Miguel's Story

Motorcycles are more than a hobby for Miguel Sanchez, 39, a husband and father of four. A mechanic by trade, Miguel and his wife, Samaira, own a motorcycle repair company. Having moved to the United States from Puerto Rico at 13, Miguel has made Cleveland his home for nearly 25 years.

The day life changed for Miguel was unremarkable. “It was a normal day,” he said. “I had been making deliveries in my car. When I got home, it was cold, so I decided to take my motorcycle around the block to keep the engine warm,” he said. “That’s all I remember.”

Miguel was struck by a car while riding. “My wife showed me the video from the news. The driver ran me over; I don’t think he ever saw me,” he said. Rushed by ambulance to Metro Hospital, Miguel, who was not wearing a helmet, had severe injuries. Not only did he suffer a brain injury, but Miguel sustained multiple fractures to his face, arm, lower leg, rib, pelvis, tailbone and spine. He also experienced trauma to his right kidney and suffered two collapsed lungs.

Miguel’s struggled to breathe and was placed on a ventilator. A tube connected to the machine was threaded through his mouth to his lungs providing oxygen. Miguel was unable to eat, drink, communicate or move without help, spending over three weeks recovering in the hospital. “When I opened my eyes and I saw my family around me, I realized I was alive,” he said.

Once stable, Miguel’s physician suggested intensive inpatient rehabilitation would give him the best chance for a full recovery. “I knew that it would get me home sooner,” he said. After one of his case workers recommended Cleveland Clinic Rehabilitation Hospital, Avon, Miguel was ready for the next step in his journey.

Upon arrival, Miguel required assistance for nearly every task, including walking, changing positions, bathing and dressing. According to the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, a quick screening tool that assesses cognitive function, Miguel was suffering from mild cognitive impairment due to his brain injury. More specifically, he was struggling with planning, problem solving and short-term memory loss. Miguel wanted to take care of himself, return home and see his children. A physician-led care team of rehabilitation nurses, physical, occupational and speech therapists along with a psychologist devised a plan to help Miguel achieve his goals.

Physical therapists focused on improving Miguel’s strength and mobility. He required only minimal assistance to go from sitting to standing using a walker for support, but needed total assistance to walk and was unable to go up stairs. Because of his lower leg fracture, the range of motion in his right ankle was poor and it was affecting his ability to bear weight and balance. To help, therapists focused on stretching and applied a heel lift to Miguel’s right shoe, which improved his foot and ankle alignment, making it more comfortable to stand and walk progressively longer distances. Samaira participated in Miguel’s therapy sessions to ensure that she knew how to guide and safely help him at home.

Occupational therapy sessions focused on showing Miguel how to change positions safely as well as the best positions for him to use while seated to assist with wound healing. Therapists guided Miguel in stretching exercises, particularly in his right shoulder, to increase his range of motion so that he could become more independent with his personal care tasks. The team also taught him about his injury as they progressed through therapy with him. The educational information helped Miguel better understand his injury and provided him with resources, community support groups and strategies to support his continuing recovery once he returned home.

Speech therapists worked extensively with Miguel to improve his memory, attention and executive function in areas that included planning, problem solving, organizing and decision making. In his sessions, Miguel’s therapists challenged him with time management tasks and word finding challenges such as finishing a sentence. Samaira joined his sessions learning how to help him continue to make progress at home.

Wound care nurses tended to Miguel’s many injuries to ensure they were healing well. They also instructed Samaira on how to change his dressings.

The hospital’s psychologist met with Miguel and Samaira to provide support and education about managing a traumatic brain injury and handling the challenges that come with it.

Miguel’s family played an active role in his recovery. “I hadn’t seen my extended family come together like they did after my accident,” he said. “They came to see me, called me and encouraged me.” While he was in the hospital, his family built a ramp to help him get into his home. Miguel noted that support from family is key during a health crisis, stating, “It’s so important for families to be here and show love and help their loved one.”

Within 14 days at Cleveland Clinic Rehabilitation Hospital, Avon, Miguel made excellent progress. He was able to walk 55 feet using a walker and could stand and change positions without assistance. He could independently manage his personal care tasks, requiring only minor help for bathing and dressing his upper body. His memory and problem solving had improved as well; the screening tool for cognitive function showed he was back within a normal range by the time of his discharge.

Miguel plans to continue his recovery with outpatient rehabilitation.

As he prepared to return home, Miguel said reuniting with his kids was what he looked forward to most. “That’s what I care about the most now – just watching them play.” He says that his accident and subsequent rehabilitation has transformed him. “This was my third motorcycle accident, and this one really taught me that being the tough guy is just not that important,” he said.

Miguel had high praise for his care team, saying, “It’s been a tough ride, but everyone did a good job. They took great care of me.”