When this participant entered the Recuperative Program, she had been living in her car, was a domestic violence survivor and had fallen on hard times. She had been hospitalized for severe anemia but her hip became the main focus of her recuperation. It had gotten so bad that she could not walk without tremendous pain. She needed a hip replacement but had to lower her weight to qualify for the surgery. She became very depressed, almost to the point where she would rarely leave her room. She mentioned to staff that she missed her church in Northern California so staff got in touch with the local group “Stephen’s Ministry”, that pairs volunteers from local faith-based organizations with clients, and a woman from a local church started to visit her regularly. The visits helped to lift her out of her depression and staff connected her with the local Y where she started swimming classes and began losing weight. Over several months, the weight started coming off and she began exploring weight loss surgery. On July 29th, 2019, she had successful weight loss surgery and was told that she could schedule a hip replacement in September!
This journey from living in her car to the promise of hip surgery has given her the determination to look forward to getting a job and creating the life she desires. She is a remarkable woman with the desire to change her life. Her daily commitment is an inspiration to all that know her.
In the week following her surgery, she has already lost 5 pounds and is tolerating the liquid diet. It is an absolute pleasure to interact with this participant and be a small part of her journey. She believes that the Recuperative Care Program “saved her life” and shows her gratitude every day with her smile!
