When Harry Drea began a home improvement project in 2018, he never dreamed he’d experience a life-changing moment that would take him out of commission for a year. Drea has always been physically strong so, even at age 71, he didn’t think twice about building a stone retaining wall at his house just outside of Madison, Wisconsin.
At first, the challenging DIY project was going according to plan. As Drea worked on the wall’s third tier of stones, he lifted a large rock with his bare hands and took a step to put it into place. Suddenly, his life changed. Drea tripped, smashing his spine against a concrete sidewalk.
“They took me to the ER and told me I fractured two vertebrae. My L2 and L5,” said Drea. “A couple of big chunks broke off.”
Drea received treatment that initially brought him tremendous relief, but in 2021, at age 74, he needed surgery to curb the pain and a year of physical rehab at SSM Health St. Mary’s Care Center in Madison, Wisconsin.
“I couldn’t walk. I couldn’t sit up. I couldn’t stand. I couldn’t do anything, but lay flat,” remembers Drea. “I came here on a gurney, loaded up with pain killers. It was really horrible.”
Fast forward to today and Drea is walking again and experiencing tolerable levels of pain. After a year flat on his back, Drea is ready to leave the care center, but not before he offers up five important lessons he has learned while coping with a serious health issue.
Fix your eyes on the goal
For Drea, his goal was getting back to his family. On tough days, he would look at the framed photos of his wife, kids and grandkids and think, “I want to get back home to them.” They were his incentive to work hard in the months it took to learn to sit, then stand and, eventually, walk. If you fix your eyes on an incentive, whatever it may be, it can be the motivation to help you push through hard times.
Get out of your room and participate
“They have programs just down the hall in a room. I’ll call it a community room,” Drea said with a smile. “They do all sorts of games and things that are really breaking the monotony of being here.” Remember that you can overcome boredom and discouragement by being around other people and getting your mind off your troubles.
Seek friends and laughter
Drea and a few other residents meet for lunch daily. “We laugh and tell stories and it’s so much fun.” They call themselves “the lunch bunch” and inviting others to join them has given Drea something to look forward to each day in addition to the meals. “The food is phenomenal here!” he said as he lists all of his favorites. When asked why the lunch bunch doesn’t get together for breakfast or dinner, he laughed and said, “You don’t want to ruin a good thing.” Laughter is good medicine.
Appreciate the people, the joy and the good things around you
From the fireplaces and comfortable couches to the nurses and cleaning staff, Drea notes all the positive experiences. “It’s just a warm, homey feeling,” said Drea. “They really take care of you. With the physical therapy and occupational therapy, there’s an excellent room downstairs full of equipment and it helps a lot. The people are very knowledgeable here. You’ll find some of the CNAs and nurses have been here 10 or 20 years and with an employee here that long, you have to be doing something right. And I love that a lot.” He also smiles when he thinks about hearing people living and working just outside the door of his room and said the joyful sounds of life have been uplifting. “I often fell asleep to the sound of people laughing and telling stories,” Drea said. Thankfulness can change how you view all things.
Have faith
“My faith is important to me. I come from an Irish Catholic family. My oldest sister is a nun. We’re very thankful for life,” said Drea. When he thinks about all he's been through in the last year, including a life-threatening infection, he said, “I must be here for a reason.” Remembering that the current situation is part of a greater plan can bring comfort.
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