"This is the way it is": How Ita is coping with a life-changing condition
Ita, 83, remains optimistic despite facing significant health challenges. After back surgery in 2021, she noticed symptoms that led to a diagnosis of isolated gait disorder. Although doctors are unsure whether the surgery caused the condition or if it will worsen, Ita now relies on a wheelchair.
"I haven't walked properly since the back surgery," Ita shared.
She depends on others for mobility and acknowledges this as a major adjustment. Instead of focusing on the difficulties, she emphasizes the positives, such as relief from back pain.
"I can either feel sorry for myself and do nothing, or I can take control of my life, as I always have," she said.
Ita expresses frustration over the lack of funding for research into her illness but chooses to face life’s uncertainties with resilience.
"Life is full of detours," she noted.
In the midst of these challenges, Ita completed her twelfth book, Unapologetically Ita, her second memoir and the first written without balancing a full-time job.
"It was a relief to write a book and discover how much fun it is when you don't have to keep leaving it to go back to the job you do," she said.
Her story is one of embracing change while maintaining positivity and purpose.
Author’s summary: Despite her diagnosis and reliance on a wheelchair, Ita chooses positivity and productivity, highlighting the power of resilience and adapting to life’s unexpected challenges.