Thirty-four-year-old Jacob Frisch, a registered nurse from Toledo, Ohio, was at work one day when he noticed a burning sensation in his legs that quickly escalated. Soon, he couldn’t lift his arms, grew progressively weaker, and eventually required a ventilator to breathe. Jacob was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a neurological disorder where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the nerves.

After several weeks of treatment in a local acute care hospital, Jacob was admitted to Rehabilitation Hospital of Northwest Ohio (RHNO) for specialized rehabilitative care. Despite various challenges, he was determined to regain his strength and independence. Working with the hospital’s interdisciplinary healthcare team, Jacob achieved several major milestones during his stay at RHNO: his tracheostomy was removed, he progressed to eating a regular diet, and he mastered transferring from a wheelchair to a bed.

“I’m a goal-driven person, so I appreciate how goal-driven the therapy team was too,” Jacob says. “Their commitment to both short-term and long-term outcomes was exactly what I needed. Each week, I saw progress, with my ultimate goal to be able to walk when I was discharged from the hospital.”

Jacob reached that goal after 38 days at RHNO, when he was able to walk with the assistance of a walker. “The therapists, nurses, case managers—and even the food—were all great!” he says.

Now Jacob continues with outpatient therapy, gaining additional strength every day. He’s enjoying playing with his two young daughters, ages 2 and 5.

Reflecting on his experience, Jacob expresses gratitude for the care he received at RHNO. The entire Frisch family even came back to visit staff members in October during the hospital’s Halloween celebration.