Hillary and Ann Sexton uses walking as a means of exercise to stay physically fit.
John M. Bottorff, D.C., C.C.S.T., is a 1981 graduate of Palmer College of Chiropractic and a second generation chiropractor. He is certified in Chiropractic Spinal Trauma. He is a triathlete and an avid cyclist, runner and swimmer. He can be contacted at Bottorff Advanced Chiropractic at 362-8833 or online at www.Cvillepainrelief.com.
This week’s Health Heroes come as a duo and for good reason. Ann Sexton’s daughter Hillary is both blind and deaf, yet they refuse to allow those conditions define Hillary.
I learned of Hillary and Ann through snippets of stories here and there. I knew they went to Athena Sport & Fitness Center every morning to work out. I also was intrigued by Hillary’s conditions and thought she’d be an extraordinary person to feature.
After finding Ann’s contact information, I made a cold call asking if she and Hillary would like to be in an article. “I’ll text her and ask,” Ann said.
It was a comment that set me back. I thougth it was strange to text a blind, deaf person. After a bit, I received a call from Ann saying Hillary would be glad to tell her story.
As I approached the house, mom and daughter were sitting knee to knee with a constant movement of their hands. Ann was mouthing the words Hillary was signing into her hands and responding. Tactile signing. Every movement meant something. Close observation brought an instant respect for the difficulty and speed at which they were signing.
After introductions, we entered Hillary’s home with Hillary leading us through an average looking, nicely appointed home. We went back to a small room where I was seated in front of a piece of 1992 technology called a TeleBraille. We typed messages. I could read on a monitor what Hillary had to say and she would read on what looked to be a Braille board what I had typed. I think. While this was fun, it was cumbersome to the interview. So back out on the porch we went.
“I came early because I was eager to see my mom,” Hillary signed into Ann’s hand while Ann interpreted. Hillary was born in 1975 at Logansport. She was eight weeks premature. It was early in first year of life that Ann suspected Hillary was deaf. Ann had dropped a shoe and it didn’t startle Hillary. Further medical testing proved her intuition to be right.
“She was so small and we had all these wires to her hearing aids,” Ann said describing her daughter’s plight. “I had a shirt made for her that said, “Bionic Baby.” But the effort to help her hearing didn’t work and Hillary started to communicate with Ann via sign language at the age of 10 months. At that time Hillary had vision in one eye. She encouraged her mom to learn how to sign through tactile or touch senses in their hands in case she went blind. The family traveled so Hillary could attend schools that met her needs. Unfortunately, at the age of 15, Hillary lost her vision. She would find herself in double enrollment of both blind and deaf school. This doesn’t cover the numerous surgeries that Hillary has had. Too many to count, said Ann.
Ann believed it important to keep herself fit by working out to the likes of Richard Simmons and Jane Fonda. While she still had her vision, Hillary loved watching Richard Simmons and thought he was a hoot. The two worked out together in full gear, including leg warmers.
Ann believes there are several aspects to health the least of which are mental, physical, spiritual and emotional. She and her husband Jim have chosen the road less traveled for their daughter as far as treatment.
“When Hillary was 8 months old a doctor told me I should institutionalize Hillary,” Ann said.
That wouldn’t be the last advice they would ignore.
More next week on a constant struggle for a better life.
See you on the walk.
