![]() I felt like anytime I needed someone to talk to, I could call 24/7." Sue Walker Together, they developed a plan of care to help him recover and return to a maximum level of function. His team included a skilled nurse, physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech-language pathologist and dietitian. Mat went home in February 2018 with the assistance of home health services from Mayo Clinic Health System. It took seven months for him to be able to eat through his mouth again. Because he had breathing and feeding tubes in place for so long, the muscles in his throat needed time to recover. He was transferred to Mayo Post Acute Care in Barron, Wisconsin, where he received speech therapy twice a day, along with occupational and physical therapy. Released from the hospital in December 2017, Mat was still too weak to go home. "He's a fighter and didn't give up," Sue says. Although it took more than three months in the hospital, Mat recovered. Mat came through the surgery then later he experienced a stroke, blood clot, and gastrointestinal and brain bleeds. Neither Mat nor his wife, Sue, were ready for that.įortunately, Mat was cleared for open-heart surgery and placement of an LVAD in September 2017. ![]() Nearing the last stage of heart failure, the only alternative to a left ventricular assist device was to return home with hospice care. The device is an implantable mechanical pump that moves blood from the lower left side of the heart to the rest of the body. Mat then was flown to Mayo Clinic's Rochester campus, where his care team would explore whether he was a candidate for a left ventricular assist device, or LVAD. ![]() Mat spent two weeks under close medical surveillance at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He felt weak, had trouble breathing, and his legs and ankles swelled to the point that he could hardly get his shoes on. He went hunting and fishing, spent time with his family, and worked in his garage.īut in August 2017, Mat's heart failure took a sudden turn for the worse. Medication and regular medical evaluations allowed him to enjoy a normal life with few limitations. Through the years, although his heart was failing, the condition was manageable. Mat, a retired mechanic, has lived with heart problems since 1989. Watching wildlife in his yard, walking to his mailbox and back, and enjoying his meals all mean a little more to the 76-year-old Rice Lake, Wisconsin, man than they did before. But a host of Mayo Clinic care providers assembled to assist Mat as he worked toward his recovery goals.Īfter all he's been through over the past year, Mat Walker takes little for granted. When Mat Walker had a device implanted to aid his failing heart, it was just the beginning of a long road to better health.
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