Patient Paying It Forward for Shirley Ryan AbilityLab at Silver Cross

Following a harrowing, life-threatening bout with Guillain-Barre Syndrome in April, Bo Boll was able to walk out of Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, thanks in part to the therapists at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab inpatient unit. 

“I truly believe as I go throughout my career, he will be one of the top five patients I will never forget,” Occupational Therapist Lindsay Sloan said at the time.

That’s been true, not only because Boll, 74, of Mokena, was able to walk out on his own after only a couple weeks in the hospital, but because he happens to live in the same neighborhood as Sloan and her family.

“We’ve seen him a couple times since he was released,” Sloan said. “He has several old cars he’s restoring, and my nephew loves cars. So, he’s given me several books on cars for my nephew.”

Boll, retired as a longtime contractor, also has a workshop at his home, and admits he likes to stay busy. Looking at the equipment used in therapy from a patient’s point of view, he thought he could offer some enhancements.

“No one can truly experience the feeling of being in that situation except the patients,” he said. “Since I was already in that position, and seeing a possible need for additional therapy items, I reached out to Lindsay and another therapist at Silver Cross to determine what really works and what they need.”

After talking to them, the three decided to enhance and modify two existing pieces of equipment.

“One looked like an orange crate that you had to take apart by unscrewing bolts, and then putting it back together again,” said Boll. “I made a new one that was easier to use for people who couldn’t stand up and work on it.”

When he brought that in to the AbilityLab, Sloan said, another therapist asked if he could make a new incline board. Patients use that not only to work on their leg strength, but their arm and hand strength as they grab the rails.

“He likes to keep busy, and he really did us a huge favor,” Sloan said. “And then he also built a device that helps patients develop their fine motor skills.”

Boll said he has a metal shop at home as well, and he came up with a device that helps him work to get back the feeling in his fingers by twisting and untwisting a nut up and down a metal rod. He figured other therapy patients could benefit from it, too.

“I enjoy giving back to those who helped me, and hopefully, I can continue to build and design other items for therapy use with the group at Silver Cross.”

Sloan said she and the other AbilityLab physical and occupational therapists are thinking of other projects to keep Boll busy and to help them help their patients.

“He was a great patient and had a wonderful outcome,” Sloan said. “What a great way to pay it forward.”

For more information about rehabilitation services at Silver Cross, visit www.silvercross.org