He was only supposed to be in South Hadley for mere minutes, when the unthinkable happened.
As owner of a thriving cross-country trucking business, Bennie White arrived in South Hadley early one February morning ready to pick up a shipment and head to Wisconsin. White isn’t a local, in fact he lives over 2,600 miles away in Las Vegas.
Bennie stepped out of the truck and onto the snow-covered ice. Unused to New England weather conditions, down he went. “I heard a rip,” shares Bennie. “I couldn’t move. I knew it was bad.” The doctors told him he had a tear in his quadriceps tendon (the large tendon above your kneecap) that would require surgery and extensive rehabilitation.
I NEEDED TO STAY
The doctor explained surgical repairs for injuries like his have a high failure rate in the first three weeks after surgery. Bennie was instructed not to move his leg for two to three weeks. He couldn’t travel home and needed to navigate this painful situation. His doctor suggested he recover at the Bronson Rehabilitation Unit at Baystate Noble Hospital.
Bennie admits the first few days were a struggle. “Having this happen, being in huge amounts of pain and then having to figure out all the medical, rehab and insurance pieces was very stressful,” says Bennie. “There were a few times when my insurance case manager and the medical staff disagreed. I didn’t know what would happen but I told my case manager I have a good feeling about this place, they are kind, and I need to stay here,” says Bennie. “They calmed me down and made me feel at home.”
Bennie’s family had planned to visit every other weekend. “Honestly, we both decided that he was doing so well that we would just wait,” says Amber White, Bennie’s wife. “We were so comfortable and confident in the care.”
Bennie became fast friends with occupational therapist Sheila Bennett and physical therapy assistant Charly Murphy. “These therapists are so knowledgeable and were completely in charge of my care. I owe them everything,” says White.
BETTER THAN I COULD HAVE IMAGINED
White was discharged in early May feeling better than he could have ever imagined. “I thought I was going to be permanently disabled, and feared I would never walk the same, that I wouldn’t be able to drive. I am amazed and can absolutely say that because of the care, and because of these people, I will be able to continue to drive and build my business.”