Meet a REAL Client in La Porte County

Lori wears a necklace given to her by a friend that reads: 

‘She thought her world was ending and then she turned into a butterfly.’ 

Lori is ready to live the
rest of her life to the fullest!

“That’s me,” Lori confirms.  She compares herself to a butterfly frequently due to the major transformation that has taken place over the past five years.  With a friendly personality and a terrific attitude, Lori’s life has recently taken a turn, with her good days outnumbering her bad days. 

“REAL Services has made an extreme change in my life,” she says with a smile. Lori explains that being with REAL Services for the past five years has significantly altered her life for the better.

At only 49 years old, Lori suffers from a number of serious health issues that have given her complications throughout her entire life; severe obesity being her main hindrance. Five years ago, Lori was wheelchair bound, home-bound, and often bed-bound. She knew she needed help but did not know how to get it. 

Lori’s nurse practitioner at the time referred her to REAL Services. “I can tell you exactly where I was when I met Amy (the REAL Services case manager) on the phone. I was on Route 20, headed towards Meijer. She called me and I could hardly hear her, so I pulled over into the Marathon station and she said I’m going to get you some help.”  Lori says that from that point on, her life was different. 

Once REAL Services entered her life, Lori received in-home services and a home attendant to help her bathe, get to the doctor, prepare meals, and take medication. She was also able to receive a life-line button, a lift chair, and diabetic shoes. However, the biggest blessing that Lori believes she has received is gastric bypass surgery that took place July 16, 2013. Now at a healthy weight of 193 pounds, Lori has a motivated attitude and REAL Services to thank.

In addition to her weight loss goal, Lori also had a goal of becoming more physically social. “I wouldn't have been able to do it without you guys,” she says. REAL Services has helped Lori become a member of support groups and an active member in her apartment complex. Lori explains that she is preparing for her time with REAL Services to come to an end within the next year. She is doing so by evaluating how she wants to further occupy her days. Lori is sufficiently tech savvy and wants to give back by going to nursing homes to help the elderly learn how to use computers. “I’m trying to pay it forward,” Lori expresses.

As the interview with Lori comes to an end in her apartment beautifully decorated with butterflies, she illustrates her gratitude for REAL Services with tears in her eyes and outstretched arms.  Lori has gone through a transformation of a lifetime and has learned very valuable lessons in the process. “You can’t let your feet get stagnant. You have to keep transforming,” she assures. She is extremely grateful for the support REAL Services has provided her in the past five years and is ready to live the rest of her life to the fullest.