I was going down my basement steps one day and was in a bit of a hurry, not paying too much attention. In a split second, the railing gave way, and I fell hard on my right hip. From there I required partial hip replacement surgery, which resulted in an iron rod being installed in my hip bone.

When I got to Gretna Health & Rehabilitation Center I was barely walking, and I needed so much help. I couldn’t get out of bed by myself, and there were so many other things that I just couldn’t do. I taught high school English for 32 years and was used to being the person doing the teaching – I’m not used to needing anyone’s help! But I knew that to get back home I had to absorb everything they told me to do and work hard. Just like I always asked of my own students, I paid attention and gave it my all.

With the help of my LifeWorks Rehab therapists, I was able to return home in under three weeks. Once I got back home, I was able to get right back into my daily routine. I’m walking without a cane, driving, and am a very active volunteer at the high school where I taught for so many years. Gretna Health & Rehabilitation Center helped me get back to the things I love doing, and that’s so important to me – being active in my school and community helps me stay young, and LifeWorks Rehab gave me power to get back out there.