It’s a big change going from being a black belt in Karate to being confined to a wheelchair. Barbara is back in her home after nearly a year spent in and out of hospitals and rehab. At age 84, falls can be life altering. A fall caused by a weak knee resulted in a serious injury and the need to relearn how to walk.
Barbara was born and raised in Indy. “I was an adventurous kid and had seven sisters and two brothers. I wanted to take a class in judo when I was a teenager. I earned the money for lessons by returning pop bottles and selling wire hangers for a penny apiece,” she proudly shares.
At 28 years old, her interest in martial arts was rekindled. “I heard about Karate,” Barbra shares. ”In those days there weren’t that many Karate schools, and very few women doing Karate.”
She worked her way up to a Black Belt, and then became a martial arts instructor. Her first students were five and six year olds, followed by their moms. Over the years, she took advantage of many opportunities to teach self defense at various organizations including the Children’s Museum. One wall of her living room is filled with photos and awards chronicling these experiences.
During this time, Barbara also pursued a 31 year career at St. Vincent Hospital, first as a nursing assistant and then as a newborn technician. “I really enjoyed working with babies,” she says. Barbara considers herself blessed that her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren are nearby.
Although knee problems ended her career, Barbara is content to remain in her home which houses 54 years of fond memories. Before her accident, Barbara was able to get around with a walker. Now, she is dependent upon a wheelchair. This posed a significant problem with Barbara’s older home. It goes without saying that most homes built 100 years ago were not constructed to accommodate individuals with disabilities. Such was the case with Barbara’s home. She returned home from the hospital and discovered the doorway to the bathroom was too narrow to navigate with her new wheelchair.
She was pointed in Home Repairs for Good, formerly NeighborLink Indianapolis’ direction. At first, she didn’t know what she needed, she just knew she needed help. One of the organization’s founders, Tom Hawkins, and his long-time fellow volunteer, Robin, visited Barbara to assess the situation. They found a number of structural issues with the wall and the floor that needed to be addressed. Unfortunately, the challenge was more extensive than initially estimated. Thankfully, both Tom and Robin are well versed in creative problem solving in old homes and were able to stabilize that area of the home and enlarge the doorway enough to allow for safe and easy pass through with a wheelchair.
“Home Repairs for Good is the best!” Barbara enthusiastically shares. “They are very professional, courteous, and quick.”
She has been able to settle into her new routine. These days, Barbara spends much of her day headquartered in her living room. Her cat Frankie, a Russian Blue, is usually curled up on the sofa nearby, an ever present (if sleeping!) sentry.
“Being old is not for sissies,” she says. She misses being able to garden and to fish. However, Barbara still finds joy in learning new things. “The recent solar eclipse was beautiful. I’ve seen a lot of things in my life, but this was the most beautiful thing I’ve seen,” she says.
“I tell everyone I can’t run, so I gotta be good,” Barbara teasingly says. Underlying her positive outlook is her self-proclaimed role as a “jokester.” She gets as much joy in hearing a humorous story as she does in telling one.
Comments