Looking at her today, you would never guess that six months ago, Lisa couldn’t move on her own. Spinal surgery had removed her ability to walk, or even turn her head on her own. And despite her fears of letting go and letting others take care of her, she came to Maitri to recover and regain her strength and independence.
At first, everything was a little overwhelming for Lisa. Her reliance on others made Lisa withdrawn—she’d worked so hard for so long to be strong and independent that this was a terrible shock for her. She needed help doing everything and it was frustrating.
But as Lisa’s days at Maitri turned into weeks and her physical therapy helped her regain her ability to move on her own, Lisa began to open up.
Then, one day, it happened.
“I did it! I didn’t think I could, but I did it all by myself—I sat up!” Finally, Lisa’s world was opening up. Now that she could sit up on her own, the world—or at least Maitri— became her oyster.
Today, you’ll find Lisa excitedly participating in as many activities as she can at Maitri. She particularly loves the Tuesday morning meditation group and playing the piano in the afternoons for her friends. Lisa is working hard to gain more mobility so she can safely move into her own apartment.
But for now, Lisa loves being at Maitri. And you’ll always hear her walking down the hallway, ready for her next adventure with her fellow Maitri residents, as she gleefully sings, “Here I come!”