By Samantha Goudey
Nikki’s life changed in an instant. After falling severely ill with Coronavirus, an illness that was unknown at the time, Nikki suffered an unexpected fall that left her in a coma for two months and paralyzed from the neck down. What was supposed to be a brief illness quickly turned into a nightmare– she had obtained a brain stem injury.
Upon waking up, Nikki was unable to walk, talk, write, or even remember her ABCs. Her new life felt foreign to her, unable to properly communicate and take care of her own needs, Nikki was left in the hands of others.
From living at rehab to a nursing home, Nikki endured years of unhappiness. Eventually the nursing home she lived in was shut down, and she needed to find a new program.
That’s when Nikki found BCArc. She soon moved into a BCArc house and started attending the Nu-Opps program.
“BCArc saved me. I had finally felt loved again, started to love myself, and saw the light at the end of the tunnel. I had pretty much lost hope until they came around.”
Attending Nu-Opps daily for the past two and a half years, Nikki’s life has drastically changed. She now receives the various types of therapy she needs and looks forward to attending the Nu-Opps program daily.
“When I came, I couldn’t transfer out of my wheelchair, stand with a walker, or go to the bathroom independently, and I struggled with speech. In the nursing home, without proper speech therapy, I had only been able to learn to talk through listening to Siri.” Now Nikki is capable of fully conversing and has begun learning to take her first steps again.
“Since being sick, every day is a happy day! After going through darkness and hitting rock bottom, you can only go up… It’s all about perception, we’re lucky to be alive.
“I love it here. If I were at home, I would be sitting around. Here, I not only get to learn, but I also get to connect with people who have had similar experiences. A lot of the nursing homes are institutionalized, and the trauma done takes a long time to undo.”
Despite facing such adversity and hardship, Nikki retains a positive attitude, saying, “Since being sick, every day is a happy day! After going through darkness and hitting rock bottom, you can only go up… It’s all about perception, we’re lucky to be alive.”
Nikki takes this positive outlook both inside and outside of Nu-Opps. Nikki enjoys gardening, listening to music, and painting. Next month, an art piece Nikki created in collaboration with CATA, was chosen and will be displayed in an Art show at The Clark in Williamstown. An event she eagerly looks forward to.
“I love it here. If I were at home, I would be sitting around. Here, I not only get to learn, but I also get to connect with people who have had similar experiences.”
Now, as she continues to progress, Nikki is excited for the next chapter. Recently, she applied for an apartment with the support of BCArc and looks forward to having a dog again, one that she gleefully is planning on naming, “Prozac”. She hopes to remain local so she can continue attending the Nu-Opps program and aims to one day volunteer.
After everything she’s endured, Nikki isn’t just surviving; rather, she’s finally living life on her terms, one that encompasses hope, positivity, and a bright future with a fluffy dog friend named “Prozac.”
