ERIK SANZENBACH / L’Observateur / July 24, 2000

RESERVE – Looking tanned and healthy, Maryanna Vicknair sits up straight in her wheelchair and wags her finger.

“Don’t give up or give in,” Vicknair said with gusto. “Think positive. Giving upis the worst thing you can do.”Vicknair is a woman who has taken her own advice to heart. Since 1992 shehas undergone hardships that would conquer the spirit of the strongest person. Yet today she sits in her kitchen, a big smile on her face, as shelooks forward to a brighter future.

Born and raised in Reserve, Vicknair has always lived a life in which she has tried to help others. In fact, she was doing just that when she was a victimof a stroke in 1992.

Vicknair was working for a civic organization in Metairie as an office manager. On March 13 she was by herself in the office, eating lunch. Thephone rang. Vicknair got up to answer it and fell over.”I dragged myself to the phone,” said Vicknair. “All I could think of was thatmaybe it was someone that needed help.”She was able to answer the phone and get help for herself. When she wastaken to the hospital she was told that she had suffered a stroke that paralyzed the right side of her body.

The stroke also affected some of her mental abilities.

“The stroke made me forget my prayers,” Vicknair said. “There was a lady inmy hospital room that said prayers for me, and taught me prayers.”It was a long, hard road to recovery for Vicknair.

“I had to re-learn a lot of things, “Vicknair said. “I had to learn how to speakagain. Because I was right-handed I had to learn to write with my left hand. Iam now ambidextrous,” Vicknair said proudly.

But that wasn’t the end of her troubles.

While convalescing from her stroke doctors informed her they had discovered two types of cancer on her kidneys. She underwent the first ofmany surgeries, and most of her kidneys were removed. She now only has ahalf a kidney.

“I am living proof that a person can live with half a kidney,” said Vicknair. “Iam a miracle.”To add to the miraculous, she is not on dialysis.

But even then, Vicknair’s troubles weren’t over.

While going through physical therapy Vicknair developed arthritis in her left knee. Doctors told her the stroke had brought on the arthritis.The pain was so debilitating that for the second time Vicknair underwent surgery to have her knee replaced with plastic counterpart. After that, thearthritis developed in her right knee and hip. She has those replaced, too.Since then she has undergone cataract surgery and carpal tunnel surgery, and just recently she underwent a procedure to help with her incontinence.

“Everybody at River Parishes Hospital knows me,” Vicknair joked. “Even the9-1-1 operators are always calling me up to keep in touch.”Today, Vicknair gets around with the help of a walker and the wheelchair.

She drives her car to do errands and shopping. She also goes to the movies,watches television and reads whatever she can get her hands on. Right nowshe is reading “Chicken Soup for the Soul.”In fact, except for two things, her life is fairly normal.

She doesn’t cook because moving pots and pans and hot things is difficult for her. She uses the microwave oven a lot.Vicknair said the biggest thing she misses is bowling, but she proclaims, “I will get to it, believe you me.”She does enjoy other sports and goes to local football games when she can.

Vicknair’s biggest joy is Kelly, her white West Highlands terrier.

“My dog is my fun,” said Vicknair.

Her other big joy is talking on the telephone.

“Thank God for the telephone,” exclaimed Vicknair. “I’d go crazy without thephone and my dog, Kelly.”Three times a week Vicknair drives to Shannon’s Health and Fitness Center to do aerobics and other physical therapy. The aerobics instructor atShannon’s keeps in touch with Vicknair’s doctor and makes sure Vicknair is doing the correct exercises.

After Vicknair got out of the hospital following the stroke, her son, Jared, took care of her for three years. A deputy with the St. John Sheriff’s Office,Jared became her arms and legs.

“Thank God I followed my mother’s advice and taught my sons how to take care of a house,” said Vicknair. “Jared did everything around here. Hethanked me for teaching him how to do it.”Vicknair has two other sons, Michael, an airline mechanic in Tulsa, Okla., andScott, a welder in Pierre Part.

“I’m really proud of them,” said Vicknair. “They really came through for me.”Despite all the setbacks and obstacles, Vicknair has managed to keep an optimistic view of things.

“I still do get depressed,” Vicknair admitted. “But then I think about all thepositive things in my life, and I start caring about myself again. I have threewonderful sons, I am a grandmother and I have lots of friends.”Her faith is also a mainstay of her character.

“I did question my life during the hip surgery, ” said Vicknair, “but I have never asked God ‘why me?’ nor did I ever blame God. Sometimes I used to getreal mad, but not once did I think of quitting.””Faith in God, and faith in my friends at Shannon’s,” she added, “that is what keeps me going.”She also takes part in a counseling group for stroke victims at River Parishes Hospital.

“That has really helped me out,” said Vicknair. “That’s why I really wanted totell my story. I know lots of people who have had strokes, and I want peopleto know they can still keep going.”And keeping going is exactly what Vicknair is doing. At the present time sheis in the process of putting together a home-based business for catalog sales. She said she should have it off the ground “very soon.”Knowing Maryanna Vicknair, the business will be a roaring success.

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