Amazing Ager, Angela, Getting Better with Age

Life is not always a straight line. It’s an unknown journey filled with twists and turns that bring joy, sadness, uncertainty, fear, hope, and so many other emotions. But through supportive family and friends, social connections, physical health, mental well-being, emotional resilience, a sense of purpose, and spirituality, aging can be amazing!

Angela Rattler knows firsthand the ups and downs of life. She planned to be a physical therapist. But while pursuing her degree in 1977, she was in a serious car accident and suffered numerous injuries. Along the road to recovery, she was faced with the realization that she would need to set her sights on a different career path, elementary education with a concentration in early childhood education. It turned out to be the first of many “twists and turns”.

For 30 years, Angela Rattler, age 68, loved being a teacher and educating young minds. And when she retired, she decided she still had more to give so she returned to work in an administrative role at the local school board office. But in 2009, Angela was diagnosed with breast cancer following her annual mammogram. At first the doctors said it could just be scar tissue from a previous, unrelated surgery, but it wasn’t.

“It was a tiny, .4 cm spot on the image. To be safe, they did a biopsy of the tissue, and it came back positive,” Angela said. “It was stage 1, Her2+, an aggressive cancer which can recur, but fortunately it was not in my lymph nodes. So, following my lumpectomy, I had chemotherapy, radiation, Herceptin infusion, and 7 years on the Arimidex pill.”

Today, 15 years cancer free, she is still an active member of the Breast Cancer Support Group at Touro that gave her strength during her cancer treatment and recovery.

“Working with other breast cancer survivors gives me a sense of purpose. I’ve been through it and can relate to what they’ve gone through. Helping others with support strategies and living life with or after cancer, creates an emotional and social bond with other cancer survivors,” Angela believes.

These bonds transcend cancer according to Angela. When her husband of 41 years passed away in 2020 during the early phase of Covid-19, nurses and friends from her cancer treatment and support group were there to support her at his bedside. She was so inspired by their compassion, that her grief brought her to another bend in life.

“Our church administrator, Father Kingsley Ogbuji, asked me to start a grief ministry at our church. He said that because of my own experiences and my strong faith, that I should share my grief to help others,” Angela recounts. “In turn, it has turned out to be a blessing for me and a way to move forward.”

There’s a lot of loneliness in the world and sometimes just listening and making connections can be a powerful tool. It’s one of the reasons why Angela also takes a part in Touro’s Amazing Agers, a program that offers activities, health fairs, monthly educational events, and socialization for those age 65 and older.

“We get so much info and the topics really relate to us as seniors. I think ‘how did I get from that part of life to this point’. Amazing Agers helps me have a better understanding of my health questions and tap into a particular doctor or specialist when and if I may need it,” Angela said.

Angela, born and raised in New Orleans, is no stranger to Touro’s extraordinary healthcare services over the years. Her car accident, the birth of her daughter, breast cancer, and loss of her husband during the pandemic are just a few of many times Touro has been her go-to for healthcare. Now, when she frequents the Amazing Agers’ meetings it’s life coming full circle as she “sees those who cared for her, reconnects with those she went to high school with, and makes new friends. It’s like a club,” she adds.

She’s rediscovered her sense of purpose and, Angela adds that “in helping and sharing myself with other people, it has really helped me in return. It keeps me moving forward and enthusiastic about life.”

Amazing Agers meets monthly from 9 am to noon, with breakfast, exercise, and lunch along with a medical specialist as a guest speaker. Other perks include occasional health screenings, VIP perks, monthly newsletters, and social get-togethers. It’s a holistic, proactive approach to caring for seniors…mind, body, and spirit…complements of Touro’s senior-focused services. Click here to learn more about Touro Senior Care.