A Link to Hope
There was a hiccup in their story book tale when Marvin had a stroke in March 2015. Thankfully, his voice was unaffected, but he has limited left-sided movement. Though in-hospital treatment and rehab started the journey back, his left-side is still affected.
In January 2017, Marvin is seeing OT Katherine Murphy for the first time. I am excited to see what she brings to the team and specifically Marvin. Stay tuned...
First Year of Providing Clients’ Care - 2016
Let me tell you about Marvin and Cindy Palla. They met in high school in Temple, Texas, and their first date was on Valentine’s Day! They got married on December 30, 1972, and will be married 44 years before 2017. Marvin attended the University of Texas at Austin and Cindy attended Dental Hygiene school in Tyler, Texas. They moved to Austin/Round Rock in 1973, and Marvin worked for 7-11, built boating docks on Lake Austin, owned a printing business, and worked and works for the State of Texas in the Comptroller’s office for the past 21 years. Cindy continues to work as a Dental Hygienist.
He came to us through a referral. Though he was only a year past his stroke, he was 64 when he began the Hope Camp, so at least some of us were concerned that his brain did not have the plasticity needed for accelerated improvement. Our Hope Camp jump-started his nerves and his improvement since then has been astounding – from our standpoint. But there’s more...
I am the Founder of A Link to Hope. I have been, for the past seven months, under the care of an Occupational Therapist named Katherine Murphy. She has been working with my mind and body putting reflexes back into my system and working on me neurologically. She gives me exercises to do as well on my own time. What is amazing about it is two things: (1) it works and my affected side is beginning to know what muscles to use (instead of compensating muscles) and pieces of my body are starting to come together; and (2) it is unbelievably pain-free!
I hope that you all had a Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holidays and are looking forward to a great New Year! We at A Link to Hope (ALH) had a great year and provided care to two patients. What we thought as we put together this non-profit has come true, and we and our Care Providers have seen it first-hand. The care we provide makes a difference and improves clients/patients and it doesn’t seem to matter how long it has been since they had their stroke. Bottom line: the care works, and it gets better!
We have given the clients and their Care Givers help through the Hope Camp, a 12 week program that is focused on getting the brain and the body talking to each other, and providing counseling to the Stroke Survivor and their Care Giver. The care worked, and they began to get better, but the best part was the follow-on care.
One patient came for follow-on care for two months, and he continued to improve. The second one, Marvin Palla, has continued care up to the present time, and is making great strides in his movement and – most importantly – the HOPE that he and his wife has is alive!
We have applied for one grant and hope to do more this coming year. What we know is the team care that ALH provides works and it doesn’t matter when we get the client. We also have care that the Care Giver receives that is much-needed! What we HOPE for you is that you have had a good year. For those that contributed to ALH – we thank you so much – and we HOPE that you have a wonderful New Year. We are excited for the next year, and HOPE to make a difference in the lives of Stroke Survivors and the Care Givers.
We have the care and the care works! All we need are clients and funds. The clients will come, and the funds will come – Lord willing. Donations are needed to help continue to provide the care that is needed. If you would like to make a donation that would help us, we will gladly accept them as a 501(c)3 non-profit entity. Please check out our website at www.alinktohope.org to donate or for more information.
Please pray for ALH as we try to bring HOPE to people, one family at a time!
Blessings,
David