Tales From a 60 Year-Old Woman With Physical Challenges

By Kathy Hartman

People thought I was crazy, but I went on a flight to Honduras six weeks after my second total knee replacement.  While I was worried about the challenges of all the walking, once my doctor gave the okay, I signed up and was ready to go!!  Was it hard at times? Sure, it was, but was it worth it? 1000%  I would have genuinely missed out on a fantastic experience.

To add a little to the back story of my “issues,” while in Honduras, I celebrated the 11th anniversary of a 13-hour surgery to remove a brain tumor.  Removing the tumor meant they had to cut my left facial nerve, which means I look like I had a stroke; I have limited vision in one eye, and I have questionable balance. Five years after that, my left knee was replaced. Six years later, my right. So please, if for one second you think you can’t, you can!! 

The Finca-T team and the OBIIS leaders were extremely accommodating to my challenges. They tell you that you should sit out of anything you feel you may not be able to do, yet I did it all!!!  I wasn’t the fastest, but that was never an issue. Everything slows down when you are there, so someone walking a little slower or having to sit occasionally was a non-issue.  I attempted to do a few things and laughed whenever someone stopped me and said, “Not on my watch!”

The main thing I missed out on was one of the OBIIS team’s favorite things: riding in the back of a pickup truck.  Based on the fact that during the 2-hour ride, we were subjected to 4 different weather events, I am okay with riding up front warm and dry with windows up and heat on or windows open with the AC blowing.

Thinking back on everything I would have missed, especially traveling with my daughter, would have been heartbreaking if I hadn’t accepted the challenge. What a week!!! Never in my wildest dreams did I think I could say I have lifelong friends in Honduras. I couldn’t even talk to some because I don’t speak Spanish, but it didn’t matter. We will always be friends. 

I can’t wait to go back!  I already miss my friends, the sounds, the smells, and especially the infectious laughter. So, if you think you can’t, you can. Grab some walking sticks, sign up, take the leap, and go!!!