Bandra's beloved 99-year-old Nana is home, but family needs funds for treatment

Nana Hazel Branche had gone to Florida to visit her grandson and great-grandchildren

Bandra's beloved nonagenarian, Nana Hazel Branche, is now out of hospital, but it'll still be a while before she can return to the city from Florida. The 99-year-old teacher, who suffered a stroke in Florida nearly a month ago, is now recovering at her grandson's home in the US.

Although doctors in the US had originally insisted that she either stay in hospital or move to a rehab centre to recuperate, they eventually found that she was getting depressed in the absence of family members.

Her daughter, Judy, told mid-day, "We looked at about five rehab centres; most of them have nothing but a chair for visiting relatives. Although there is a nurse available around the clock, she has to be called by pressing a button - something that Nana would forget to do. Nana would fall out of bed while trying to get up on her own.

"The doctors said that she was getting depressed without her family around, and suggested that she stay at home. Last Saturday, we moved her back to the house."

A specialist helps Nana with physiotherapy at home in the US

Need donations
Judy added that at the Florida house, there is a dedicated nurse who tends to Nana for 12 hours each day, as well as three therapists who visit daily to aid her with speech and movement therapy.

"All this is possible because of the donations that have come in," said Judy. "People might think that since she is back home, they do not need to donate more. But we still need the money; treatment at home is more expensive."

"The fact remains that three weeks ago, Nana was taking rickshaws to work. Today, even though we are all being very positive about how determined she is to make it through this, the bottom line remains that she is never going to be the way she was before," said Judy.

Can't travel yet
She further pointed out that doctors had advised them not to move her out of town as the journey might tire her. This is why home treatment in Florida was the only feasible option - at least for the first month.

"She is still miles away from being the person she was, and there is no mention of her being flown back to Mumbai, because of her health. When I spoke to her last, she remembered my first and last name, but my middle name, given by her, she could not recall," said Judy.

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