In February 2020, Ms. K was a schoolteacher who was so energetic that she worked extra shifts at Home Depot to make extra money. While she was working one day, her left leg went numb and she became progressively weaker. She was quickly diagnosed with a variety of medical conditions, including a blood infection, and lesions in her spinal cord. These lesions involved vertebrates T6-L4, requiring immediate surgery, with 12 plates and screws placed in her back. She could no longer walk and was paraplegic. Almost overnight, her life had changed drastically.
Ms. K’s medical problems all developed during the beginning of the pandemic and she started her long road to recovery as a patient in The Oaks of Denville, an inpatient rehabilitation center and nursing home in Denville. She describes this as an extremely challenging and melancholy time, when visitors weren’t allowed and she couldn’t see her own family and friends for over a year. Ms. K recalled that most of her time was spent with the other patients, most of whom were “non-verbal, comatose, and immobile.”
Ms. K explained that the rehab center was understaffed and that all the workers, especially the aides, were overworked. However, these workers kept her spirits up. To this day, she is forever grateful for all they did to support her. Other than the staff, there were few people in the facility to keep her company since visitors were not allowed in. The atmosphere was not always positive. She recalls that across the hall, there was a dementia patient yearning for help, who would moan “Helppp me” over and over. Ms. K explained that the aides did not have time to attend to this patient, or to many patients due to there being limited staff in the rehab center. In addition, all of the staff were covered in PPE which made it very difficult to communicate with the patients in need. The staff were covered from head to toe, wearing white gowns with goggles, and plastic face shields covering their faces. “…This was my life for over a year, ” she stated, shaking her head.
The diagnosis for Ms. K remains somewhat unclear to her, but she states that her health started to improve dramatically after additional MRI scans of other parts of her spine revealed an infection which was then treated with antibiotics. At the beginning of her illness, she was told that she was hopeless, would never walk again, and would not be able to return home. However, after her treatment, she slowly regained her strength and her ability to walk. She was discharged from the rehab center in September 2021. Today, she can walk short distances independently with the assistance of a walker and a brace called an AFO (ankle foot orthosis) which helps her left drop foot. She is strong enough to drive short distances and is happy and thankful to be independent again.
She states that the most difficult part of her rehab stay during the pandemic was the chronic loneliness she felt. To cope with her loneliness, she would draw, send emails throughout the day, watch TV shows, as well as listen to music. She explains that music was her comfort as it reminded her of a happier time, when she was young and healthy. While trying to find motivation and happiness, Ms. K reports that she found 2 books particularly inspirational: The Walking Book and Bed #10.
I spoke to Ms. K about her resiliency and was most interested in what her words of wisdom would be for anyone facing a difficult situation. She recalled a story in which she initially lay in bed feeling sorry for herself, not wanting to go to physical therapy. She remembers that she told herself, “You can either stare at the ceiling tiles, and do nothing – or you can get up and do something about it.” She chose to go to physical therapy that day and every day thereafter, never giving up on her dream to return home and be independent once again. She also told me this inspiring story:
“1985: When I was 30 years old, my (former) husband announced ‘I’m going to ride my bicycle to Florida for my vacation. If you want to go, fine. If you don’t want to go then you can go on your own vacation!’ Really? I didn’t even own a bike!
I bought a Schwinn 10 speed English Racer. Upon pulling out of our driveway (one backpack each) from Rockaway, NJ, I asked him ‘What’s your plan? How are we going to do this?’
His response: ‘Very simple. It’s all mental. The coastal route is flat, all you have to do is keep putting ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER!’
We made it in 13 days, 1,130 miles. Amazing! Was it easy? NO.
I tucked this memory away for years. Until I hit The Oaks of Denville. Upon such challenges as taking a first step in the parallel bar, then a second, etc. I said to myself:
YOU GOT THIS. ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER.”
She posted a picture of herself with her former husband on her bike trip in her room at the rehab center to remind herself of how she overcame this obstacle, and would overcome her current one. She proved herself successful in achieving her goals of returning home independently.
Ms. K’s story and words of wisdom can be helpful and inspiring to anyone facing any situation where they feel overwhelmed—and that includes high school students. Her story is truly an inspiring one, particularly because it involved the extra stress of being in rehab during the pandemic. It is a story that many of us can learn from.
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