January 23, 2008

From Brain Surgery to Boston Marathon: Young Man's Determination Returns Him to Athletics

LIBERTYVILLE, IL—At age 44, Libertyville resident Jeff Rizner has come a long way from the time seven years ago when he lay helplessly in the hospital suffering from a stroke. He has made great strides—in more ways that one—as a former patient at Condell Medical Center who now boasts an impressive record of completing tough athletic challenges.

After his surgery, when he felt the time was right, he entered athletic events just to see if he could finish. He had never run a race before.

For Rizner, 2007 was a landmark year as he successfully completed the Boston, Chicago and Walt Disney World® marathons. He has more elite races planned for this year, as well as fundraising to benefit stroke patients and research.

"I pushed myself to exercise and regain my strength because I wanted to get back to the things I enjoyed," Rizner said. "The first time I entered a race after my surgery, I turned around at the finish line and saw people behind me who were still coming in. I was very encouraged and realized that I had a lot of potential for a comeback if I stayed committed."

When he was 37, the risk of having a stroke had never even entered his mind. But there he was, in the operating room with neurosurgeon Jonathan Citow, MD, chief of the division of neurosurgery at Condell Medical Center, who repaired a vein malformation in his brain that caused the stroke. Two weeks after surgery, Rizner thought he would be paralyzed for the rest of his life. Then came a milestone: he took eight small but significant steps across the floor of his hospital room.

Rebuilding himself was an uphill battle. He came to Centre Club, Condell Medical Center's fitness centers, to learn how to run again and regain upper body strength. Rehabilitation and exercise specialists supervised his routine and chose equipment that increased his stability and stamina. Rizner achieved incredible results in his rehabilitation because he was extremely motivated. He kept "raising the bar," resetting his goals higher as function returned throughout his body.

Rizner said he felt more comfortable exercising at Centre Club than by himself because his trainers made sure he was doing exercises correctly. They were also great moral support and his best cheerleaders.

"Centre Club forced me to get out of the house, stop watching TV, and get myself into an exercise program that met my unique needs. The whole combination of Condell's doctors and Centre Club gave me what I needed to make a comeback," he said.

Rizner, a customer service director for a Lake County company, offers inspiration as he talks to patients about overcoming the challenges they face. "Every stroke patient does not have to go out and run a marathon. They can set their own goal that's right for them and work to achieve it. It is possible."

In an ironic way, Rizner's rehabilitation has come full circle. Today, Rizner and Dr. Citow are longtime regulars at Centre Club and run into each other often. Rizner admits it's a great feeling to hear Dr. Citow, his brain surgeon, turn to him on the track and say, "You're faster than me."

Among the athletic accomplishments of Libertyville resident and stroke survivor Jeff Rizner, 44, are the Boston Marathon in 2007 and the Chicago Triathlon in 2005. He works out several times a week at Condell Medical Centre's Centre Club, where personal fitness trainers like Ashley Hill supervise his exercise routine to continue improving his strength. When he is not running, he inspires other stroke patients to rebuild their lives.

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Condell Medical Center is the leading provider of comprehensive medical and surgical services in Lake County, with state-of-the-art heart, neurosurgical, maternity and emergency services. Other services include: Condell Immediate Care facilities throughout Lake County, Centre Clubs (medically supervised fitness facilities), Pediatric Alternatives in Creative Therapy (PACT), Radiation Oncology Center, Condell Home Services, and Condell Day Center for Intergenerational Care. Physicians are independent practitioners and are not employees or agents of Condell Medical Center.