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HELP RIKKI HEAL
As most of you may have heard, our beautiful mom Rikki had a stroke the evening of April 28th. It started as a headache with sharp pains in a specific spot, grew in intensity within an hour and when she went to stand up, her body buckled and she slid down the wall. Fortunately, Chris and I (her daughter and son-in-law) were home at the time and after she was able to call us in from the backhouse, we immediately called 911. She was having a Hemorrhagic stroke and thankfully the paramedics got to her quickly. She spent the first few nights in ICU and the rest of the week at Arcadia Methodist Hospital and has since been recovering at a Skilled Nursing Facility in Laguna Woods.
Rikki is a force of nature. At 81 yrs old, she was still teaching 4 classes a week on Zoom, walking miles at the beach and was used to 12-hour days at Disneyland pre-pandemic! I was never able to keep up with her! Nothing could keep that women down. As her daughter, I can honestly say my mom has not aged in mind or spirit in any way shape or form. She has always been and is still the strongest (mentally and physically), most resilient, giving, compassionate, care more for and going to the ends of the Earth for others person I have ever come across. Her determination for what she wants has never flickered, and I see it in her still. As a dancer her entire life, feeling “out of control” and “trapped” in her body, unable to move freely has been frustrating to say the least. Her spirit is still mostly bright with her hilarious, albeit sick sense of humor and “potty jokes”. However, when the situations emotions catch up to her and you can see defeat on her face, it is heartbreaking.
In these 3 ½ weeks since her stroke, being able (thankfully) to be with her most of the time and watching the subtle, sometimes not, improvements has been fascinating. Although slow, seeing her body, her “bio-computer”, start to re-wire and heal itself has been incredible and encouraging for me and Tobi. Mom can’t see or feel these subtle changes as much as we can see it as an observer. I never thought mom wouldn’t get better from this… but I am more and more convinced she can heal mostly if not fully! She never gives up. She has never stopped. She frankly doesn’t know what else to do but teach her students who she sees as family, create productions with her endless costumes or drive wherever you want for a shopping trip or a walk on the beach. Nothing keeps her down.
In order to make sure we’re prepared to have her home as comfortably as possible and to continue necessary therapies, a donation of any amount is greatly and lovingly appreciated. We will need to make a few remodels to the house to allow for wheelchair access, bathroom adjustments, rehabilitation equipment and living expenses since she is unable to make her weekly cash from teaching. Rikki Lugo is not done yet being Rikki Lugo. We thank you for your generosity.
As most of you may have heard, our beautiful mom Rikki had a stroke the evening of April 28th. It started as a headache with sharp pains in a specific spot, grew in intensity within an hour and when she went to stand up, her body buckled and she slid down the wall. Fortunately, Chris and I (her daughter and son-in-law) were home at the time and after she was able to call us in from the backhouse, we immediately called 911. She was having a Hemorrhagic stroke and thankfully the paramedics got to her quickly. She spent the first few nights in ICU and the rest of the week at Arcadia Methodist Hospital and has since been recovering at a Skilled Nursing Facility in Laguna Woods.
Rikki is a force of nature. At 81 yrs old, she was still teaching 4 classes a week on Zoom, walking miles at the beach and was used to 12-hour days at Disneyland pre-pandemic! I was never able to keep up with her! Nothing could keep that women down. As her daughter, I can honestly say my mom has not aged in mind or spirit in any way shape or form. She has always been and is still the strongest (mentally and physically), most resilient, giving, compassionate, care more for and going to the ends of the Earth for others person I have ever come across. Her determination for what she wants has never flickered, and I see it in her still. As a dancer her entire life, feeling “out of control” and “trapped” in her body, unable to move freely has been frustrating to say the least. Her spirit is still mostly bright with her hilarious, albeit sick sense of humor and “potty jokes”. However, when the situations emotions catch up to her and you can see defeat on her face, it is heartbreaking.
In these 3 ½ weeks since her stroke, being able (thankfully) to be with her most of the time and watching the subtle, sometimes not, improvements has been fascinating. Although slow, seeing her body, her “bio-computer”, start to re-wire and heal itself has been incredible and encouraging for me and Tobi. Mom can’t see or feel these subtle changes as much as we can see it as an observer. I never thought mom wouldn’t get better from this… but I am more and more convinced she can heal mostly if not fully! She never gives up. She has never stopped. She frankly doesn’t know what else to do but teach her students who she sees as family, create productions with her endless costumes or drive wherever you want for a shopping trip or a walk on the beach. Nothing keeps her down.
In order to make sure we’re prepared to have her home as comfortably as possible and to continue necessary therapies, a donation of any amount is greatly and lovingly appreciated. We will need to make a few remodels to the house to allow for wheelchair access, bathroom adjustments, rehabilitation equipment and living expenses since she is unable to make her weekly cash from teaching. Rikki Lugo is not done yet being Rikki Lugo. We thank you for your generosity.