Jan Olin Nakamura’s REHAB journey started 10 years ago after a fall in the shower. Unable to get up, she lay there, alone, for two hours before was finally able to call out to a passing neighbor. Due to severe arthritis, which runs in the family, the 72-year-old Aiea resident had already been losing mobility over the years and used a cane to get around. After her fall, she knew that, to walk safely again, she would need more help.
For some time, Jan had also been dealing with unexplained weight gain and swelling, especially in her legs. When she brought it up to her doctor, he simply told her, “lose some weight.” It was only in 2014, when she met Cheri at REHAB, that she finally discovered the reason: stage four lymphedema. “When I heard that, I cried,’” Jan says. She felt angry that this had been missed for so long, “but there was also relief. I finally felt validated.” Treatment for her lymphedema began immediately, and she also began seeing Dr. Daniel Burdick at REHAB for help managing her arthritis pain.
Ten years later, Jan still looks forward to her weekly sessions. “Cheri has been a godsend, she says, and without REHAB, she would not have the quality of life that she has now. There’s no cure for lymphedema or arthritis, but through therapy, pain management and the guidance of her doctors and the REHAB team, she’s able to live as independently as possible. She’s still able to walk around her house. Outside, she uses a power chair to get around. Had her symptoms been neglected, she would likely have had to have been moved into a nursing home. Jan says 2014 was the year when she started to get her life back. REHAB has played a big role in that.
But, like any change, the first step always begins with yourself. “Have that level of faith in daily life,” Jan says. “Be there and be part of the process. You can make it happen.”