Olympian Amy Van Dyken-Rouen leaves hospital feeling 'a thousand times better'

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Amy Eley TODAY

4 hours ago

For Amy Van Dyken-Rouen, Thursday marked another great stride in the wake of her spinal-cord injury.

The six-time Olympic swimming champion was released from Craig Hospital in Denver, where she has been receiving treatment since severing her spinal cord in June in an accident that left her paralyzed below the waist.

Im a thousand times better, she said on Thursday at the time of her release. Physically ... and mentally as well.

Brennan Linsley / AP

Amy Van Dyken-Rouen sits in her wheelchair beside her husband, Tom Rouen and Craig Hospital CEO Mike Fordyce, as all three talk about her stay at the hospital over the past two months.

The Colorado native thanked the medical staff before leaving and spoke about the highs and lows of her hospital stay. She said her hardest moment was entering the pool for the first time since the accident and realizing she could no longer swim laps.

Theres been a lot of tears shed for sure, Van Dyken-Rouen said. This is not easy and I dont want to portray the fact that because I have a smile on my face, it really is easy. Its really not.

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Olympian Amy Van Dyken-Rouen leaves hospital feeling 'a thousand times better'