Caregiving Story

I met Ms. McKenny at the Internal Medicine doctor's office where I worked. She came in for pain and inflammation to her right knee due to a trip and fall.

Ms. McKenny is a survivor of Hurricane Katrina. She was rescued from Katrina by the soldiers in a small boat and she actually witnessed the death (by heart attack) of another senior during their transport. She always kept $1000.00 cash in her apartment during every hurricane season, so the soldiers allowed her to take that along with a small overnight bag. The soldiers could not tell her where she was going and when the plane landed she discovered she was in San Antonio Texas. She said there were so many people in so many lines for help with the Red Cross that she and a few others decided to take a cab to the nearest motel. There she tried to call her loved ones back in New Orleans but could not get through.

Then she called her niece in Atlanta who told her to come to Georgia. Ms. McKenny went to the airport, paid cash for her ticket, and after arriving in Atlanta, stayed with her niece for about one month. Her niece helped her to find a lovely senior apartment building. The SBA offered Ms. McKenny a loan of $7000 to help her get settled in her new place. She purchased furniture, appliances, and everything that she needed. Danger was lurking because there was an area of carpet that was not tacked properly and she tripped and fell, injuring her right knee.

When she came to get medical treatment at our doctors office, she told us her story and my heart truly went out to her. She was in so much pain that she had to use a walker and could barely take small baby steps. Our doctor's office is one of the few that treat the whole person and we started by giving her massages to the injured knee. We also gave her electro-muscular therapy on a machine that stimulates the nerves and the muscles to increase blood flow and mobility. She felt a tremendous improvement the first visit and we encouraged her to come back as often as she needed. With each visit we showed her how to exercise the injured knee, getting up and sitting down out of a chair. At first she wanted to hold onto something to take the pressure off, but little by little she was able to get up and sit down without the use of her cane or walker. We showed her how to juice fruits and vegetables and explained how her diet also can help the injured knee as well as give her energy and strength.

Within 6 months Ms. McKenny was back to her old self. She no longer needed a walker or a cane and was so overjoyed with her recovery that she invited the staff to her 93rd birthday party. We all celebrated with her and she asked me to be the Mistress of Ceremony. This year, in 2008, she invited us again and we truly enjoyed watching her dance with her senior friends at age 94! Ms. McKenny told me I was like a daughter to her (she has no children) and I told her that my grandmother passed at 67 and it warms my heart to see her healthy and happy. What a joy it is to watch her live life to the fullest!