In November of 2021, Rachael Bridell woke up one morning, unable to breathe.
Rachael was sick with COVID-19 and bronchitis, and as she grew more and more ill, breathing became more difficult, until one morning it felt impossible. Her husband, Jon, called an ambulance, which took her from their home in Cokato to a nearby hospital.
“That’s all I remember,” said Rachael. “They checked my oxygen, and it was at 52 percent – I should have been dead. It was the first of many miracles.”
Rachael spent over 40 days in a medically-induced coma, during which time she had a stroke, three seizures, her kidneys failed, she was on dialysis, and she had an allergic reaction to medications that left her covered head-to-toe in a rash.
“I shouldn’t have survived. The doctors told my husband they didn’t know if I would ever wake up, and if I did, they said I would be a vegetable,” said Rachael.
But in mid-January of 2022, Rachael woke up. Due to her extended immobility, Rachael woke up with severe muscle atrophy and was unable to move. When it was time for Rachael to choose a location to recover, she selected the Transitional Care Unit at Glencoe Regional Health.
“When I arrived at Glencoe, there were people at the front door greeting me by name, telling me they were so glad I was there,” said Rachael. “Everyone was so amazing. In the midst of the hardest thing I ever experienced in my life, they were wonderful.”
The next day, Rachael began physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-therapy for a stutter that developed after she woke up from her coma.
Lexi Schons, PT, DPT, and Alyssa Weber, PT, DPT, worked with Rachael for her physical therapy. At the time, Alyssa was a student shadowing Lexi.
“One thing I really appreciated was that Glencoe is a teaching facility. So many students were able to come in and get trained,” said Rachael. “It was really cool they had the chance to do real life applications of what they were learning.”
This detail was particularly impactful to Rachael, who has been a teacher for 22 years.
“Teaching is my calling. It played a big role in my recovery, because it motivated me to get better, and to be more physically active so I could be on my feet,” said Rachael.
Lexi and Alyssa worked with Rachael to understand the specific functions she would routinely do during a normal school day with her classroom full of third-graders.
“One thing was walking backwards, so I can lead kids down the hall. Another was just getting up and down off the floor,” said Rachael. “Lexi and Alyssa were so warm and friendly. Their encouragement was huge.”
Lexi recalls being impressed by Rachael’s tenacity. “She was extremely motivated and always willing to try anything. She had a positive attitude throughout her entire stay, and she was very personable. Many tears were shed and laughs were shared during our time together!”
Alyssa agreed, saying, “The first thing I noticed about Rachael was her extensive grit, faith, and determination. There were many challenges, but as a rehab team we reminded Rachael that it’s not only physical progress we were aiming for, but we were there to support her mentally and emotionally, as well.”
The encouragement was especially helpful during some of the more difficult days Rachael experienced.
“It was really hard. There were a lot of tears, wondering why did this happen to me? Was I going to be like that forever?” said Rachael. “There were a few times that I was crying, and nurses would come in and comfort me, which was so great. They would rub my back and listen to me talk, and just knowing they cared and took time out of their busy days was absolutely huge.”
Not just a number
Rachael noted that she really appreciated the weekly meetings she had with her entire care team.
“My husband, Jon, would be there, and each of my care providers would come in my room and give an update on my progress and changes,” said Rachael. “It was so cool how all the staff really worked as a team, and how they included myself and Jon in that team. It was a great time to ask questions and get feedback.”
Rachael felt that genuine feeling of care played a big role in her recovery.
“Knowing that people cared about me and I wasn’t just a room number was so helpful. I was never just another person on their list that they had to see, I was Rachael,” she said.
During her stay, Rachael experienced foot drop, difficulty lifting the front part of her feet due to her muscle atrophy. She spoke with Michele Schuberg, CNP, about her experience, and Michele returned with a custom-built cushion to help prop Rachael’s feet up.
“When she came in with it, I just thought, ‘Are you kidding me? You went home after work and you and your husband built that for me?’ It was just astounding,” said Rachael. “They went above and beyond for me.”
Stepping forward
After three weeks at Glencoe Regional Health, Rachael took her first steps again.
“I couldn’t believe it at the time, when I was first able to stand. I just thought it was happening so fast,” said Rachael.
“I vividly remember her first steps,” said Alyssa. “Rachael, Lexi, and I all looked at each other with tears in our eyes. It was definitely a day to remember – as a student at the time, it made me even more excited to begin an occupation that helps make a difference in people’s lives.”
After Rachael’s first steps again, a nurse brought up the exciting news during a nurses’ meeting.
“We were all tearful,” recalled Transitional Care Unit Lead Lexi Kowalski, RN, BSN, PHN. “It was pretty amazing to watch her progress. Rachael was one of those patients that you really looked forward to seeing every day. She was a ray of sunshine and we tried to bring that same energy to her. We were so proud of her progress.”
The nurses then congratulated Rachael and shared in her joy.
“They told me about their meeting – they weren’t even in the room with me, but they were cheering for me. It was just so touching that they cared about me as a person,” said Rachael. “They were my greatest cheerleaders – they all cheered me on the whole way through.”
Rachael experienced the same sense of comradery even after she returned home. When she would visit our campus for her physical therapy sessions, she’d see staff in the hallways who recognized her.
“They would take time to stop and say hello, and to check in on how I was doing,” said Rachael. “There was just this feeling that the staff was this big family who cared about you. Overall it was just such a fantastic experience.”
Rachael is back to her usual self, back to her classroom, and back with her family – something she doesn’t take for granted after her months of illness and recovery.
“I should have died multiple times. We really believe it’s a miracle that I’m alive. Not only that, but that I’m back at life with hardly any side effects or residual issues at all,” said Rachael. “I’m thankful that in the midst of such a hard experience, so many wonderful and caring people were there to support and encourage me.”
