Winter Orbiter 2015.pdf

therapy from her mother, her lifebegan to stabilize and her seizuresbegan to slow down. Her schoolingsuffered due to the epilepsy andother health problems, resultingin Helen leaving early.Helen Napiermade her homewith us at RadiusSt Helenas in1994, a mere 21years ago. Wehave other longstandingresidents, but Helen isour matriarch.Helen was born in Dunedin in1936, the eldest of three daughtersof loving parents, Helena andWalter. Walter had a steady jobas a mechanic and in 1940 dueto the bitterly cold weather, herparents made the decision to movethe family to Otahuhu, Auckland.No one regretted this decision,especially not Helen.When she was a young schoolgirlshe had a friend who was learningto play the piano which led toHelen persuading her parents toallow lessons. She became quitean accomplished player, reachingGrade 8 at the Royal Schools ofHELENNAPIEROUR MOSTLONG-STANDINGRESIDENTMusic. Alongwith playingthe piano at herchurch, Helenremembers oncebeing asked toplay the drumsduring a bands rehearsals whenthe drummer was late. Her familyis quite musical, and Helen thinksher talent may have come from herfather who played in a band. Oneof her sisters, Heather, had themost beautiful singing voice.At the age of twelve Helen hadher first epileptic fit, a grandmal seizure, which left her withhealth problems and subsequentsmaller seizures occurring almostdaily. Following this initial eventshe required permanent dailycare. She remembers her firstseizure happening while doinghand-stands on the front lawnof their home and then beingrushed to hospital. She was puton medication and, along withFollowing school, Helen begantraining for kindergarten teaching.A placement in a local kindergartenmeant she could play the pianofor the children during their singsongtime. She loved her job dearlybut one day the principal askedfor a meeting with Helen and hermother. It seems one of the staffhad witnessed one of her ‘turns’so the principal told her she wasunable to work there any longer.Helen was particularly devastatedwhen she coldly told her she wouldnever be able to complete hertraining or work in childcare again.After this, for about seventeenyears, Helen taught piano andorgan lessons at home to localschool children and to boys fromKings College.After Helen’s father died, hermum, who continued to care forHelen, was persuaded by one of herdaughters, Margaret, to move toChristchurch for the extra support.They moved into a unit and thenon to Radius St Helenas as Helenafound it harder to care for Helen.She was pleased that the name ofthe facility was the same as hermother’s and close to her name.Helen was 58 at the time.This turned out to be a fortuitousdecision as, only nine monthslater, sadly, Helena passed away.Margaret,Heatherand Helen.26 ORBITERHeather,Mum, Helen,Dad and acousin.