Jose Silva

Jose Silva has thought of himself to be a fairly healthy man. As a farmer, he shared that his typical day frequently required him to physically exert and push himself. Nonetheless, he enjoyed working outdoors and in the agriculture industry.

One day, Jose noticed that he was not feeling well – he experienced mild coughing, shortness of breath, and a slight fever. Jose’s wife became concerned and urged him to go to the emergency room.

Once Jose arrived at the emergency room, the doctor ordered a COVID-19 test along with several other tests. As he waited for the results, it was apparent that he was getting sicker by the minute. With Jose’s symptoms getting worse, he was admitted to the hospital and before long, he was placed in the intensive care unit where he was intubated for nearly two months.

Once Jose started to improve and show signs of stability, the doctors recommended he transfer to a long-term acute care hospital. Jose transferred to Central Valley Specialty Hospital in Modesto to start the ventilator weaning process.

The road to recovery for Jose was difficult and long, but neither he nor his family gave up. The family had faith that Jose would eventually return home.

Although the weaning process from the ventilator was not easy for Jose, he started to make gains each day. Five weeks later, Jose received great news – the doctors at Central Valley Specialty Hospital recommended he start acute inpatient physical therapy at San Joaquin Valley Rehabilitation Hospital.

Jose arrived at SJVRH and worked tirelessly with his physical and occupational therapists. He was motivated and excited to know that he would soon return home to his family. Jose had renewed determination with every day that passed. He was grateful to everyone with whom he came in contact. “Absolutely every single person here has been so helpful and always offered me assistance when I needed it,” said Jose.

In less than one week, Jose met his physical therapy goals and discharged back home. Jose is ready to restart and enjoy his family the second chance at life that he has received!