03/03/2026
A stroke can change everything in an instant. For Wayne Lowery, what was a normal February day became a day that would change his life.
Last year, Wayne was going about his day when he noticed something was off. He suddenly felt unsteady while walking and noticed his left arm was becoming harder to use. It wasn’t until his left leg collapsed while he was retrieving a package delivery from the porch that he knew there was a problem.
“I knew there was a problem, but not what that problem was,” he recalls. “I texted my wife that I needed assistance. My wife arrived, assessed the situation and called 911.”
EMS transported Wayne to Mercy Health — Mt. Orab Medical Center Emergency Department, where he underwent a CAT scan. The scan showed no hemorrhagic stroke, and Wayne was transferred to Mercy Health — Kings Mills Hospital for observation. An MRI revealed that Wayne had been suffering from an ischemic CVA of the basal ganglia, a blood clot in the brain, which led to the loss of the use of both his left arm and left leg.
Wayne’s care team discussed options for rehab, and at the recommendation of Mercy Health — Anderson Hospital’s acute rehab unit (ARU), Wayne would receive outpatient occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT) at Mercy Health — Clermont Hospital.
Together, the team worked to help address Wayne’s needs and get him on the path to recovery. “The staff doctor at the ARU addressed my medication needs to eliminate potential clotting. Outpatient OT and PT worked the functional duties of life,” Wayne shares. “The key was creating ‘neuroplasticity’ as it was explained to me, my main street was blocked, and we needed to reroute the brain function through side streets and alleys to get motor function restored.”
“The entire staff treated me with kindness and respect,” he says.
“I loved being Wayne's physical therapist because he is an extremely hard worker and he was very motivated to meet his goals,” Kelsey, Wayne's primary physical therapist, shares. “Wayne never missed a session or complained. It was fun to find different ways to challenge him."
She explains, "After his stroke, we focused on tasks like gait mechanics, balance and targeted strengthening exercises in physical therapy. He made a miraculous recovery from having to use a walker the first day I met him to no longer needing to use any assistive devices to help him walk once he was discharged from therapy! It was very rewarding as his PT to see what an amazing recovery he made and watch him return to his activities.”
Kristin, Wayne's primary occupational therapist, shares, "Wayne was an exceptionally diligent and motivated patient who has been a true pleasure throughout the course of therapy. At the outset, he demonstrated significant ataxia in his left hand, which resulted in decreased coordination and limited his ability to perform daily activities effectively. Despite these challenges, he consistently approached each session with focus, perseverance and a positive attitude. His primary goal was to return to drumming, an activity that holds great personal meaning for him, and he has shown admirable commitment to improving the control, timing and precision required to achieve that goal. His determination made all the difference."
Wayne completed his OT in September 2025 and his PT in November 2025. He shares, “OT helped me get my driving privileges back. They ran me through all the tests and consulted with my primary care provider, who granted me the ability to return to driving. I am the drummer at my church and the Sunday School superintendent, with the service responsibilities that go with those roles. OT worked with me to get my hand and wrist going for drumming, and PT worked with me on walking/balance and stair steps so I could get back to my duties.”
He adds, “I am back on the drums and am leading Sunday School every week.”
“Thank you is not adequate for what everyone did for me,” Wayne expresses. “I saw the wide range of disabilities people currently experience and the challenges therapists face trying to help people. I have great respect for the training and experience they all have. I was proud of the progress and got the opportunity to visit the ARU and show off for those who had my case there. Everyone worked as a team, and I am very appreciative.”
Our multidisciplinary stroke and neuro rehab program team members are dedicated to providing compassionate care to patients like Wayne, helping them on their journey to recovery and a better quality of life.
Mercy Health — Clermont Hospital also hosts a Stroke and Neuro support group on the third Tuesday of every month at 4 p.m. in the cardiac rehab suite. This group is open to stroke survivors and people with other neurological conditions, such as brain injury, Parkinson's, etc., along with their caregivers. "It is a great way to bridge the gap from discharging from outpatient therapy services to reintegration in the community," Kelsey shares.
