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Surrounded by hundreds of books in the library at Fair Haven Home in Bostic, resident Stella Rome Carroll, talked about her love of books, reading and even writing her own book. She talked about living her life to the fullest and explained there aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done.
That might sound unusual for a person in an assisted living facility, but Stella is a woman with a positive attitude and ambition to live her life to the fullest.
A Fair Haven resident for five years, Stella, 66, requires assisted living due to a condition called Caudaequin Syndrome -- a rare back disease that weakens the lower body.
A Charlotte doctor made the diagnosis approximately 18 months after Stella began to experience numbness all over her body that was compounded with terrific pain.
Stella underwent surgery that took away the intense pain, but it left her with no balance, numbness, weakness and incontinence.
Because of the balance issues, Stella fell three times in seven months following the diagnosis, breaking her ankle, leg and wrist. She was then diagnosed with osteoporosis.
Today she also has a pacemaker after a diagnosis of A-fib in July 2007.
Stella now faces kidney failure, but in spite of these serious health issues, Stella is taking the high road and refuses to allow this to take over her life.
"This is a rare syndrome, but there are still things I can do," she said.
"It is all in your attitude," she smiled.
For Stella, the days do not have enough hours "to do all I want to do," she said recently.
Spending the majority of the day in her wheelchair, Stella is transitioned from her bed to the wheelchair each day at 5:30 a.m. Getting up that early was her personal choice.
After a morning routine, at 6:20 a.m. she rolls down to the activity room where she undertakes the day's puzzles.
"Then I run back to the room," she said. There she continues solving various word games and reads her Bible before breakfast arrives.
After lunch, she showers, and will either quilt or sew. She is an active participant in all the special events at Fair Haven.
Not an advocate of afternoon naps, she must rest a little while these days with her feet elevated, per doctor's orders.
She is known around Fair Haven as a person who can repair others' clothes. She admits she doesn't sew as much as she once did, but she's up to fixing a sleeve on a dress or a blouse.
Her fee for the clothing alterations?
Perhaps a candy bar if the person has one on a table or a bottle of body wash if there is an extra one.
Stella's days are also filled with producing newsletters for Trinity Baptist Church and the Encouragers Christian Writers Club, of which she is a member. Although she can't attend the meetings, she stays involved in the activities by phone and newsletter.
She's written stories for the newsletter that have greatly touched her and it's her desire to express to others those same feelings through her writing.
Stella's philosophy is simple. "If you whine and cry all you are doing is making yourself miserable," she said. "I chose not to do that.
She admits she has plenty to whine and cry about, but she's not going down that road. It is too unhealthy.
Confined to a wheelchair, she has no use of the lower half of her body, "But I can use my upper half and I do the best I can as long as I can."
A few years ago Stella helped write the book, "Ancient Stories: Timeless Encouragement." Along with eight other members of the writer's club, there are 52 entries in the book that are written to encourage others.
The devotional book was inspired by Old Testament scripture.
The book was written to brighten the lives of others, which Stella says is a personal calling.
She spends most of her day out of her room at Fair Haven, visiting others, reading, participating in the activities or working on puzzles.
"This is a great place to be. There is so much activity," she said.
Spend a few minutes with this home economics major from Western Carolina University and you'll walk away blessed by a Christian woman with a genuine, loving and caring attitude.
She just wants to please the Lord in all she does.
