VERO BEACH — “Dory” is businesswoman, mother, daughter and wife. Not the perfect life, Dory and her husband had lost their oldest child at only 9 years old. As with many families, Dory, her husband and other children grieved their loss.
Just a few years ago, she and her husband owned 2 successful art galleries and frame stores. They loved their customers, and their customers loved them.
Dory recalls sitting down in the gallery with her customers to drink a cup of coffee and talk. Dory listened as they unburdened themselves to her, hanging on every word. They needed someone to listen.
In 2005, the business was booming and it was apparent they needed to move to a larger location. In a rush to get the OPEN sign lit, Dory was working feverishly to get everything in place when she caught her foot in a rug. Her ankle was broken. Little did she know that this was just the beginning.
Six weeks later, Hurricane Katrina was heading for the Gulf Coast. Dory’s 93 year old mother was living with her and was diagnosed with early Alzheimer’s. They packed what they could and headed north to upstate Alabama.
Two days after Hurricane Katrina, they returned home to find everything was gone. Their children had lost everything, and everything Dory knew from childhood was gone.
Once again, Dory was there for her customers and friends. She listened to them as they talked over coffee and before too long, the rebuilding began. For the next year, things began returning to normal; well, as normal as possible while rebuilding their home and helping their children rebuild theirs while dealing with the insurance companies.
At this point, Dory’s mother was in the latter stages of her disease and needed more care than Dory could give her. Although the nursing home was wonderful, Dory’s heart was broken that she couldn’t fulfill her promise to always be there for her mom.
By the end of the third year, the business had slowed to the point that they had to lay off the staff. One year later, Dory’s mother passed away.
The decision was made to close the business and move to Vero Beach. Finally, they were away from the stress and anxiety, and their new lives began. For the next two years, they enjoyed the sunny weather, beautiful beaches, and friendly people.
This truly was Paradise. Until the day Dory found herself in the Emergency Room. Her heart was racing, and she felt herself slipping away. Her body was shaking, and she couldn’t stop crying. All the tests were run, but they couldn’t find anything wrong and suggested Dory see a psychiatrist.
For the next three months, Dory stayed in her house and couldn’t be around anyone because of shaking and crying. A prisoner in her own home, she couldn’t go past the driveway. Finally, she sought help.
“I feel so lucky that I found Dr. Acosta and all of the wonderful people at the Mental Health Walk-In Center. No one judged me. Instead, I found faith, persistence and love.
It’s amazing what their faith in us can do to help us through the bad times and let us know we will get better. If I didn’t understand what Dr. Acosta was telling me, she would tell me again until I understood. I now have pride in myself for my accomplishments these last few months,” Dory added.
Dory will be joining other clients in the first annual Mental Health Association Client Graduation to be held April 20.
“This graduation celebrates the hard work and accomplishments so many people in our community achieve to overcome the emotional issues in their lives. For some, it is the first time they have been in a position to really begin living, and for others it is an opportunity to live again. This is an important event in our community. It is a celebration for our clients and our community,” Dr. Irene Acosta explained.
