Former Madonna patient gives back as a peer volunteer

“What can I do today?” It’s a question Angela Prusse asks herself daily.
This positive outlook is now second nature to Angela, a working mom and multiple sclerosis survivor, after a months-long stay at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals roughly three years ago. In 2018, an unknown infection coupled with an MS relapse turned Angela’s world upside down. She came to Madonna’s pulmonary program on ventilator support with a tracheostomy. She was also weak on her right side and disoriented.
“My whole right side was basically paralyzed,” Angela said. “I had to relearn how to walk and talk.”
From the beginning, Angela set goals for herself during her recovery. With the help of her Madonna team of doctors, nurses and therapists, she made it her primary mission to breathe independently again.
“I had breathing treatments twice a day, and then I had to be suctioned out,” Angela said. “It was awful. I wouldn’t want anybody to have to go through that.”
Slowly, Angela made progress, achieved several milestones, and returned home to her family and medical coding career. Walking long distances is still a challenge, and her right side is not as strong as she would like, but Angela is grateful to be where she is now. Her experience and the friendships she made while at Madonna inspired her to give back.
“Even when I was leaving [at the farewell party], I was telling people ‘Don’t worry; I’ll be back,’” Angela recalled.
As it turns out, she returned to Madonna—not as a patient but as a peer volunteer. Madonna’s peer volunteer program matches individuals with disabilities with people who are just starting the process of medical rehabilitation to listen, share life experiences, and provide hope for the future.
“I wanted to be somebody who could say ‘I know what you’re going through. I’ve been in therapy or medical rehab before,’” Angela said.
Kaylee Wallace, one of Angela’s occupational therapists at Madonna, instinctively knew Angela would be an ideal peer volunteer.
“During Angie’s inpatient stay, she was already providing support to many of the other patients on the unit and their families,” Wallace said. “People were drawn to her spunky personality and she instilled hope in those to whom she spoke. I am so proud of Angie, not only for the impact she had on others while she was on inpatient, but also for what she continues to bring to Madonna through her volunteer work.”
Angela hopes her visits provide cheer and perspective to others who are recovering. She lets patients and their families know that her life looks different now than it did before her illness, but that’s OK.
“Mentally, I’ve had to change my perspective,” Angela said. “It’s taken me this long to realize that I’m OK. I’m alive. I’m here. So, what can I do today? Maybe I can’t push-mow the lawn, but I can get a riding lawn mower and mow the lawn that way.”
Today, she takes this hard-won wisdom to heart. Angela can’t play volleyball like she once did, but she can still be the assistant volleyball coach to her 11-year-old daughter’s team. She also continues to be active with outpatient therapy sessions.
Today, she takes this hard-won wisdom to heart. Angela can’t play volleyball like she once did, but she can still be the assistant volleyball coach to her 11-year-old daughter’s team. She also continues to be active with outpatient therapy sessions.
“I was recently listening to a podcast on this subject, and it fits this to a tee,” Angela said. “You may have set goals for your life, and then something dramatic happens. You might think ‘I can’t do anything anymore.’ You have to realize that you can still accomplish those goals, but how you get there has to change.”