that I used to do. I used to run. I told them at therapy, the five years before I had my stroke, that summer I had run like four half marathons. And then five years later, I couldn't walk. And so it's easy to get down, but it's important to focus on where I'm going and not where I was.
And also, I know some of the therapists had said, you know, I'd compare myself to what I was before. And they said, you have to compare yourself to where you were when you walked into there. So when I got to Good Shepherd, I, you know, had made a lot of progress and I have to compare it from there instead of five years ago, what I was doing. But just keeping a positive attitude.
I had the most amazing caregivers. My husband, my best friend, my sister, and many friends who have supported me and, you know, just sent me cards and letters. And so that helps that I have such a great support system. But it is important just to focus on the good things and not dwell on the past.
Caitlin Whyte: Beth says she has come a long way in the last year, but it's realistic about the amount of work ahead of her.
Beth Harris: Now, I'm back to just getting more confidence in walking again. I do walk with a cane most of the time. I have really come a long way since the stroke.
Caitlin Whyte: Good Shepherd is a destination for transforming lives and inspiring hope. Call 1-888-44-REHAB or visit goodshepherdrehab.org.
Harrisburg resident Beth Harris travels for rehabilitation care at Good Shepherd after suffering a stroke
Caitlin Whyte: Beth Harris was at home when her stroke happened just over a year ago in July of 2020. Like many of us, she got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, but soon realized she couldn't feel her left side. She says she was in pretty bad shape by the time she got to the hospital.
Beth Harris: I had a blood clot and a bleed. So I got to the hospital in good time for them to be able to treat me and give me my best chance. From there, I was in ICU for probably 12 days. I was in the ICU. Then, that's when they started looking for therapy places for me.
Caitlin Whyte: Now, Beth's sister is a nurse. So between her and Beth's husband, they got to work researching rehab places in the region and found Good Shepherd, so Beth could begin her road to recover.
Beth Harris: Dr. Kimmel was my doctor and I had a lot of really good nurses. One in particular that I don't know her last name, but her name was Donna and she was wonderful. I was going through a rough time at the time because my son was starting college for the first time and I was not able to be there with him, and it was very upsetting. And she happened to be there that day, just really helped me through that time.
Caitlin Whyte: Beth knew her path was going to be long and winding to get back to who she was pre-stroke.
Beth Harris: It was all a challenge for me at first, because when I got there, I couldn't do anything. I couldn't use my left side. I couldn't walk. I couldn't really do anything because when I had my stroke, it affected my left side. So when they started me with therapy, I mean, everything was challenging, but I had the absolute best therapists there. And they were very encouraging and they challenged me, which is what I needed.
Caitlin Whyte: Beth was driving over two hours each way to Good Shepherd and doing all of the therapies there, speech, occupational, physical. But aside from the more mechanical aspects of recovery, she said finding the confidence to keep going was another obstacle she had to overcome.
Beth Harris: I know that it's sometimes it's very hard to stay positive. I know a lot of times I would think about the things that I used to do. I used to run. I told them at therapy, the five years before I had my stroke, that summer I had run like four half marathons. And then five years later, I couldn't walk. And so it's easy to get down, but it's important to focus on where I'm going and not where I was.
And also, I know some of the therapists had said, you know, I'd compare myself to what I was before. And they said, you have to compare yourself to where you were when you walked into there. So when I got to Good Shepherd, I, you know, had made a lot of progress and I have to compare it from there instead of five years ago, what I was doing. But just keeping a positive attitude.
I had the most amazing caregivers. My husband, my best friend, my sister, and many friends who have supported me and, you know, just sent me cards and letters. And so that helps that I have such a great support system. But it is important just to focus on the good things and not dwell on the past.
Caitlin Whyte: Beth says she has come a long way in the last year, but it's realistic about the amount of work ahead of her.
Beth Harris: Now, I'm back to just getting more confidence in walking again. I do walk with a cane most of the time. I have really come a long way since the stroke.
Caitlin Whyte: Good Shepherd is a destination for transforming lives and inspiring hope. Call 1-888-44-REHAB or visit goodshepherdrehab.org.