“The way they pushed me was the perfect amount. That’s why I responded — I didn’t feel overwhelmed.” — Lisa Witt-Pinaire, Rehab Patient

Lisa Pinaire spent 35 years in the classroom. She’s the kind of person who faces hard things head-on — so when a series of medical crises left her completely paralyzed on her left side, she approached her recovery the same way she approached everything else: with determination and a positive attitude.

It started with seizures on January 2nd. A CT scan revealed a large brain tumor. Because of a clotting disorder called Factor V Leiden, traditional brain surgery wasn’t an option, so Lisa underwent laser brain surgery — a less invasive alternative. After nearly a month in the hospital, she arrived at Masonic Village at Burlington unable to move her entire left side, from her head down.

Her therapy team — Dan, Courtney, Corey, and Laura — worked with her daily through physical and occupational therapy. Her aides, Florence, Isaac, and Anthony, provided round-the-clock care for needs she’d never needed help with before: bathing, toileting, even cutting her food. “I needed help with everything,” Lisa recalls. “But I’ve always had a positive attitude. I worked on wanting to do things myself as much as I could.”

Recovery came gradually — and then it came. It started with her thumb. Then her pinky. Then movement returned, inch by inch, all the way down to her feet. By the time she was ready to return home, Lisa was walking independently and performing daily activities on her own.

She credits the pace of her care as much as the care itself. “I think the way they pushed me was the perfect amount,” she says. “That’s why I responded. I didn’t feel overwhelmed.”

The accommodations mattered too — fully accessible facilities, good nutrition, and a staff that went above and beyond. When her daughters brought her grandchildren to visit, Director of Nursing Jennifer arranged a private room so the family could share a pizza party together.

“Masonic has done wonders for me,” Lisa says. “I feel like I’m 99% better. You have to have a positive attitude, not be down on yourself, and really work hard to get where you’re going.”