Erika Kirk is a homemaker, a mother of two, and was First Lady of Florida from 1967-1971. She and her husband Claude Kirk, the 36th Governor of Florida, have been married for more than 40 years.
Before coming to Kindred Hospital The Palm Beaches, Mrs. Kirk was admitted to the local short-term acute care hospital for suspected Guillian-Barré syndrome that evolved into acute respiratory failure. At the end of her three-week stay at the traditional hospital, Mrs. Kirk required extended recovery time and was transferred to Kindred Hospital The Palm Beaches.
Upon admission to Kindred Hospital, Mrs. Kirk required continued respiratory treatment, nutritional support and ventilator weaning. She was evaluated by Kindred’s physicians and interdisciplinary team of nurses, specialists and therapists, who developed an aggressive treatment plan tailored to her complex medical needs.
Mrs. Kirk was very anxious about the weaning process, but was strengthened and encouraged by our respiratory staff’s optimism and her family’s support. Her husband remained at her bedside throughout her recovery.
The Kindred Hospital staff reassured her and soon she was fully weaned from the ventilator. She passed all of her swallow evaluations, and the respiratory team proceeded to begin capping trials. Three days later to her amazement, Mrs. Kirk was decannulated and hasn’t stop smiling since.
Mrs. Kirk was discharged home to her loving, supportive family, and was grateful to the entire staff. She thanked staff members for “saving her life.”
Kindred Hospital The Palm Beaches’ success is apparent in stories like this as well as in their quality scores – over 99 percent of our patients and families recommend Kindred.
