Cunningham-Ramos AML & Stroke after TBI Journey

It still seems like I dream that I ventured on a 12+ hour trip to bring Kim to what I assessed to be a better life for both of us. Well, so far our experiences have exceeded my expectations! Not only has Kim gotten significantly better with so much human activity around him and a full-time nurse I hired 1 week after arriving who gives him daily therapy and wheel-chair rides around the neighborhood twice a day but, also, most of my daily muscular / back pains are nearly gone. I’m so grateful for having taken this risk which is paying off grandly!

With the daily help of my youngest sister Soledad, I’ve managed to take care of multiple issues in a short time— immigration requirements which took several trips; health insurance set up and initial doctor appointments; room adaptation and equipment purchase for Kim; etc., etc..

Originally, I thought I’d place Kim in one of the best nursing facilities in Cali, but that thought quickly faded after realizing that I just don’t think he’ll be happy or cared for as well as he’s here at home. Also, now that I have all of this support around, I don’t have the need or the heart to place him with strangers.

Our family cook and house caretaker of 35+ years is still with us, working for my brother who retired and took over the house after my mother passed away in 2017. Not having to be in charge of household chores, including the daily cooking while, at the same time, taking care of Kim’s health and daily care took a HUGE load off me nearly immediately after we arrived.

So life is good as I find more and more quiet moments to myself to reflect, listen to the amazing birds in this country, enjoy great warm weather, and share life with family while at the same time seeing Kim have the love, care, and dignity he deserves. I could not be more thankful for having this opportunity and seizing it before it was too late!