Larry's Story

Larry Jennings thought he was having a heart attack.

The 66-year-old husband, father and grandfather from Ashtabula, Ohio had come home from work for lunch when he began to experience chest pain, dizziness, numbness and tingling on the left side of his body. Concerned, he called his wife Patricia and daughter Danielle to let them know what was happening.

His wife and daughter were out having lunch but rushed home upon hearing Larry needed help. Danielle drove Larry to the hospital, while Patricia stayed at home, as she had just had hip replacement surgery two weeks earlier.

At the hospital, Larry underwent an X-ray as well as a CT scan and MRI of his brain. Imaging showed he had cervical spinal stenosis, or narrowing of the spinal canal, in his neck between the fifth and sixth vertebrae. In Larry’s case, the spinal stenosis was caused by a rare spinal stroke, which accounts for less than 1% of all strokes. Similar to strokes that occur in the brain, a spinal stroke occurs when blood flow to the spine is blocked – usually by a blood clot – which damages or kills the cells in the spinal cord.

After two days in the hospital, Larry’s physicians determined that his condition required a higher level of care than they could provide, so he was transferred to Cleveland Clinic Main Campus. “By that point, I was numb from the middle of my chest to my feet,” Larry said. He had also lost the ability to control of his bowel and bladder.

Larry, who has worked in purchasing at a plastics company for 26 years, became worried about what his future might hold. He was active and stayed busy with his hobbies of photography, videography, disc golf and live-streaming sporting events for the local high school and his grandchildren’s teams. Now, he was unsure if he’d ever stand independently again, let alone walk.

Shortly after his arrival at Cleveland Clinic Main Campus, Larry’s care team began discussing options for the next step in his recovery. He said he was told great things about the Cleveland Clinic Rehabilitation Hospitals – “everyone said they are the best in the world” – making the decision an easy one for Larry and his family. Seven days after experiencing his spinal stroke, Larry was transferred to Cleveland Clinic Rehabilitation Hospital, Avon. He spent a few days there before moving to Cleveland Clinic Rehabilitation Hospital, Beachwood, which was closer to his family in Ashtabula.

Larry admits he was nervous upon arrival, but ready to take on the challenge of recovery. Initially, he needed total assistance to use the bathroom and dress his lower body. He also required a mechanical lift to be moved in and out of bed. Because of the weakness in his lower body, Larry was only able to sit at the edge of the bed for a few seconds at a time.

Larry’s primary goal was to be able to stand and walk again and regain his bowel and bladder function. Recovering his mobility and independence was key to getting Larry back to sportscasting and videography as well as getting him back to work. His physician-led care team of nurses, physical therapists and occupational therapists worked with Larry to devise a care plan that would help him progress toward his goals.

Because spinal cord injuries can affect blood pressure regulation, Larry also needed close monitoring from the nursing team to ensure his blood pressure did not get too low or too high, which could be life-threatening. Additionally, Larry’s nurses helped him to establish a toileting schedule that helped manage his bowel and bladder needs so he could use the bathroom more independently.

Physical therapists initially worked on improving Larry’s sitting balance and tolerance so he’d be able to progress to standing. To help rebuild strength in his legs, therapists had Larry use a specialized seated elliptical machine to work both his upper and lower body at the same time to build endurance. They also had Larry practice propelling his wheelchair, which he credits as an important part of his recovery.

As his strength grew, Larry’s therapists had him practice standing in the parallel bars, where he could steady himself and increase his standing tolerance. With time, Larry was able to stand using a platform walker, which provides upper body support to provide extra stability. “The first time I stood and took steps was so encouraging. I didn’t know if I’d ever walk again,” Larry recalls. “It was then that I knew I could!”

Occupational therapists also focused on Larry’s sitting balance by having him sit on a therapy mat with his legs stretched in front of him for core strengthening. This gave Larry the opportunity to practice reaching his toward his feet, which helped improve his bed mobility and his ability to dress his lower body. Over time, Larry progressed to not only sitting at the edge of the table or bed on his own but simultaneously catching a ball without losing his balance.

Both physical and occupational therapists introduced Larry to additional rehabilitation technology, including a specialized mat table that transforms to help patients safely practice going from sitting to standing while promoting core strengthening and overall mobility.

Throughout his stay at Cleveland Clinic Rehabilitation Hospital, Beachwood, Larry was overwhelmed by the support and encouragement he received not only from his family and care team, but the community as well. Patricia participated in family training at the hospital, learning from his therapists and nurses how best to care for him at home.

After 35 days of intensive rehabilitation, Larry was ready to return home. He had made incredible strides during his stay, progressing from being unable to stand to walking 150 feet with a walker. He was also able to dress, bathe and get in and out of bed independently.

Larry has only high praise for the hospital where he relearned to walk. “Everything was excellent, from the food to the support and encouragement to the therapy to help bring me closer to my goals every day,” Larry said. “Sometimes I get emotional when I think about how far I’ve come.” He knows that his new lifestyle will be different than what he was used to but says he will “adapt and overcome.”

Larry has continued to build upon his progress at home through home health therapy before progressing to outpatient therapy. He recently set a personal record of walking 418 feet unassisted using a walker. He’s also participated in aquatic therapy; being able to use his legs in the pool has further increased his confidence.

To those facing a difficult and potentially lengthy recovery, Larry offers the following advice: “Don’t ever stop trying, even when you think it’s impossible. I don’t know if I’ll ever walk independently, but I know I’ll never stop trying.”

Update: Larry hasn’t been able to climb the steps to get into a press box to announce football games, but he does plan to announce basketball games from the gymnasium floor. He wants to thank everyone for their ongoing support and prayers during his recovery.