Jim
Jim and Darlene Vescio
"Josa has truly been an angel to me. She has opened many doors for us—doors that had been closed to us for many years."
These are the words of Darlene Vescio, the single mother of Jim, who is 16 years old, and living with cerebral palsy along with an underlying seizure disorder. Unable to walk, sit or eat independently, Jim uses a wheelchair and requires full time assistance which is provided by his mother.
"Every year has been a struggle to provide for Jim what he needed," Darlene said. "For many years, I fought to get proper equipment for his well-being. After years and years of many turndowns," Darlene admitted, "I stopped fighting and settled into a daily routine that included lifting Jim from his bed to the wheelchair and back every day."
Several years ago, while lifting Jim in and out of his wheelchair, Darlene injured her hip. She was told that she needed hip replacement surgery, but, as she said, "I put off my hip replacement surgery again and again," knowing that after surgery her limited mobility would affect her son's care. As Darlene put it, "If I had the operation, who would take care of Jim when I couldn't?"
Finally, Darlene couldn't put it off any longer. Her hip was getting worse. She recently had hip replacement surgery, and although she had temporary help with lifting Jim while she was in the hospital, she was, she said, "overwhelmed at the thought of who would lift Jim during my recuperation.
"And that's when you wonderful people sent Josa to me!" Darlene smiled.
Dzulzada Nisic ("Josa" to her friends), a physician for more than ten years in Sarajevo, Bosnia, and now relocated to western Pennsylvania, is the Caring Program's Care Coordinator for Jim and his family.
Josa's first goal in working with Jim and his family was to locate equipment that would assist Darlene in caring for her son. After much research and many phone calls, Josa finally located a patient lift and a special bathroom / shower chair.
"Because of Josa," Darlene said, "I now have the lifting equipment needed for Jim's daily care. I don't have to worry about ruining my new hip, or hurting my other one.
"Thanks so much for my Josa. She has helped me and Jim so much, and is continuing to make life easier for us.
"I keep thinking that this has all been a dream—it's just too good to be true! If it is a dream," she added, smiling, "don't wake me up."