Life Care Center of Cape Girardeau helps Scott recover from broken hip

By Lisa Church, business development director

Sometimes in life it seems that irony jumps up and slaps you in the face.

That's how Dean Scott felt when he and his son-in-law were building a wheelchair ramp for his wife after her hip replacement surgery. Scott fell and fractured his left hip.

"Can you believe that?" he said. "I fell on her ramp. It was the first broken bone of my life."

After the fall and ensuing hospital stay, Scott came to the Life Care Center of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, to recuperate.

Having been an athlete all his life, he admits he was "bullheaded" in his commitment to doing therapy.

"No pain, no gain, you know," Scott said. "They've done a great job of rehabilitating me, and I appreciate it."

During his time at Life Care, Scott had therapy five times a week, and his sessions consisted of sitting, standing and supine exercises, including on the Omnicycle^™ and BioStep^™ machines, and gait training. He progressed to the point where he could easily walk 12-14 laps around the rehab gym track with a walker.

"Mr. Scott could not tolerate sitting in a chair when he got here, but he will be walking out the door when he goes home," said physical therapy assistant Craig Ringwald. "He worked very hard with physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy."

Scott, a retired postal clerk, has been an avid bowler for more than 50 years. He's eager to get back to his family, his church and his bowling league where he plans to spend some time "coaching" the other bowlers.