Patient Success Stories

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It has been five years since Marion Steele faced one of the most defining moments of her life, a battle with the COVID-19 virus. What followed was not just a physical recovery, but a profound personal journey marked by resilience, reflection, and renewal. In this testimonial, Marion shares her story with honesty and hope, offering a powerful glimpse into what it means to survive, to heal, and to live more fully in the wake of crisis. 

Patricia, one of our former patients at RML Hinsdale, contacted us to say hello and to let everyone know how much she appreciated all the staff at RML. She is forever grateful for the great care and compassion shown to her while she was our patient. We are glad you are doing well Patricia and thanks for your kind words, looking good!

My wife Cathy was the lead medical transcriptionist at a busy suburban Chicago hospital until she had a massive heart attack in August of 2005. The heart attack caused too much damage & Cathy was told that she needed a new heart. She had a Left Ventricular Assist Device, an LVAD, installed in her abdomen to assist her heart in pumping to keep her alive until a donor heart could be found.

After Cathy’s LVAD surgery, she needed special care. RML was the only hospital willing to take on her difficult case. To accept Cathy as a patient, RML’s staff needed special training and individualized accommodations to meet her needs. The staff at RML were willing to go above and beyond to accommodate us.

We received expert care at RML. I say ‘we’ because not only did my wife receive exceptional care to treat her illness, but I was also included in the healing process. The team of physicians and therapists had us set goals to help monitor her progress. They let both my wife and I set goals — they did not tell us what we should be doing or how my wife should be progressing, they instead asked our input. This made all the difference in the world to my family. We felt like we were helping direct the course of the care we received instead of being pushed through a pre-designated route in a complex medical system. The staff at RML genuinely cares for both the patient and their family and they treat each individual patient in a unique manner customized to meet the patient’s needs.

Cathy fought through her illness for nine months. She was scared for a lot of that time but throughout each of her 3 stays at RML she was very happy. With the help of staff like psychologist Dr. Joanne Kelly, Cathy was able to rid herself fear and regain control of her life. Unfortunately Cathy never made it to transplant. We were at peace with her medical situation. When the time for Cathy’s passing came, she was at total peace. There was no fear. Cathy realized that everything that could be done was done and it was just her time. The last three days of her life she spent at RML with her family and friends. On that last day, we all said goodbye and she passed away quietly holding her husband’s hand with her nurse and doctor in the room to make sure she passed quietly and painlessly.

This was not the outcome we wanted but it is a part of life. RML realizes this and helped both Cathy and myself through our most difficult days. This is what makes this facility so important… what is best for the patient takes precedence. RML truly has the patient’s best interest in mind.

Thank You,
Jeffrey Black

Janet Frampton knew she had COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) but was not expecting to end up on this journey.

Not too long ago Janet felt she was having trouble breathing. Her hospital was full, so she was sent to Advocate South Suburban Hospital. While she was there, her breathing became more difficult and she ended up needing the assistance of a mechanical ventilator for breathing. Time passed and her physicians thought it would be best if Janet was transferred to a LTCH (long Term Acute Care Hospital) to continue her weaning from the ventilator.

That is when Janet’s family jumped in. They wanted to find the best place for “mom”. Jennifer, Janet’s daughter, researched LTCH and found RML Specialty Hospital. The family agreed RML Specialty Hospital would be the best place for mom and Chicago would be the ideal location for the family.

Not long after Janet arrived, she was able to breathe on her own for hours at a time. Today she is up in a chair, looking forward to returning home very soon.

“The doctors here are a world of knowledge. They are caring and professional” States Janet. “I couldn’t be in a better place”. “The staff here is caring, professional, and great.”

Thank you, Janet, for all your kind words.

Thank you RML Specialty hospital staff, for helping Janet on her road to recovery.

From the moment our loved one arrived at RML Specialty Hospital, we knew she was in the hands of an extraordinary team.

She had suffered a massive stroke and faced overwhelming challenges. She was on a ventilator, had a feeding tube, could not speak, could not walk, and was nearly completely paralyzed. It would have been easy for people to see only the severity of her condition. Instead, every member of the RML staff saw the person behind the illness and never stopped believing in her potential.

The nurses, therapists, physicians, aides, and support staff treated her with compassion, dignity, patience, and unwavering encouragement. Day after day, they worked tirelessly with her, celebrating every small victory and continually motivating her to keep fighting. Their optimism gave hope not only to her, but to our entire family.

One person who deserves special recognition is Patti Barron, the Patient Care Coordinator. Patti was absolutely outstanding. She tirelessly coordinated with insurance companies and acute rehabilitation facilities, navigating what can be an incredibly difficult and frustrating process. She went above and beyond in every way imaginable.

What impressed me most was watching the entire RML team come together on our behalf. They collaborated to prepare detailed reports, document her progress, and provide everything needed to demonstrate that she was a strong candidate for acute rehabilitation. Anyone familiar with this process knows that acute rehab hospitals often accept only patients they believe have significant rehabilitation potential. Thanks to the determination, teamwork, and advocacy of the staff at RML, she was accepted into an acute rehabilitation program—a milestone that once seemed almost impossible.

Beyond the exceptional medical care, the hospital itself is immaculate, beautiful, and professionally run. Every interaction reflected a culture of excellence, respect, and genuine compassion.

RML Specialty Hospital gave our loved one something priceless: hope. They believed in her when the road ahead seemed uncertain, and their dedication helped make the next step in her recovery possible.

To Patti Barron and every member of the RML team, thank you for your extraordinary skill, your relentless advocacy, and your kindness. You made an immeasurable difference in our lives, and we will be forever grateful.