Hospital: PAM Health Specialty and Rehabilitation Hospital of New Braunfels
Diagnosis: Critical illness myopathy
Maribel Maldonado-Martinez gave birth to her son on April 13, 2025, but at only eight weeks postpartum, her whole world was flipped upside down. She started having abnormal and severe abdominal pain. At the hospital, a rapidly developing acute pancreatic condition was revealed. In a matter of hours, Mrs. Maldonado-Martinez was in septic shock and acute renal failure, requiring CRRT (a form of ICU-level continuous dialysis). Very ill and still declining, she was transferred to a larger hospital in San Antonio equipped to mitigate some of the most severe cases, like hers.
By June 11, Mrs. Maldonado-Martinez needed ECMO (a life support system taking over the work of the heart and lungs) to survive. She slowly began responding to the treatment plan. On June 23, after 12 days of ECMO, she was successfully liberated from the ventilator and breathing on her own again through a tracheostomy. Stabilized and no longer in critical danger, she now faced the grueling challenge of recovering after week of being immobilized, sedated, and dependent on life-sustaining medical equipment for weeks.
Mrs. Maldonado-Martinez came to our long-term acute care unit at PAM Health Specialty and Rehabilitation Hospital of New Braunfels on July 2 for continued medical management and rehabilitation. On admission, she had a tracheostomy and was using a Passy-Muir Valve (PMV) to speak, so she could communicate with her care team. Still unable to swallow, she continued on tube feeding. She also required substantial assistance for all activities of daily living. Over the course of several days, Mrs. Maldonado-Martinez progressed to supervised assistance with bed mobility, moderate assistance for transfers. She also accomplished walking 10 feet with moderate staff assistance! Through her own perseverance and our staff’s expertise and intervention, she was already making tremendous progress.
On July 15, Mrs. Maldonado-Martinez came to our inpatient rehabilitation unit. She was still somewhat dependent for mobility and transfers. Through more than three hours daily of rigorous PT, OT, and speech therapy, Mrs. Maldonado-Martinez remained determined and continued to make amazing progress. On July 20, she was decannulated, finally having shed the last remaining indwelling medical device. On July 22, 69 days after initial hospitalization, she was back to talking clearly, eating safely, and walking normally. She was discharged back home to be with her precious baby boy!
Mrs. Maldonado-Martinez’s recovery is an incredible testament to her strength and resilience and the unwavering dedication of the entire multidisciplinary team involved in her care. We’re incredibly proud of everything you’ve achieved and that we could be part of your miraculous recovery. Felicidades, Maribel!
