Ogdensburg Man Glad to be Back Home, Continuing Therapy at RiverLedge

Physical Therapy Assistant Joseph Longshore looks on as Robert Burgess, of Ogdensburg, works on one of the exercise machines at RiverLedge Health Care & Rehabilitation Center in Ogdensburg.

OGDENSBURG - After spending nearly two months away from home due to an infection in his leg, Robert Burgess of Ogdensburg, said he's glad to be back home, but recognizes his path to recovery is not yet complete.

"I woke up one morning with an infection in my leg," Mr. Burgess said, adding he then spent 11 days in the hospital, which included two surgeries, and six and a half weeks at RiverLedge Health Care and Rehabilitation Center.

"After 57 days I'm glad to be back home, but I couldn't have been home the way I was," he said, noting he was initially unable to walk on his own. Now Mr. Burgess can walk short distances on his own and even longer distances with the assistance of a cane.

Following his discharge, Mr. Burgess opted to continue receiving therapy at RiverLedge three times per week. While staying at RiverLedge, Mr. Burgess said his daily therapy regimen included 90 minutes of IV treatments twice per day.

Director of Nursing Brittany Thornton said the availability of IV treatments at RiverLedge help keep people like Mr. Burgess out of the hospital.

"We are able to provide short-term IV therapy for residents who live in the facility or patients here for extended rehab stays. Providing IV therapy in our facility allows residents to live here in comfort instead of staying in the hospital for extended periods of time. Thanks to this service, many people are able to locate closer to home from larger hospitals out of town," she said.

When Mr. Burgess first arrived at RiverLedge, he said he was in a dark place and not really motivated to participate in his therapy.

"When I first came here I was resistant and didn't want to do anything. I was depressed and I was in a dark place," he said. "I remember hearing a nurse say, 'If he doesn't want to help himself, we can't help him."

Not wanting to return to the hospital, Mr. Burgess said that moment, which occurred a few days into his stay at RiverLedge, served as the wake-up call he needed.

"That really turned me around, because I didn't want to go back to the hospital and I've been on the mend ever since."

Now in addition to his regularly scheduled therapy appointments, Mr. Burgess said he's doing exercises at home and making noticeable gains with each appointment.

"The last thing we're working on is just improving his range of motion," said Physical Therapy Assistant Joseph Longshore.

"I would come back here again in a heartbeat, not that I want to," Mr. Burgess said. "I would recommend this place to anyone.

For more information on IV therapy, physical therapy or any of the other therapy services offered by United Helpers contact RiverLedge in Ogdensburg at (315) 393-0730, Maplewood in Canton at (315) 386-4541 or visit United Helpers on the web at www.unitedhelpers.org.