Following stroke, Cochrane man back to doing what he loves

Following stroke, Cochrane man back to doing what he loves

Larry Muench and his wife, Joanne, were all ready to head south. They had their gear packed and their motorcycle tuned up in advance of their upcoming winter in Texas-a trip they had made for many years.

But then their plans changed in an instant.

On Jan. 6, the day before Larry's 73rd birthday, he suffered a stroke that left the left side of his body paralyzed. It was a setback that made him completely dependent on Joanne-and the medical teams who cared for him at various points-and unable to do the things he enjoys, like playing his guitar and trap shooting.

Overcoming the challenges of stroke

But Larry was determined, and after a short rehab stint at a care facility in St. Charles, he was transferred in February to Emplify Health by Gundersen Care Center - Shields Avenue in Wabasha, which is closer to his home in Cochrane, Wis. There, he spent about two months under the care of Amy Stamschror, RN care coordinator, as well as physical and occupational therapists.

While at the Shields Avenue care center, Larry set out to overcome what damage had been done. He and his team worked diligently to reestablish his balance, coordination, strength, bed mobility and his ability to climb stairs. It was easy to see that what he was doing was working.

"A little after a week or so, we're just happy to see he could move his left hand," Joanne says. "He's come a long way."

"It's been fun seeing his journey and the progress," Stamschror says. "He came in needing the lift, and then to be able to see him progressing and walking on his own, it's just been a really amazing journey to witness."

As luck would have it, one of Larry's hobbies - guitar playing-aided in his rehab efforts. He's been playing since he was 13 years old, and over those 60 years, he's come to enjoy country music-particularly Johnny Cash, though he also plays bluegrass at church. He likes performing in a group but isn't a fan of solo work. That finger picking ended up being a big part of his healing.

"The point of the guitar is, that's going to be really good therapy, working on getting his fingers moving," Stamschror says. "So, I was excited to be able to hear him."

On a quick trip home one day, Larry played some Johnny Cash once again-something he was able to do because of the therapy at the care center. Stamschror made him promise to return to play for the staff once he's fully recovered.

Results worth celebrating

Larry's results are the kinds the care center loves to see.

"It's always nice to see residents be able to go home," Stamschror says. "A lot of people think that when people come into a nursing home, this is just where they're going to stay. That's not how nursing homes are all the time."

Many times, patients stay at nursing homes for rehab after strokes or broken bones that aren't weight-bearing for a period, she says.

Larry was able to go home on April 18. He'll continue his outpatient rehab at Emplify Health by Gundersen Winona Campus, a convenient location from where they live. His journey isn't one his care team on Shields Avenue will soon forget.

"I just can't say enough how incredible he is and how fast his recovery has been," says physical therapist Cheryl Phyle. "I've been doing this for eight years, but I've never seen somebody recover from such an intense stroke so quickly."

To learn more about stroke, including symptoms and the importance of immediate medical attention, visit our Stroke webpage.