11/04/2025
Fifty-eight-year-old Ricky Benedict from Emory, Texas, enjoys camping and building model car kits.
Recently, Ricky had heart surgery but developed a serious injury to his windpipe during a procedure to insert a breathing tube. To keep his airway open, doctors placed a tracheal stent along with the tracheostomy. Later, he began experiencing a constant cough and trouble breathing, which led to a procedure to remove the stent and adjust the breathing tube.
Due to these complications, Ricky spent more than six months in the hospital before being referred to Mesquite Specialty Hospital (MSH), a long-term acute care facility, for continued specialized care. The hospital is nationally certified in Respiratory Failure by The Joint Commission, utilizing best practices and evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for its patients.
When Ricky arrived at MSH, he was bedridden and dependent on a tracheostomy for long-term mechanical ventilation to help him breathe. Under the guidance of the hospital’s interdisciplinary healthcare team, he participated in intensive physical, occupational, and respiratory therapy to regain movement, improve breathing, and rebuild strength.
During his four-month stay, Ricky made remarkable progress. Upon discharge, he could get out of bed, walk 20 steps, and move around on his own. He also no longer needed a ventilator or a tracheostomy. Now, he’s looking forward to going home and planning his next camping trip.
