Jim Wall

In San Bernardino for business, Jim Wall began having chest pain on his left side. He described it as a sharp pain, radiating to his left upper arm. Jim also experienced dizziness and shortness of breath. But he didn’t go to the hospital right away.

Two days later, Jim’s noticed some numbness in his face that persisted for about 15 minutes. Having suffered transient ischemic attacks in the past, Jim recognized the feeling. Though he’d been doing quite well since the TIAs — independent and walking more than a mile each day — Jim knew he needed to get to the hospital.

Upon arriving at the hospital, doctors confirmed that Jim suffered a stroke. They referred him to Ballard Rehabilitation Hospital for intensive therapy.

“At first, I was sort of nervous,” Jim recalled of his arrival at Ballard. “But, being here for a couple of hours, it was great. The nurses and the CNAs were very compassionate, very caring. They were very concerned about my health. And the PTs and OTs here were fantastic. From the housekeepers to the doctors, it’s a great place to recover and get better.”

After one week, Jim regained much of his mobility using a front-wheeled walker. Only for community mobility did he still use a wheelchair. Jim was extremely motivated to return to his home in Laughlin, NV, and worked very hard to meet that goal.