Learning to Walk Again – Cornwall Documentary Family Photography
This is a very special post for me about a project that spanned several months over the spring and summer.
My project started out of an urge to document something very personal for my family. Nana had a debilitating stroke back in January and my mom and her siblings began the adventure of learning to navigate the care system. One part of that was finding a way to get Nana some form of rehabilitation therapy – occupational, speech and/or physical therapy – so that she might regain some measure of independence in some form. This search was full of hurdles, but Nana’s improvements while at home eventually meant that she was able to qualify for admittance into the stroke rehab program at Glengarry Memorial Hospital. She had up to five weeks to advance as much as she could and the clock was ticking. I knew that Nana was determined; I also knew that she had a lot of work ahead of her. The goal of my project was to document Nana’s progress as she got stronger – what I didn’t realise was that I would end up documenting far more than just that.
Not long after she was admitted, I began making weekly visits; sometimes for a day, sometimes for a few hours. I watched as she struggled with exhaustion and pushed her way through the physio sessions that would help her regain some use of her right leg, the speech therapy that helped her learn to self-advocate and regain facial symmetry, and the occupational therapy that would help her be able to use her strengths to her advantage in everyday situations like getting dressed or brushing her teeth. Each day brought new challenges and she continued to work at learning how to use her “new” body. Watch for the photo of Nana, overflowing with pride, as she stands on her own on her last day at the hospital. Achievements like this couldn’t have happened without her team of therapists pushing her a little bit harder each session.
What I didn’t realise right away was what else was happening: Nana was building her own cheering squad. Documenting the relationships that developed between her and her therapists as they worked to help her find a way forward ended up being the highlight of this project. I’ve never been in the position to watch something like this happen. Her therapy staff were just plain awesome. They knew that she was serious about making progress and they found ways to make that progress happen within the limits imposed by Nana’s body. As a result, her development was far beyond what I ever really thought might be possible and she set a new precedent for the program. A woman who, in January, faced fairly grim prospects for quality of life very nearly walked out of that rehab centre (instead we wheeled her out because she’d done some walking already). :)
While I left the hospital bursting with pride over the progress that Nana made each week, it was the bond formed between the therapy team and Nana that was truly rewarding to document. Some of my favourite moments are between Nana and Chantal; the moments from the end of my first visit when Chantal rested her chin on Nana’s head and then shook her finger in congratulations are two that tipped me off to the fact that there was something really special happening in that building. Seeing the photo of Chantal crouched down while she said goodbye to Nana still brings me to tears. There’s no doubt that psychology plays a huge role in rehabilitation of any sort, and this team certainly found ways to keep the mood light. I am forever grateful to Chantal and her team for their laughter and what those smiles did for Nana’s outlook on therapy and on her future because they helped her see that laughter was an important part of getting stronger.
Here’s Nana’s story.
I’m Ang – a Cornwall, Ontario-based photographer with a passion for capturing light and photographing natural moments in life as they happen anywhere in the world. My goal is to capture memories that you will cherish once your family is grown or loved ones are gone. I love meeting new families and capturing moments that are truly unique to them. Please explore more of www.momentusstudio.com to see more examples of Cornwall documentary family photography.
