Shaha sent me some videos of Cheerful Aama during a recent therapy session. Here are some screen captures from those videos. Keep in mind she was paralyzed on her left side the morning they found her after her stroke.
First up, practicing her arm and leg raises:
Next up, practicing standing against the bed. Notice the therapist’s foot holding her left foot in place!
I am heartbroken for Cheerful Aama. Most of us have experienced stroke through a loved one, or family or friend. A few of you reading know her struggles firsthand.
Her ever-present cheery smile is gone — well, for those of you who’ve read the book, you know how angry she’d get if she came out to watch t.v. and Dwarf Dhai was sitting in her chair…so yes, there were times when she didn’t smile.
Here are some other photos for readers to place her in the scenes I described.
By the makeshift shrine at Chhath Puja. She walked about 1/4 mile from the elder care home to this spot on her painful feet and knees and never complained as she chose the longer way back…up those stairs…
Here she is visiting with one of the students from Corona School (Suraj and Devina’s school) when they came to visit. They were supposed to help with cleaning, but I was the one with a bucket and gloves, cleaning the downstairs bathroom after they left it an absolute mess. Cheerful Aama has always been good with kids.
Cheerful Aama is still living on-site at the rehab facility, and the bills are piling up. Even with a discount they give Shaha, it is costing him $20 per day. We are trying to help cover the costs of the elder care home while he’s paying for her care, but it’s rough going for all of us.
If you can spare $20 this month, it will pay for one day of her therapy!
Thank you all, as usual, for being such amazing people.
With unending gratitude,
Alicia
