Life has a way of surprising us in the most unexpected and challenging ways.
For 64-year-old Hillary Benjamin, her challenge came in the form of a stroke.
Sitting on the wheelchair she now depends on for most of her movement, her left hand gently cradled within her lap, Benjamin expressed the frustration she experienced after her ordeal to Guardian Media in a recent interview.
“You know what it is to not be able to do nothing for yourself? I remember when I had now gotten this stroke, your mind telling you to get up, and your body telling you no, your body can’t. So you know how stupid that does make me feel? You’re feeling like you feel like if you’re just thinking and you can’t do nothing.”
Five years ago, Benjamin was robbed of her independence, leaving her a shell of the woman she once was. With tears in her eyes and a tremble in her voice, she proclaimed that she was not used to depending on others to survive.
“I accustomed to being on my own, doing things for myself. I felt so helpless. Many days I used to cry...I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t even feed myself. I couldn’t even brush my teeth,” she said.
Benjamin said she often reminisces on who she was before tragedy struck. She was able-bodied and enjoyed doing her day-to-day chores, moving on her own time.
Prior to the incident, she worked at the Insect Vector Division of the Ministry of Health but was pronounced medically unfit in 2019 after suffering from a stroke and losing feelings in her arms and legs.
Despite the hardships, however, Benjamin’s determined spirit keeps her hoping for the best. She wishes to one day return to being the woman she once was, free to move and do as she pleased. Having been confined to a wheelchair since the stroke, she now wishes to one day walk again.
“The doctor had told my children if I live, I would not be no use to myself. I’ll be a vegetable. But due to God’s grace and mercies, I am alive today to continue, because I am very persistent. I not, I am not giving up,” she said with a determined look on her face.
But determination can only go so far for her. Benjamin requires therapy to keep improving, but her dwindling are funds proving to be an obstacle. She is unable to go to the recommended number of sessions for her condition, and as such her journey towards a full recovery is much slower than it should be.
“I am going stroke and wellness centre in the Seventh Day Adventist hospital, $300 a session, which is one hour. And because of how my improvement was going, my therapist would like me to come to twice a week... because of finance, I had also stopped many times.”
Now, Benjamin depends on her 22-year-old caretaker Faith Charles to move about her humble abode. With Faith’s assistance, Benjamin can get around her apartment, move from her chair, go to her bed, as well as most other daily activities.
With her meagre NIS cheque, Benjamin’s only source of income, she must work miracles to get everything done, including paying for a full-time caretaker, medication, pampers and even a driver to take her to therapy.
With a hint of frustration tinging her otherwise calm demeanour, Benjamin listed her expenses.
“I have $3,000 to do everything, to pay rent, to pay nurses and to pay all my bills. The driver does come and pick me up. And every time he comes, it’s $150, which is reasonable because he drops me and he waits for me, and he comes, and he lift me up and he take me down these stairs.”
Although Benjamin is a mother of four, she does not wish to be a burden on her family members. Several years ago, her son was murdered, and her daughters have their own troubles to deal with, she said, so she makes do with her monthly stipend. However, she has reached a point where it just is not enough to get her by.
Over the years, friends and well-wishers have helped pay for several therapy sessions. However, there are times when they are unable to pitch in.
Benjamin hopes to be able to be able to afford the extra therapy session she desperately needs to improve her chances of walking again.
Anyone wishing to assist Hillary with her medical expenses can contact her at 769-5163.