Therapy Thoughts–Maxine’s story

Day#6 post op

Yesterday, I met a dear lady–correction: a dear lady met me, and everyone else, in the therapy gym.  I was flat on the bed/platform with my brand new knee being bent to an almost excruciating degree by Susan,  my wicked and wonderful physical therapist.  Maxine’s  motorized wheelchair came to a screeching halt, just short of knocking Susan off her stool.  Maxine’s unique costume and sunny dialogue instantly brought to mind Minnie Pearl, the American country comedienne of  The Grand Ole Opry and Hee Haw fame.

It was flag day and I certainly didn’t need to check the calendar to see that. From head to toe, 75 year old Maxine was the personification of the Senior American Patriot Welcome Wagon Caller.  A tiered skirt in flag colors covered her ample bottom, red socks warmed her slippered feet and a white shirt displayed red, white and blue beads, a  few of which, she pointed out, were tiny flags.  The handknit white shawl wrapped over her shoulders was bedecked with no fewer than 15 patriotic pins featuring flags, eagles, USA, and more.

Like the maraschino cherry on top of a mouth watering sundae, the silver bun perched on top of her head was covered by  three knit headbands, red, white and blue, of course, carefully arranged in a stripe pattern.  Assembling and donning this ensemble obviously took some time, especially for a woman who is wheelchair bound.

“God bless America!” was her greeting to us.  From there she proceeded in short order to get the basics of my physical condition,  to praise the country where such surgeries could be routinely performed, to thank  Susan for her rehabilitative efforts, and to make accurate assumptions on my state of grace.  Then she shifted her weight in anticipation of lift off and announced that every day she visits every patient in the facility and she still had two floors to cover.  With a quick, “I’ll be prayin’ for you!” she was off.

After Susan escorted me back to my room, I asked her about Maxine.  Here is her story.

Almost 3 years ago, Maxine was diagnosed with stomach cancer and then, as so often happens, a multitude of other serious medical conditions presented.  After a number of grueling treatments, Maxine took to her bed.  She had decided to die. Her family appealed to her from every imaginable angle, but Maxine refused to eat or get out of bed.  She was nothing but skin and bones.  Finally, in desperation, she was brought to this nursing home/rehab facility to spend her final days.

Maxine’s  decision was not well received by the facility.  Combative and protesting mightily, she was nonetheless taken to therapy.  At first she refused to cooperate, but still she was wheeled in, day after day.  Finally,  she realized that just a little participation would get her out of therapy and back to her room more quickly than all her curmudgeoning.

The transformation had begun.  As soon as she started feeling a little better, she noticed other patients  in far worse condition and far better spirits.  Some of those patients had no family to visit them.  Others, indeed, did have family but they made no visits.   In less than a year, Maxine was perfectly functional, had gained weight and was out and about in her wheelchair, visiting the unvisited.  Soon, she was visiting everyone.  Now, she has made this her home of choice and made it her mission to visit every patient and every resident daily, delivering  a message of hope, happiness and the power of God’s love.

I can’t speak for everyone at this facility, but I am happy to be on  Maxine’s visitation route.