MEET VICKI
Growing up in the Chicago area made Vicki tough. It is a good thing, because at age 26, Vicki had a stroke, leaving her with aphasia – difficulty speaking – and loss of sight. “I can still do many things,” she says confidently, “but in different ways.” Focusing on rehabilitation and “getting on with life,” are drivers for Vicki. In the twenty-two years since her stroke, she has regained a lot of independence.
It started with the once simple tasks, like getting dressed. And now, she plays tennis, loves bowling, and goes horseback riding. She participates in art therapy, writes, and is learning how to use a computer through the programs at RMSC. Noting constant progress, Vicki says that her confidence has increased, too. But perhaps the best part of participating so fully in what RMSC has to offer is the ability to make so many friends. Connecting, sharing, feeling understood. “I am not alone,” she says gratefully. “These are my people.”
Vicki acknowledges that the road is a difficult one, recovering from stroke. “You must keep moving forward with it. Never give up.”
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Mary Kay and Vicki
at a Spinning Event
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