GALILEE – After spending more than a year of her life unable to walk and going back and forth between a recliner and a wheelchair, Sharon Nichols is thankful to once again be back on her feet.

The difficult stretch began with a broken hip in 2021 that was followed by knee replacement surgery this past spring.

Northern Lights Home Health Care Physical Therapist Natalie King has known Mrs. Nichols going back to the broken hip, which she suspects may have contributed to Mrs. Nichols’ knee problems.

Given the combination of her left hip and right knee, which was once “her good leg,” Mrs. King said as Mrs. Nichols’ knee would buckle due to bearing most of her weight following hip surgery, her good leg actually became “her bad leg.” 

Physical Therapist Natalie King walks with Sharon Nichols.

Mrs. Nichols was discharged home on May 21 following knee replacement surgery. Initially she was seeing Mrs. King three days per week. Those therapy appointments were eventually reduced down to twice a week, and as of Sept. 1 Mrs. Nichols is no longer in need of therapy.

When asked if she ever considered the possibility she may not walk again, she said she never considered that an option.

As soon as her physical therapy began, she knew it was time to get to work.

“I do my home exercises all the time and I’m not planning to stop,” she said, adding she would even do exercises in her husband’s truck while on the way to medical appointments.

As she was able to stand, Mrs. Nichols said she began walking with the use of a “platform-style” walker, eventually graduating to a traditional walker, which she now uses to move around her home.

“I was afraid of falling, but I knew I had to get over it, and I did,” she said, adding though that it wouldn’t have been possible without the help of Northern Lights.

In fact, her husband, Alfred “Bud” Nichols has also received physical therapy at home through Northern Lights.

“My friend, Linda told us about Northern Lights, and I said, ‘We’ll get them too. We’ve both had nothing but a great experience. You couldn’t ask for anything better,” she said.

For more information on Northern Lights Home Health Care, please call (315) 714-3135 or visit www.mynorthernlights.org. Northern Lights offers skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and assistance from personal care aides.

Northern Lights is owned and operated through a partnership that includes United Helpers, Canton-Potsdam Hospital, and Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center.