Katie Moran of Tinley Park shared her experience recovering from a stroke during Stroke Awareness Month in May. Moran, 45, said she suffered a stroke shortly after finishing a job interview via Zoom and was hospitalized before being referred to the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox for inpatient therapy.
Moran said, “It was like a hot wire going through my brain. Then it felt like hot metal shards were running through the left side of my body.” She called to her husband, Kevin, as she began to collapse and was subsequently hospitalized with a stroke. “I’m 45, this isn’t supposed to happen,” Moran said.
Following three weeks of inpatient therapy at Silver Cross Hospital’s AbilityLab, Moran reported significant progress. “I went there needing a wheelchair and walked out on my own,” she said. Dr. Megan Parkes, Medical Director of the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab at Silver Cross, said teamwork played an important role in Moran’s recovery: “When Katie came to us, she needed quite a bit of assistance… Katie was extremely motivated from day one. She was up for any challenge the therapists threw at her.”
Physical Therapist Jada Cox encouraged Moran by saying, “You are capable of doing hard things.” Cox and Occupational Therapist Lindsay Heidrich both attributed much of Moran’s improvement to her motivation and dedication: “Katie was determined to regain her function and independence… which allowed the therapy team to find challenging yet fun ways to help her achieve her goals.” Therapy included activities such as dance breaks using harness systems and exercises aimed at improving balance and functional use.
Speech Therapist Maeve Houlihan described how speech strategies helped improve communication skills: “As proof of her dedication, Katie demonstrated consistent carryover of speech strategies… She even requested more cognitive activities she could do outside of therapy sessions.” With continued therapy support from family members at home, Moran continues working on fine motor skills.
Moran emphasized the importance of self-care after experiencing high stress levels prior to her stroke: “You have to love yourself enough to care… Little successes add up to big ones.” She credited the staff at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab for helping restore independence.
