Hospital Happenings

Knowing the signs of stroke could help save your own life or the life of a loved one. Dixon Hayes, who works as a full time photographer at Fox 6 News in Birmingham, knows this story all too well. He first started experiencing balance issues and dizziness in late April, and several days later he experienced slurred speech, left sided weakness and difficulty walking. Dixon was admitted to the hospital and later went to Encompass Health of Gadsden for therapy and rehabilitation. One of his main goals during therapy is to be able to get down on the floor and play with his dogs, so pet assisted therapy was identified as an opportunity to support his rehabilitation. Dixon has worked closely with therapy dog Gracie during his rehabilitation, and he continues therapy to improve his balance, redevelop his walking skills, and work on fine motor skills that can help him in normal daily activities. Dixon was discharged from Encompass Health this week and was excited to return home to his three dogs.