Stanislav Riabukha
Patient at the Rehabilitation Center of Excellence in Dnipro, opera vocal instructor at the Dnipro Academy of Music
During one of his journeys, Stanislav sustained a life-changing injury. From the very beginning of rehabilitation, he understood that recovery would take time. Today, he dedicates himself to therapy every day, motivated by a single dream: to walk independently again and return to his students of opera singing.
I was on my way to vacation in Drahobrat, but I didn’t make it — I fell out of the train.
At the beginning of the rehabilitation, there was an acceptance of the fact that I wouldn’t be walking anytime soon. I was told that rehabilitation is very painful, it’s very difficult, but, well, it’s not that bad.
So I can already stand up by myself without crutches, without anything, just stand up and stand straight without falling.
The guys and girls [the staff] are working very, very well.
Young specialists have very interesting approaches, they are concerned about pain sensations.
I try, well, to train more than my physical therapist tells me to.
Resting here is a whole separate art form. We have a game console here, so you can play some games, and there are TVs set up, and you can turn on some music, do whatever you want. Cool.
I am a teacher at the Dnipro Academy of Music. Modern, understanding, striving, hopeful. Always positive.
You need to understand children. Children today are not at all like they used to be. You need an individual approach. That says it all.
What lifts my mood are everyday achievements, when your students achieve new milestones, when they get hired by theaters, and people there know you as their teacher. It’s very pleasant.
It might sound like a cliché, but I’m a walking celebration.
My dream is to move to a cane — to switch from crutches to a cane, little by little. Realistic dreams.
The Story of STANISLAV RIABUKHA
Stanislav is a patient at the Centre of Excellence and a lecturer in classical vocal performance at the Opera Singing Department of the Dnipro Academy of Music.
This summer, he sustained a serious injury while travelling by train to the Carpathian resort of Drahobrat for a holiday. Stanislav then embarked on a long rehabilitation journey at Dnipro Clinical Hospital.
The first few weeks proved challenging both physically and psychologically: he had to come to terms with the fact that recovery would not be quick.
“At the beginning of rehabilitation, I had to accept that I wouldn’t be walking again anytime soon. I understand that it’s a long and difficult process, but it’s a normal one.”
A whole team is involved in Stanislav’s recovery at the hospital, including Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine physicians, physical therapists, and occupational therapists. To ensure that this teamwork is coordinated and effective, they follow quality standards for multidisciplinary rehabilitation developed with the support of WHO Ukraine. These standards set out how specialists from different disciplines should coordinate their work.
It is precisely this approach that has made Stanislav appreciate how attentively the team treats each individual case. He speaks warmly of the young specialists who come up with new exercises and carefully monitor his pain levels throughout each session.
Today, Stanislav can move confidently on crutches without assistance and stand without support. His next goal is to transition from crutches to a cane. His ultimate ambition is to regain the physical abilities he had before his injury.
Stanislav wants to reach that goal as quickly as possible, so he trains even more than his doctors recommend. Each small victory lifts his spirits and brings him closer to the day when he can return to the academy and teach opera singing to his students once again.
