LARGO — Three rehabilitation specialists were caught by surprise when Ashley Vance walked into a room at Largo Medical Center.
The team there helped Ashley as she recovered last year from a rare disorder causing inflammation of the blood vessels.
“It affects different people differently. Mine affects my sinus, my lungs, and my kidneys,” said Vance.
Ashley was in an induced coma and doctors told her she almost didn’t make it.
But she got better.
And then the rehab therapists went to work.
Including Pauline Nichol, Dr. Buddy Crowther, and Dr. Lindsey Carhart.
“I wouldn’t be where I am today without all their help and the hard work and dedication to me,” said Vance who couldn’t move most of her body when she started rehab.
The process was long and difficult.
“A lot of it was anxiety-driven. She was very scared. Very scared to stand up. So getting over that mental hurdle was definitely a big part of it,” said Crowther.
But Ashley pulled through and exactly one year ago today, she went home.
She’s kept in touch with her rehabilitation team but wanted to thank them again in person.
“It just wants to make you come to work tomorrow and just do it again. Effect someone else like that. It makes me want to work harder and be a better therapist than I was yesterday,” said Carhart.
Ashley has her life back including a job managing a salon.
She even cut her doctor's hair before she went home.
“They became the only people I really saw every day. So they became family. They have literally seen me at my very worst. And now At my best,” said Vance.
