Jill Anderson

Battling for her life was the furthest thing from Jill Anderson’s mind. Jill lived at home with her husband and three young boys. She worked full-time, cared for her family, and enjoyed camping, fishing, and attending rodeos. Life was good and fulfilling.

When Jill began feeling ill one day, everything changed. She experienced fevers, chills, rigors, and shortness of breath, leading her to Bemidji Hospital. There, she was admitted and diagnosed with septic shock, double pneumonia, and influenza B, which required her to be placed on a ventilator. Just three short days later, Jill’s condition worsened, and she was airlifted to a hospital in Duluth to receive dialysis for kidney failure and to wean off the ventilator. She spent weeks sedated while in Duluth.

Stabilized but still facing an extended hospitalization due to her complex medical needs, Jill transferred to Vibra Hospital of Fargo. Vibra Hospital is a critical care hospital, a type of specialty hospital that provides a high level of medical care for an extended period of time.

Jill arrived at Vibra Hospital facing extreme weakness due to the weeks of sedation. She could not walk and required two people to help her sit on the side of the hospital bed. She could not complete most self-care activities herself or eat a regular diet. But Jill was motivated and prepared to work.

Longing to return home to her family, Jill worked hard with the therapy team at Vibra to regain her strength. Following a swallow study, which assessed Jill’s ability to eat safely, she began a modified diet and quickly progressed to a regular diet. Through her efforts with physical therapy, Jill began walking again, able to cover about 100 feet. Likewise, her hard work with occupational therapy paid off, and Jill can dress and bathe herself with minimal assistance.

Having made significant progress during her stay at Vibra Hospital of Fargo, Jill was ready for the final stage of her recovery. She discharged to an inpatient rehabilitation facility to continue regaining her strength to safely return home to her loving family.