Mary's story
Hearing children sing Christmas carols brought tears to the eyes of former preschool teacher Mary Lomerson.
A class had come to Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation (KIR) - Chester to bring holiday cheer for patients. Mary was overwhelmed with memories and deep emotion. “I taught for 38 years in a preschool,” she said. “That’s what I did, and that’s what I love to do. That is what I want to get back to.”
Mary, a retired preschool teacher, spent her life educating and inspiring children. But after a medical complication led to the amputation of her left leg below the knee, she faced an educational journey of her own — learning to walk again.
Before her amputation, Mary had been receiving care for what was thought to be a bone spur. Unfortunately, she was experiencing Charcot foot, which weakens the bones in the foot and ankle. The condition worsened, requiring hospitalization and ultimately amputation.
Adjusting to life after an amputation presented physical and emotional challenges for Mary. “I was constantly lying in bed, and I was concerned that I was going to lose my strength,” she said. She had become dependent on a wheelchair to move, found transferring to and from the chair extremely difficult and needed help with all aspects of self-care.
Luckily, Mary had support from her niece Joann, who made modifications to her home, helped with chores and provided encouragement. Even when Mary as able to get a temporary prosthetic leg (a special prosthesis that is used while the residual limb heals and takes shape), the thought of walking again felt distant. In fact, she initially found it nearly impossible to get the prosthetic leg on.
She returned to KIR - Chester to learn to manage and use a prosthetic leg and to regain skills for independence. Upon arrival, she was met with a snag with her insurance but the hospital team worked to successfully overturn the insurance denial, allowing Mary to continue her prosthetic training.
“I was surprised when I came and saw how everyone worked together,” she said. “So many people came into my room in the beginning to tell me what each of them were going to do with me. This wasn’t just therapy. Kessler makes it so that they are here for your whole wellness.”
Upon arrival, Mary needed total assistance from two people just to stand. Walking with a prosthetic leg was only possible within the parallel bars with a wheelchair following her for safety. Tasks, such as toileting and dressing, were equally difficult. But from the moment Mary began therapy, she knew she was in the right place.
Her physician-led therapy team included occupational and physical therapists ready to help Mary meet her goals. They focused on rebuilding strength and teaching her to use the prosthetic leg effectively.
Physical therapy sessions concentrated on fitting Mary’s prosthesis to maximize her mobility and independence such as learning how to put on her leg and transfer in and out of wheelchair. Additionally, gait training with a rolling walker was used to improve endurance, stair training to ensure she could safely navigate her home and functional transfers to help get out of a wheelchair and into a car.
Early on, Mary experienced a breakthrough moment when her therapist encouraged her to take her first steps. “[My physical therapist] took me in the parallel bars, and he said, ‘Okay, stand up, let’s walk,’ and I walked forward … and backward!” she recalled with excitement. “Then he said, ‘I am going to go get you a walker,’ and I walked 18 feet with the walker. I couldn’t believe I did that.”
As the days passed, Mary continued to make progress. She walked 29 feet one day, then 100 feet the next. The moment she climbed a stair with her prosthetic leg was especially emotional.
“I thought I’d have to use the walker, but they said no, you’re just going to push up and hang on,” she said. “When I heard clapping and cheering, I thought it was just the therapists, but when I turned around, it was everybody—even the other patients. That made a big impression on me.”
Meanwhile, occupational therapy helped Mary strengthen her lower body to maximize mobility, but they also worked on a smaller scale to address the neuropathy in her hands by introducing exercises that worked her fine motor skills. She used theraputty to strengthen muscles in her hands and performed functional tasks, like screwing and unscrewing nuts and bolts, to work on strength and coordination. Mary’s therapists also introduced adaptive equipment, such as a reacher to help extend her reach and a long-handled shoe horn and sock aid that helped her to dress independently.
At discharge, Mary had regained significant confidence and increased independence. She could walk with a rolling walker under supervision, ascend stairs with assistance and even transfer in and out of her vehicle — something she hadn’t been able to do for over a year.
Mary looks forward to returning to church, volunteering and finding ways to contribute in the classroom again.
“Even if I have to take the wheelchair and sit … and read stories … it’ll be worthwhile,” she said.
Reflecting on her journey, Mary is grateful for the care she received. “I can’t say enough positive things,” she said. “This has been a big game changer.”
Since discharge, Mary has been attending outpatient therapy twice a week at Kessler Rehabilitation Center - Flemington to continue to strengthen her body and prepare for a permanent prosthetic leg. She’s hoping to lessen her reliance on her walker as she continues to progress and has set a new goal: to return to driving.
