Success Stories

Nicole Duncan’s Success Story

“I Came Back Because I Trust Sutton Park”

Betty Santiago knows Sutton Park better than most people who use The Rehab Center. She’s spent time on the unit four times in the last two years. After Mrs. Santiago’s right hip was replaced, she came to Sutton Park for therapy. She made good progress and was discharged. Some 18 months later, she found that her left heel had become infected. Following hospital treatment, she came to Sutton Park for antibiotic therapy. But after only six weeks, she went back to the hospital with osteomyelitis of her right foot. Again, she came to Sutton Park for IV therapy. Betty went home a few weeks ago, taking with her not only the renewed ability to walk, but a new yellow and green afghan that she crocheted during her therapy. “These people here deserve a reward for helping me: Carlos especially, and Biljana, Julia, the others. They all worked so hard. They all helped me.”

Elsa Nielson

Elsa, who lives alone in Mount Vernon, went into a diabetic coma. She fell in her bedroom, and wasn’t discovered for more than three days. When Elsa arrived at the Mt. Vernon hospital, she was declared dead, but medics were able to resuscitate her. When she regained consciousness, her right side was paralyzed, her right arm was numb, her voice just a whisper, and she was blind in her left eye. Two weeks after her transfer to Sutton Park, Elsa was well enough to go to Physical Therapy. Her first exercise was on the parallel bars and she was able to stand and walk two steps. “But,” she said, “if I could walk two steps, I could walk to the end.” She did and, rejecting help, walked back to her wheelchair. She eventually qualified for a walker and went from room to room, chatting with other residents. “I got to cheer people up, even visiting families, especially when I told them my story. Pretty soon I felt like an employee.” After four months, Elsa was discharged. She now walks across her living room unaided. “I was dead, and now, look at me! I’m fine. The folk at Sutton Park were so kind. Biljana was wonderful, and all the people in the Rehab Center. I can’t say enough good about them.”

From England to New Rochelle in Just 91 Years

Mary O’Sullivan is a bright, clear-spoken woman from Plymouth, England. She is also 91 years old and has lived in New Rochelle for nearly 40 years. Mary came to the United States for a vacation back in 1962. She had been a housekeeper in England. When she had the chance, she followed her friend’s advice to visit America-”It’s lovely there.” It was, so Mary stayed. She got a job as a live-in domestic in New Rochelle, then worked for a bank manager for many years, In January of this year, she was vacuuming at home. She turned quickly to talk to a friend, and fell across the vacuum cleaner, breaking her hip and severely cutting her left side. Mary was rushed to the hospital for surgery and major wound closure. The bruising was terrible and took a long time to heal. Now at Sutton Park, she uses a walker but isn’t ready to go home just yet. “I have walking therapy every day. The nurses are very good, especially Miss Ragin. I’m waiting to go home again. I don’t have family any more, but I have some good friends.”