Car accident survivor makes fantastic recovery at Life Care of Ooltewah

Amanda Smith will never forget what happened on March 28, 2021.

On that day, Amanda, 42, was involved in a car accident and had to be extracted from her vehicle and transported by helicopter to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She had multiple fractures and bruising throughout her body, and she underwent surgery to repair some of the damage.

On April 2, Amanda came to Life Care Center of Ooltewah, Tennessee, close to her home, for rehabilitation to restore her independence and get home to her apartment where she lives with her teenage daughter.

“From my first moments at Ooltewah Life Care Center, I knew I was in the right place for my specific recovery,” Amanda shared. “The physical and occupational therapy team quickly had a plan of action geared toward helping me achieve my goals.”

Amanda started out unable to bear weight on her legs or her right arm, especially a hinderance since she is right-handed. She was totally dependent even for her bed mobility, and she needed setup assistance for feeding herself.

Physical therapists worked with Amanda on increasing her lower-body strength and activity tolerance. As she was cleared to put weight on her legs, they worked with her on mobility, transfers, walking and even stair climbing. Occupational therapists worked with her on using her left hand for self-care tasks and helped her master her activities of daily living again.

“The therapists’ readiness combined with my perseverance helped me get on the ground and walking again,” said Amanda.

On June 1, Amanda was excited to return home, independent in her ADLs and mobility. She was able to return to her job at a local bank as well.

“Amanda’s recovery was so inspiring,” said Jennifer Matthews, occupational therapist. “Despite the severity of her injuries, she worked hard in therapy and ultimately was able to go home. She had the support of a loving family and the spirit of a fighter that got her through the tough days.”

Evan Dalton, physical therapist, added, “Amanda worked hard to reach her goals and ultimately was successful in regaining her ability to perform all aspects of mobility with full independence.”

Life Care is proud of Amanda and her accomplishments, and it was a privilege to partner with her in her recovery.