Most of us know Maya Hobday as a lifetime member of Canandaigua Botanical Society. She has been a member since moving to Canandaigua in 1950! Maya left her home on April 9th this year by ambulance to Thompson Hospital. She was admitted with pneumonia and later had complications with a heart attack and C-diff. She was sent to Elm Manor on North Main Street in Canandaigua for what was supposed to be a two week stay for rehabilitation. Due to a decline in her health Maya is still at Elm Manor. Her mental capacity is still strong but weighed down heavily with the dissatisfaction and frustration of her current living situation and loss of physical strength and energy. Maya would love to be back in her home with her gardens but that's just not possible without around the clock care.
I have been in to see Maya 2 - 4 times each day. She appreciates a good cup of coffee (3 creams) and being in touch with what's happening outside of Elm Manor. She's missed her playtime with our yellow lab Jake so Jake began visiting Maya several times a week (being a favorite visitor to many others as well).
Many folks have asked about Maya and I do encourage you to keep in touch with her by visiting (room 10B), calling (585-919-3215), or dropping her a card or letter (her address in the Botanical Program). Please don't let her rough patches scare you off. She does have them but they are fewer when contact with her familiar friends are more frequent.
Just this week she delighted in a letter from Myrtle Eames and she is proud to show off the new book that Leigh Jones and her brother wrote about their cobblestone house (available at the Ontario County Historical Society). Often it is the little things that make the biggest difference for Maya.
Some days I ask Maya to tell me three good things about the day. There is a beautiful butterfly bush outside one of the windows where she often sits. She likes the bush and the butterflies it attracts. She tells me that she looks forward to having one of her own butterfly bushes one day. The butterfly bush and many memories of times with the Botanical Society are often mentioned in her list of three good things.
I will be out of town quite a bit over the next few weeks and know that Maya will be missing my daily visits. Please do consider checking in on her especially through Labor Day. THANK YOU!
PS: The visit to the Permaculture Institute was wonderful and I will be posting minutes and photos when I get a chance these next few weeks.