Bonnie A.

Starting in 1998 until 2001, I lost nine members of my family, including my parents, within four months of each other. I have a crippling disease called Rheumatoid Arthritis. At that time, I was using crutches and then an electric wheelchair. After all the deaths, I wanted to give up on life. I was in extreme pain daily, my body was deforming and depression had set in. My depression lasted for seven years. My husband, Bob, who never gave up on me, suggested I try surgery on one of my fused/bent legs to start walking normal again and boost my morale. I agreed and went into surgery expecting to die on the surgical table as my father had done. When I came out of surgery okay, I was surprised. That afternoon, when physical therapy came to have me walk, I cried at being able to straighten my leg and walk on at least one leg again. But my other leg was still crooked and it made me wobble back and forth. My husband then scheduled the other leg to be done without asking me. Still fighting depression, and expecting the worst from surgery, I again expected to die. I made it out of surgery, and that afternoon physical therapy had me walking with crutches. As I was walking in the hospital hallway, I realized I WAS WALKING for the first time in seven years, and my depression started to lift. With my husband's help, I went back to college and received my degree at Fort Hays State University. It was bittersweet though since I was the only child in my family to not go to college right out of high school. Instead I married a Navy man and had six children. I graduated wishing my parents could have seen me graduate, but I knew they would have been proud of me. Since my surgeries, all the problems I accumulated from my depression and body going deformed have been working themselves out. I can currently walk but I am still having to build up my endurance daily. My husband retired from teaching to help take care of me and keep me going. He is always by my side to help me. I still have surgeries ahead of me to correct my feet, shoulders, arms and hands, but my husband Bob will be there to make sure I keep going. Thank you for this opportunity to share my story.