Meet Marilyn

When you’re nervous about a hospital stay, a welcoming environment can change your whole outlook.

This past summer, Marilyn Lucas needed just that type of reassurance after she fractured her femur during a fall. Following surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Marilyn required rehabilitation and felt apprehensive about the journey ahead. After receiving a recommendation from a close friend, Marilyn set her sights on Spaulding, hopeful for a warm experience.

When Marilyn came to Spaulding Nursing and Therapy Center in Brighton, it lived up to all her expectations. “Everyone was cheerful and upbeat,” says Marilyn. “From the compassionate nurses and CNAs [certified nursing assistants] to the welcoming cleaning staff, to the dining staff who brought me hot meals — they were good people who made me feel good.”

That’s exactly what Spaulding aims to provide for all our patients — comprehensive care that makes you feel supported during your most challenging moments. That support extended to Marilyn’s family members, who were also welcomed with open arms.

In Marilyn’s day-to-day life, she enjoys cooking, spending time with family, and managing her home. Marilyn’s care team took a specialized approach to help her return to these tasks safely and comfortably. “They told me how to strengthen myself so I could live more independently,” says Marilyn. “Everyone was very patient with me, and we moved at a good pace.”

Throughout her stay at Spaulding, Marilyn received a breadth of occupational and physical therapies to address her mobility obstacles after surgery. Her care team challenged her and guided her through practical scenarios that she would encounter upon her return home. “Getting out of my wheelchair and into my car was harder than I expected, but after lots of practice they helped me feel comfortable,” she says.

Donations help Spaulding invest in the incredible staff and clinicians who make our care so special. From creating recognition programs, to funding continuing education classes, to purchasing upgraded therapy equipment, your gifts help our Spaulding clinicians get the support they need to provide the best patient care.

After three weeks of inpatient care, Marilyn is back home and feeling confident about the progress she’s made. While she is still in a wheelchair, she is on track to progress to a walker, then a cane, and will hopefully be walking completely independently with continued at-home physical therapy.

Marilyn continues to keep in touch with her Spaulding care team, sharing that she misses them all. It was their warmth that made her Spaulding experience so memorable. “Their care and friendship helped me get to where I am today,” she says.