By Naeisha Rose
Carolyn Augustus, a victim of a car accident a few blocks away from her house in St. Albans, is expecting to return home this week thanks to the care of staff at Holliswood Center’s new “In-House Orthopedics” program in Hollis.
“I was coming home from work and [the car accident] happened almost near my house,” said Augustus, who was walking home July 18 when she was struck by a car very early in the morning.
Augustus was immediately sent to Jamaica Hospital after her car accident.
“My two feet were hurt, and my left and my right knee,” said Augustus. “I had to get three surgeries on my left foot.”
After getting discharged from the hospital eight days later, she had to decide where she would get rehabilitative healthcare.
Initially she considered going all the way to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan, where her family lives, but ultimately she decided to stay in Queens and go to Holliswood Center, a rehabilitative facility located at 194-44 Woodhull Ave. in Hollis, which coincidentally enough started an orthopedic program May 1.
“I stayed here for three weeks, and then I went back to the hospital to follow up with the doctor… I had my surgery and stayed there for three weeks, and then I came back to Holliswood,” said Augustus. “Hopefully [on Oct. 3] I am going home.”
While at Holliswood she used the Jintronix, a high-tech machine with features similar to the Wii video-game console, according to Holliswood Center spokesman Jeffrey Jacomowitz.
The Jintronix machine helps to cut the rehabilitation time for patients, according to Dr. Peyman Younesi, a medical director at Holliswood.
Younesi said that providing medical care to patients in Jamaica or throughout Queens is easier to do at Holliswood because it makes it easier to coordinate with doctors to make sure patients are staying on top of their medication and rehabilitation, as opposed to having to go to rehabilitation facilities in Manhattan. The orthopedic space also has its own rehab area to keep patients from get infections from other patients.
“I enjoyed going to my therapy every day,” said Augustus.
Looking back at her time at Holliswood, Augustus said she is thankful for staff’s support.
“I don’t know their names,” said Augustus, “but they are very, very beautiful people to be around.”
Reach reporter Naeisha Rose by e-mail at nrose
