One Day Everything Changed.
Joyce Palensky had never been one to slow down.
She was active, independent and accustomed to staying busy. So when she woke up one morning feeling dizzy and her vision blurred, she knew something was very wrong.
Her grandchildren had been staying with her that night. After sitting on the edge of the bed, Joyce slowly made her way downstairs. Her grandson noticed she wasn't feeling well. She made breakfast, then fell asleep in her recliner.
As the morning continued, things got worse.
She became nauseated and developed a headache. Her legs weren't functioning normally. At one point, Joyce had to crawl toward the door because she couldn't walk.
Her family feared she was having a stroke.
Joyce was taken to a Lincoln hospital, where she underwent a CT scan, MRI and other testing. While the hospital initially looked for a major, obvious event such as a stroke, the answers weren't immediately clear.
For Joyce, the experience was frightening.
“One day I was one person, and the next day I was another person,” she said, becoming emotional as she reflected on the experience.
The turning point
Joyce's daughter, Sandy, a nurse, became an important part of her support system. So did Amy, her physical therapist.
When Amy began working with Joyce, she performed her own quick coordination and neurological assessment and noticed several red flags.
Joyce was eventually evaluated at Boys Town, where specialized vestibular testing—including goggles, water and air testing—helped uncover what was really happening.
The findings were complex.
Joyce had both central and peripheral vestibular dysfunction, including a small vascular insult to the cerebellum and dysfunction affecting both sides of the vestibular system responsible for balance.
Most vestibular dysfunction affects one side. Joyce's involvement on both sides was unusual and made rehabilitation significantly more challenging.
And that meant recovery wouldn't simply happen with time.
It would take work.
A lot of it.
The work of getting better
From February through May, Joyce attended physical therapy three times a week for approximately 45 minutes at a time.
But the therapy sessions were only part of the recovery.
Approximately 90% of the work had to happen at home.
Joyce committed to it.
She spent an hour to an hour and a half working through her exercises and challenges at home, repeatedly exposing herself to movements and situations that triggered her symptoms in a safe and controlled environment.
Vestibular rehabilitation often requires this kind of habituation—carefully challenging the vestibular system again and again so the brain can learn how to respond differently.
It wasn't easy.
“It was a lot of work,” Joyce said.
But she kept going.
Her motivation helped. Summer was coming, and Joyce wanted to be outside. She wanted to work in her yard. She wanted to enjoy her flowers. She wanted her life back.
Amy encouraged her throughout the process.
“You are doing the work and doing everything you were supposed to do,” Amy reminded her.
And Joyce was.
Small victories became big ones
One of the biggest milestones was getting rid of her walker.
For Amy, it was a major victory.
For Joyce, it represented something much bigger: independence.
She continued working on real-world situations, too.
Going to a movie became an assignment.
Going to church and receiving Communion brought anxiety.
Going shopping in Lincoln presented another challenge.
Joyce went anyway.
One particularly meaningful goal was spending a day with her granddaughter for her birthday. Joyce went to Lincoln, went shopping and enjoyed the day.
“I zipped around with my granddaughter and was comfortable with her driving and had a fun day!”
Those moments showed Joyce how far she had come.
And then came today
Joyce completed her formal physical therapy from February through May.
In August, she returned to see Amy. Amy's reaction said everything.
“I would have never known that she had balance issues. Today I didn't see it at all. It is amazing!”
Joyce isn't experiencing dizziness now. She is driving again. She is getting out and doing things she enjoys.
She knows she will always have to think ahead a little more, plan for certain situations and be aware of her surroundings.
But she isn't afraid.
She has learned how to adapt.
And she has learned how much determination can accomplish.
“I never realized how fortunate we were.”
For Joyce, the experience also changed the way she thinks about healthcare close to home.
Like many people in the area, she and her family had historically traveled to Lincoln for healthcare.
“We always went to Lincoln when we were younger and as we aged,” she said.
But this experience opened her eyes to what was available much closer to home.
“I never realized how fortunate we were to have SMC here.”
Joyce talked about the people she knows, the familiar faces in the waiting room and the personal attention she received.
“You feel like a person. They make you feel very comfortable, and they care about you.”
That, she said, is something she is grateful for.
“I know they care about me. It was amazing care.”
Amy's perspective
For Amy, Joyce's recovery was rewarding for another reason.
Seven months later, seeing Joyce again and watching her move confidently was validating.
The therapy wasn't just about completing exercises. Amy worked with Joyce to incorporate therapy into real-world situations—including upcoming events and activities that mattered to Joyce.
Amy adapted Joyce's program based on what she was experiencing between visits, sending home regular skills and exercises and continually creating new challenges.
Joyce's willingness to do the homework made a tremendous difference.
“I was always hopeful. I felt the harder I worked at home, I could see more progress.”
And Amy knew Joyce was putting in the work.
“I can tell you did your homework,” Amy told her.
Closing
Joyce's story is a reminder that recovery doesn't always happen quickly or easily.
Sometimes it takes specialized care. Sometimes it takes a therapist who sees the red flags. Sometimes it takes family members who rearrange their schedules and refuse to give up. And sometimes it takes a patient who is willing to spend another hour at home doing the work—even when the progress feels slow.
For Joyce, having that care available at Saunders Medical Center meant she didn't have to make the trip to Lincoln several times a week.
She could receive specialized therapy close to home, surrounded by people who knew her and cared about her.
And today, when she walks through the door, her therapist can hardly see the woman who once needed a walker.
That's a pretty remarkable journey.
