THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 21, 1995 TAG: 9512190126
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SCOTT McCASKEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 89 lines
Deborah Blazek thought she would never walk again.
Edward Smith's wife was told to begin making funeral arrangements for her husband.
The entire left side of Richard Gray's body was paralyzed. But the life-threatening injuries hardly showed at a reunion of former patients of Sentara Norfolk General's Physical Rehabilitation Center.
Walking and talking in the Christmas spirit, the three survivors were among some 60 former patients attending the hospital's 10th annual Rehabilitation Reunion Party Dec. 10.
The guests had come from Hampton Roads and around the region to celebrate living and to see their doctors, staff and former co-patients.
``Most of the time, patients like to come back to show us how they're doing, how much they've improved,'' said Diane Booker, referral coordinator to the rehab center for 11 years. ``Most are doing well and leading productive lives. And even if they find difficulty walking anywhere else, they'll walk in here.''
Hitting closest to home was a letter written and read by Blazek, a Gloucester County resident. Three years ago, Blazek suffered critical internal injuries and multiple fractures in a near-fatal head-on auto collision that also injured her husband and two children. She was in a coma for two months, then spent eight more weeks in the rehab center.
``We're all family here,'' Blazek read, fighting back tears. ``It's not a joyous time to remember ... but we gave each other strength on that floor. And if it wasn't for the staff and the physicians we wouldn't be here.''
But between the heart-rending comments, Blazek, 38, said she could find humor looking back at her stay.
We all feared the arrival of ``the general,'' she said, jokingly describing a physician who ``commanded everyone through torturous exercises.'' She then noted that she probably wouldn't be walking if not for the general's rigorous demands.
``They find it initially difficult even to get up,'' said Dr. Keith Pagel, the ``general,'' and medical director of the rehab center. ``They think it's kind of like torture in the beginning, but at the end they see the good results and really appreciate the effort they've made.''
Raul Pernites, who nine years ago was paralyzed in a swimming pool accident, sat with Pam Nieradka, one of his former nurses.
``Some of the nurses here now were my nurses, and it's good to see the other people with disabilities that have gotten better,'' said Pernites, who has attended three of the reunions. ``I've done a lot in the last nine years. I graduated from college, and now I'm a recreational therapist.''
Pernites works at the Manning Convalescent Home in Portsmouth. He also is on the U.S. Wheelchair Table Tennis Team, which recently won a silver medal in international competition in Argentina.
``In my job, I like to help disabled athletes find alternative sports,'' said Pernites, 29.
Making the most of life after a disabling injury has much to do with a patient's outlook, according to Lynn Rose, a licensed clinical social worker at the center.
``Attitude plays a big part in how they recover,'' Rose said. ``Some people quit and don't get much better. Others keep plugging along and make significant, sometimes miraculous, improvement.''
Although attitude can play a major part in recovery, Edward Smith and Richard Gray say they owe their lives to the doctors and staff. Smith suffered a tractor accident that left him with severe internal injuries, broken bones and burns. He still had some of the burn scars on his hands, but he wore a smile at the reunion.
``My family was told to be ready for the worse, but the hospital pulled me through,'' said Smith, who spent nearly three months in the center this past year.
Gray had a stroke while getting a quadruple bypass on Christmas Eve 1992. His left side was left completely paralyzed. He spent six weeks in rehabilitation.
``These people did a miracle on me,'' Gray said, who has been to two of the reunions. ``My whole left side was dead. Now everything is working again.''
Seeing patients' progress after they've left the rehab center is very rewarding, staff members said.
``They just start reaching their potential when they leave here,'' said Karen Licud, a registered nurse who has been at the center for five years. ``Seeing them one, two and three years later, you can really see the gains they've made. This reunion is a good way to start off the holidays.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by SCOTT McCASKEY
Deborah Blazak shares memories with Dr. Keith Pagel, the medical
director of Sentara Norfolk General's Physical Rehabilitation
Center.
by CNB