Gabe's Stroke Recovery Successful at Northwest Transitions Inpatient Rehabilitation

11/4/2025

At first, the only unusual thing Gabe noticed was that he seemed to be walking slightly to the left without meaning to, like a car out of alignment.

“I didn’t think anything of it,” Gabe remembers. After all, he was only 55.

But then, Gabe’s girlfriend pointed out that half of his face seemed to be drooping.

An unsteady walk and a drooping face – along with slurred speech, which Gabe experienced next – are signs of a stroke – or a “brain attack,” which requires fast medical care. In fact, F.A.S.T. is the acronym to think of if you fear that you or a loved one may be having a stroke:

F: Face drooping
A: Arm weakness, especially if one arm is weaker, or feels numb, compared to the other.
S: Speech difficulty: Listen for slurred speech, trouble understanding words, or an inability to speak.
T: Time to call 911 right away – even if symptoms seem to improve on their own.

After Gabe received initial emergency care and hospitalization at Northwest Medical Center, he spent a month at Northwest Transitions Inpatient Rehabilitation re-learning how to walk, speak, and regain his hand and grip strength with the help of expert physical, occupational, and speech therapists.

“You have your own room, and they set a schedule for you every day,” Gabe says. “I started out in a wheelchair, then little by little graduated to a walker, then to a cane. They keep you very active.”

After a month, Gabe knew the staff who cared for him by name.

“Clara, Ana, Jim, Gabby, Faith, Jim, Deb and Malaina were the best,” he says. “At Northwest Transitions, they’re there to take care of you and help you. You can focus on getting better – they won’t let you fall.”

We congratulate Gabe on his amazing recovery – and thank every Northwest Transitions Inpatient Rehabilitation professional for all they do to help people reclaim their independence and get back to doing the things they love!

Gabe and Malaina, physical therapy assistant at Northwest Transitions Inpatient Rehabilitation

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