“All of a sudden, I couldn’t move my left side. I was having a stroke.” - Tiffany Butts

Tiffany Butts had a beautiful baby girl, Nova, on September 6, 2021.  On October 2, she didn’t feel great and went to the emergency room.  They kept her for observation.  

“All of a sudden, I couldn’t move my left side.  I was rushed to the ICU, where they told me I was having a stroke.”

Doctors found a blood clot in Tiffany’s brain and put in a filter to stop additional clots.  She was paralyzed on her left dominant side and unable to speak.  When she was stable, she was transferred to the DMC Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan (RIM).

“I was supposed to be caring for my new baby, and I couldn’t even move.  Plus, it was during COVID, and Nova couldn’t come to the hospital.  I never got to hold her until two and half months later.”

At RIM, she had physical, occupational and speech therapy five to six days a week.  Tiffany was especially happy with how she graduated from speech therapy in just three weeks.  

“Everyone at RIM was so encouraging.  They all promised that if I put in the work, I would get better. When I stood for the first time, it gave me so much hope.  If I was patient, I knew I could get home to my baby.”

By the time Tiffany was discharged from RIM’s inpatient Neuroscience Unit, she was no longer using a lift to transfer, and she was building strength on her left side.”  

Tiffany continued with weekly outpatient therapy sessions at RIM, where she progressed to only walking with a cane and fully expects to walk unassisted. She’s able to get on the floor and play with her baby, feed her, dress her and enjoy all the smiles.

“RIM taught me it was okay to cry, but then I just needed to move along and focus on tomorrow and that’s why I’m where I’m at today!  Thank you RIM!”  

“All of a sudden, I couldn’t move my left side. I was having a stroke.” - Tiffany Butts

Tiffany Butts had a beautiful baby girl, Nova, on September 6, 2021.  On October 2, she didn’t feel great and went to the emergency room.  They kept her for observation.  

“All of a sudden, I couldn’t move my left side.  I was rushed to the ICU, where they told me I was having a stroke.”

Doctors found a blood clot in Tiffany’s brain and put in a filter to stop additional clots.  She was paralyzed on her left dominant side and unable to speak.  When she was stable, she was transferred to the DMC Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan (RIM).

“I was supposed to be caring for my new baby, and I couldn’t even move.  Plus, it was during COVID, and Nova couldn’t come to the hospital.  I never got to hold her until two and half months later.”

At RIM, she had physical, occupational and speech therapy five to six days a week.  Tiffany was especially happy with how she graduated from speech therapy in just three weeks.  

“Everyone at RIM was so encouraging.  They all promised that if I put in the work, I would get better. When I stood for the first time, it gave me so much hope.  If I was patient, I knew I could get home to my baby.”

By the time Tiffany was discharged from RIM’s inpatient Neuroscience Unit, she was no longer using a lift to transfer, and she was building strength on her left side.”  

Tiffany continued with weekly outpatient therapy sessions at RIM, where she progressed to only walking with a cane and fully expects to walk unassisted. She’s able to get on the floor and play with her baby, feed her, dress her and enjoy all the smiles.

“RIM taught me it was okay to cry, but then I just needed to move along and focus on tomorrow and that’s why I’m where I’m at today!  Thank you RIM!”