Atlanta

Atlanta rehab hospital working to bring patients, families together during pandemic

ATLANTA — Along Peachtree Road in Northwest Atlanta, Christina Schroeder and her youngest daughter Peyton Schroeder peer through a set of metal bars.

It’s as close as they can get to their daughter and sister, Eden Schroeder, who is a patient at the Shepherd Center.

Eden Schroeder was paralyzed from the chest down in a boating accident in Florida over the Thanksgiving holiday. The pandemic has forced hospitals to limit face-to-face visits, but hospital administrators have stepped outside of the box to allow patients to see their families.

“Honestly, outside of the tragedy of her accident, (being apart) it’s the hardest thing,” Christina Schroeder said.

The Shepherd Center has opened a new outdoor space they are calling “The Secret Garden,” where patients like Eden Schroeder can come as close as they safely can to the gate, with their loved ones on the other side.

“You just want to tell her it’ll be OK. I really appreciate Shepherd Center for doing this, because if not, we wouldn’t get to see her until she was released,” Eden’s mother, Christina, said.

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Michael Yochelson said the space is open every day, especially on warmer days and on weekends.

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“It’s been tough, honestly, not being able to have that physical interaction. But I know Shepherd Center is trying their best to make the most of it,” Eden Schroeder said.

Eden’s sister, Peyton, said she wasn’t able to see her sister at all when she was in a Florida hospital.

“I’m so, so grateful we’re able to come here. Not being able to see her when she was in the hospital in Florida absolutely broke me. Being able to see her ‘here’ helps me a lot, even though it’s just through a fence,” sister Peyton said.

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Friends have organized a GoFundMe called “Support Eden Schroeder” to help the family.