LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — As part of our coverage of health care here in Southern Nevada over the past year, we’ve brought you many stories about patients who have had to leave the state for better care.
But now I have a positive story about a man in Arizona who was told by doctors there he had no chance of survival until a hospital here in Las Vegas gave him a second chance at life.
The story of PJ Carlton is nothing short of a miracle.
“It was a big challenge, a big challenge,” he said.
After battling sepsis, cardiac arrest, strokes and the amputation of both legs, doctors at two hospitals in Kingman, Arizona, told him there was no hope and he would have to be taken off life support.
“I won’t give up because I have a good team behind me,” he said.
He talks about the medical staff at Pam Health Specialty Hospital here in Las Vegas.
Their focus is on caring for patients with serious medical problems who require additional care and a longer hospital stay before they can be discharged home.
PJ’s sister Cindy Carlton said she brought her brother here and everything changed.
“Some may have millions of dollars worth of equipment, but they don’t have the heart that we have here,” she said.
When PJ returned in June, his condition was critical.
He couldn’t breathe on his own or even sit up without help, but Cindy said she chose Pam Health because of their respiratory therapy and wound care.
She told me that within a few weeks, PJ made progress that no one thought possible.
“They are the reason he has recovered so much and why he continues to recover,” Cindy said.
“Do you think you would be here today if it weren’t for this team?” I asked.
“No, I wouldn’t be. I would be dead if it weren’t for this team,” PJ said.
PJ was taken off the ventilator and his breathing tube was removed, after which he regained enough strength to sit up on his own.
At the beginning of August he stood on his prosthetic legs for the first time.
Now Dr. Jordana Cheta and his therapists are focusing on building his strength and balance to help him return home.
“How unbelievable is such a story?” I asked.
“I can’t tell you. It makes you see things differently,” Cheta said. “I take a video of something and then show it to my nurses and say, ‘Hey guys, it’s not over.’ I know it’s sad to have a patient like that, but there is hope and the patient can recover, just like he did.”
“The health care here in Southern Nevada is great,” PJ said.
PJ’s family was once told he would not survive, but thanks to the medical team here in Las Vegas, they are now watching him regain his independence.
“What really struck me was the love and care I received,” PJ said.
“How grateful are you for the team that is behind you today?” I asked.
“I love these guys. I just love them all,” he said.
Now PJ is on his way to Pam Health Rehabilitation Hospital in Centennial Hills to continue his rehabilitation process.
For more information about Pam Health click HERE.
