Maya Can’t Walk nor Talk. But She Just Did This.

dellanienash9
Dec 9, 2025
2 min read

Updated: Dec 10, 2025

When Hope Looks Like Ten Minutes Upright

Monday, 8 December 2025

Our days are full of things we once took for granted — things most families never have to think twice about. Sitting. Standing. Blinking. Speaking.

Maya can no longer do any of those things on her own.

She can’t move her arms or legs. She can’t hold up her neck. Her tiny body lies still, a prisoner of the damage caused by treatment that was meant to save her life. She rarely blinks now — and when she does, it’s like a miracle — so we lubricate her eyes every two hours to stop them drying out.

Sometimes she tries to talk. Her tongue curls upward, like she’s trying to push out a word… a sound… something. But nothing comes. I can see the frustration, the longing, the Maya still inside, wanting so badly to connect.

And yet — she fought.

She either would have Spread A Smile Singalong on Zoom or Music Therapy. Music filled the room, and though she couldn’t join in, her eyes find the screen. Or the mouth singing. She watches for fleeting seconds. She listened for a bit. She engages for a wee while. This is a silent win.

On Monday 8th December came the Tilt Table. Physio said goal was five minutes.

But our warrior stood — supported, but truly upright — for ten.

Ten minutes of brave heart, strength, and stubborn survival.

Monday afternoon, OT sat her up in a tilted chair. Her trunk muscles limping with the effort of simply existing upright… and still she stayed more than an hour.

These may look like tiny gains to the outside world.

To us, they are miracles!

For our family, HOPE doesn’t always scream. Sometimes it’s Maya sitting quietly for 60 minutes. Sometimes, it’s Maya standing for 10.

Sometimes, it’s Maya trying her hardest to speak, even when the words won’t come.

Maya is fighting the hardest battle of her life — and she is not giving up.

Not today. Not tomorrow. Never.

Because she is Maya.

And the world needs her light. 🤍

To those that have asked:

PayPal to dellanie_nash@yahoo.co.uk (as a gift)

Santander

D C Nash