A class had come to Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation (KIR) - Chester to bring holiday cheer for patients. Mary was overwhelmed with memories and deep emotion. “I taught for 38 years in a preschool,” she said. “That’s what I did, and that’s what I love to do. That is what I want to get back to.”
Mary, a retired preschool teacher, spent her life educating and inspiring children. But after a medical complication led to the amputation of her left leg below the knee, she faced an educational journey of her own — learning to walk again.
Before her amputation, Mary had been receiving care for what was thought to be a bone spur. Unfortunately, she was experiencing Charcot foot, which weakens the bones in the foot and ankle. The condition worsened, requiring hospitalization and ultimately amputation.
Adjusting to life after an amputation presented physical and emotional challenges for Mary. “I was constantly lying in bed, and I was concerned that I was going to lose my strength,” she said. She had become dependent on a wheelchair to move, found transferring to and from the chair extremely difficult and needed help with all aspects of self-care.
Luckily, Mary had support from her niece Joann, who made modifications to her home, helped with chores and provided encouragement. Even when Mary as able to get a temporary prosthetic leg (a special prosthesis that is used while the residual limb heals and takes shape), the thought of walking again felt distant. In fact, she initially found it nearly impossible to get the prosthetic leg on.
She returned to KIR - Chester to learn to manage and use a prosthetic leg and to regain skills for independence. Upon arrival, she was met with a snag with her insurance but the hospital team worked to successfully overturn the insurance denial, allowing Mary to continue her prosthetic training.
“I was surprised when I came and saw how everyone worked together,” she said. “So many people came into my room in the beginning to tell me what each of them were going to do with me. This wasn’t just therapy. Kessler makes it so that they are here for your whole wellness.”
Upon arrival, Mary needed total assistance from two people just to stand. Walking with a prosthetic leg was only possible within the parallel bars with a wheelchair following her for safety. Tasks, such as toileting and dressing, were equally difficult. But from the moment Mary began therapy, she knew she was in the right place.
Her physician-led therapy team included occupational and physical therapists ready to help Mary meet her goals. They focused on rebuilding strength and teaching her to use the prosthetic leg effectively.
Physical therapy sessions concentrated on fitting Mary’s prosthesis to maximize her mobility and independence such as learning how to put on her leg and transfer in and out of wheelchair. Additionally, gait training with a rolling walker was used to improve endurance, stair training to ensure she could safely navigate her home and functional transfers to help get out of a wheelchair and into a car.
Early on, Mary experienced a breakthrough moment when her therapist encouraged her to take her first steps. “[My physical therapist] took me in the parallel bars, and he said, ‘Okay, stand up, let’s walk,’ and I walked forward … and backward!” she recalled with excitement. “Then he said, ‘I am going to go get you a walker,’ and I walked 18 feet with the walker. I couldn’t believe I did that.”
As the days passed, Mary continued to make progress. She walked 29 feet one day, then 100 feet the next. The moment she climbed a stair with her prosthetic leg was especially emotional.
“I thought I’d have to use the walker, but they said no, you’re just going to push up and hang on,” she said. “When I heard clapping and cheering, I thought it was just the therapists, but when I turned around, it was everybody—even the other patients. That made a big impression on me.”
Meanwhile, occupational therapy helped Mary strengthen her lower body to maximize mobility, but they also worked on a smaller scale to address the neuropathy in her hands by introducing exercises that worked her fine motor skills. She used theraputty to strengthen muscles in her hands and performed functional tasks, like screwing and unscrewing nuts and bolts, to work on strength and coordination. Mary’s therapists also introduced adaptive equipment, such as a reacher to help extend her reach and a long-handled shoe horn and sock aid that helped her to dress independently.
At discharge, Mary had regained significant confidence and increased independence. She could walk with a rolling walker under supervision, ascend stairs with assistance and even transfer in and out of her vehicle — something she hadn’t been able to do for over a year.
Mary looks forward to returning to church, volunteering and finding ways to contribute in the classroom again.
“Even if I have to take the wheelchair and sit … and read stories … it’ll be worthwhile,” she said.
Reflecting on her journey, Mary is grateful for the care she received. “I can’t say enough positive things,” she said. “This has been a big game changer.”
Since discharge, Mary has been attending outpatient therapy twice a week at Kessler Rehabilitation Center - Flemington to continue to strengthen her body and prepare for a permanent prosthetic leg. She’s hoping to lessen her reliance on her walker as she continues to progress and has set a new goal: to return to driving.