WILKES-BARRE TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU)— A local stroke survivor is making strides in recovery after qualifying for a new, breakthrough kind of rehabilitation technology.
She says it's helped her progress in more ways than one.
28/22 News Reporter Amelia Sack has more.
73-year-old Trudy Coleman says her whole life changed when she suffered a stroke in late 2023.
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"I was in the backyard with my dogs and suddenly from standing, I fell on the ground and I couldn't get up," recalled Trudy Coleman, stroke survivor.
She would soon spend weeks at Allied Services Inpatient Rehab where she was getting back to the basics.
The stroke left her with speech problems and mobility issues on her right side.
"My speech was terrible when it first happened and I couldn't swallow," stated Coleman.
In the months ahead, Trudy made fast progress, but that soon came to a halt.
"She was reaching a plateau," said Lori Ackerman, occupational therapist, Allied Services IHS.
That's when her occupational therapist Lori introduced Trudy to the Vivistim paired VNS therapy system to help aid her in rehabilitation.
"And then we were reaching the plateau, Vivistim came around as an option and I proposed it to Trudy and she was dead set on getting the Vivistim implant," added Ackerman.
The Vivistim system is a small pacemaker-like device that is surgically implanted under the skin in the upper left chest area.
A stimulation lead is placed around the Vagus nerve, a key highway of brain-body communication. It is a same-day surgery.
The device is activated with a wireless transmitter while patients perform functional motor tasks. Trudy can also activate it at home using a magnet.
"So it's actually the first FDA approved implantable device that is specifically for rehab," explained Rebecca Carr, therapy development specialist, Vivistim.
The stimulation from the device boosts the brain's ability to form new neural connections and enhances recovery outcomes.
For Trudy, the Vivistim has been a game changer. After working with Lori and doing tasks at home, she's about 85 percent better than when she had her stroke.
"Her fine motor coordination's improved, but I think the biggest thing, as a therapist, is that you always wanna see your patient succeed in things that they used to love to do and be independent," expressed Ackerman
Trudy is doing just that. She's back to pursuing her passions of painting, crocheting, and putting on makeup, things she says she's thrilled to be able to do again.
"One of my main goals was being able to drive and now being able to draw and paint and things of that are gravy you know," voiced Coleman.
