My mom was diagnosed with tuberculosis of the spine, which affected the mobility of her left leg. The surgery done for the same was successful, but she refused to attempt to stand. Considering her age, 78 years, doctors suggested giving her some time to get mentally prepared for the same. Meanwhile, physiotherapy was also offered.
However, it looked like Mom had premeditated upon not cooperating with any form of physical exertion.

This was a cause of worry because lying down too long would act as a serious deterrent to blood circulation in the limbs and make her invalid for the rest of her life.
After trying to coax her in vain to take physiotherapy sessions, I decided to impose this therapy on her. However, I was a bit apprehensive about her cooperation. I knew with fatigue and too many heavy medications for tuberculosis, she had acquired some stubborn nature.
Our family doctor gave me the reference of a physiotherapist named Anjali. He also gave a pamphlet based on her profile. While handing it over to me, he said, ” She is born visually impaired.” Meeting my apprehensive glance, he asked me to go through the girl’s profile. As I ran my eyes through the page, I was stunned to see she had traveled to far-off places like the UK and the USA to get specially trained.

“Looks like she comes from an affluent family. She has trained in renowned foreign physiotherapy institutes,” I said.
“Both her parents are doctors. The irony is that her father is a famous ophthalmologist. He has brought light in the lives of many, but his hands got tied in the case of his daughter because she was born with irreversible visual impairment.” My doctor informed much to my bewilderment.
I trusted my family doctor and called for the girl the following day. I looked at her, and I was dumbfounded. Bubbling with energy, she spoke so very vivaciously that it took everyone at home by surprise. It didn’t look like she had an impairment. Her eyes looked more or less normal.

I hadn’t disclosed to my mother that the physiotherapist could not see it, as I thought she might show some resentment. I was in for more surprise when Anjali went about doing the exercises with verve. Other than the fact that one girl had escorted her to my mom’s bed, one could never find out she was blind.
I watched in awe as she explained the exercises to Mom. My mother was not showing positive signs of cooperating, but the girl kept dragging her into conversations and making her do little comfortable exercises. Promising to come the following day, she left, bidding ‘bye’ to Mom.
When she left, my mom started grumbling about the physical strain she was going through. “What will I achieve by doing all these?” she quipped.
That is when I disclosed the truth about Anjali. “Ma, did you know the physiotherapist who came now is blind? Do you think she would have achieved so much if she had resigned to her fate and moaned?” I said, showing the girl’s profile. “She runs a clinic from 10 to 5,” I added.
My mother was shocked to the core. She was not ready to believe me at first. Then she realized I was stating the truth as I had requested her not to nod or shake her head but to answer vocally.
She was more than perplexed, and then something unexpected happened. My mother, who had stubbornly decided in the morning to go on a non-cooperative spree, mellowed down and meticulously followed all of Anjali’s instructions the next day. Within a fortnight, she started walking with the help of a walker.
Anjali was thrilled to see her progress. She could feel the patient’s affection and respect for her work. We all learned so much from her. My mother soon realized that one limb’s immobility was a minuscule issue that could be rectified with proper exercise and self-confidence. Anjali taught my mom to look at impairments from a different perspective.