INNERVENTION R

The Road To Recovery

WRITER: BETTY ARAMINO // PHOTOGRAPHER: FRED LOPEZ

Alot has happened since moving to Lake County in 2002. As a mother of three and stepmom of six, my life was busy, but with most of the children grown — or well on their way — I was ready for the next chapter of my life. Little did I know what a journey this would be!

Within the first week of my arrival, I started a new career. For eight years, I was a fitness club owner and instructor. I opened the facility after quickly realizing there was a need for a place that specialized in working with senior women and those with disabilities. After rehab, these women had no place to continue physical conditioning. Insurance has limitations and hiring a personal trainer is not affordable for many people.

With a sports medicine and nursing background, as well as experience in working with patients with physical challenges, I felt a calling to try to make a difference for the women in my community. It wasn’t unusual to have members arriving with walkers and canes. I even had one woman who was completely blind and arrived every day with her guide dog. Each person received whatever she needed, including one-on-one assistance at no extra charge. It was all about improving quality of life. However, because of the economy and lack of any outside funding, I simply could not afford to keep my business open and was forced to close in May 2010.

After my retirement, I adapted to staying at home and planning for the future. In September 2011, my husband, Nick, and I were on a wonderful cruise vacation along with family and friends when suddenly I could not stand and had no use of my entire right side. I spent my last day on the cruise in the ship’s infirmary. Once we reached land, I was taken off the ship on a stretcher and transported to

Tampa General Hospital. After three days, and what seemed like every X-ray, scan, and test known to medicine, I was diagnosed with having suffered an ischemic stroke. The doctors didn’t understand why. All my tests were fine. Moreover, I lived a healthy lifestyle, was not overweight, and I worked out. All they could say was “it isn’t fair.” You’re telling me.

I spent the next month in the Lake Harris Health Center. I had daily physical and occupational therapy and was able to progress from a wheelchair to a walker. I also started learning to write again even though use of my right hand and arm was limited. After four weeks, I was released and came home but continued therapy on an outpatient basis for another three weeks. The prognosis was not favorable — I was told I would probably have very limited mobility.

Therefore, it was all up to me. It was time to practice what I had preached and use the skills I had to help myself. I decided

I would only allow myself 30 minutes of “Why me?” or “Poor me” each day. I needed the energy to find a way to relearn the activities of my daily life. It is amazing how quickly you can learn to do things but perhaps in a different way. I set up a daily exercise program of elliptical work, Pilates, free weights, and T Bands. Progress was slow — at times, frustratingly slow — but just when I would become discouraged, my wonderful husband, family, and friends would encourage me to press on. My immediate goals were to walk unassisted and learn to climb stairs.

Little by little, my body was responding and figuring out what my brain wanted it to do. By the end of the first year, I was driving and able to slow dance at my niece’s wedding. As year two began, I had a new goal. I told my son Todd, who has nearly 20 years active duty in the U.S. Air Force, that I wanted him to take me with him to work. Incidentally, his “work” is being a crewmember aboard Air Force One. In February 2013, Nick and I drove to West Palm Beach and received a VIP tour of the plane.

In September 2013, I began year three as a stroke survivor. I’ve come a long way! I may walk with a slight limp and sometimes use a cane, but I have reclaimed my quality of life. I encourage anyone who faces challenges not to give up. Always remember the difficult we do immediately; the impossible takes a little longer.

BETTY ARAMINO is from Cincinnati, Ohio. She attended nursing school at the University of Cincinnati. She is a retired registered nurse with experience in emergency room nursing, sports medicine, and behavior modification. From 2003 to 2010, she owned and operated Contours Express of Leesburg and was featured in The New York Times and on WKMG-TV News for her work with women with disabilities.

“When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, [until] it seems as though you cannot hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time the tide will turn.”

– Harriet Beecher Stowe