b"moredifficultit would be for peo-plewhoareless fortunate.Althoughthe doctorsadvised hertotakemore timeoff,Naseem went back to work eightweeksafter theincident.It wasprobablytoo soon, but I wanted to get back to life, Naseem treasures this note that 11-year-old son Kalyan gaveshe says. I wanted her during the most challenging period of her recovery. tobestrongand wanted the kids to powerhouse. see some normalcy.When Robin put out a call for aIn addition to the physical therapy, meal train, the community respondedNaseem was also coming to terms with indroves.AtfirstIwasmortified,needing to address her mental health. saysNaseem.IactuallyfeltlikeaSherecallsgoingtotheMaplewood fraud that I was even having peopleMunicipal Court about six weeks after helpmebecausenothingwasbro- theincidentasamomentwhenher ken. But allowing people to help be- post-traumatic stress disorder became came part of the process of healing. Itacute. Escorted by Westcott and Asha, showed my kids this beautiful comingshe was walking with a cane and was togetherofthecommunityandthestillbandagedup.Thedriverdidnt generosity of people. acknowledge me, she says. I [then] This was a circumstance that couldcame home and I was completely ir-have happened to anybody,rational. I was yelling at the says Westcott. The re- kids.Icouldn'tman-CHILDRENS KARATE CLASSES sponse made us feelagemyreactions. An Exceptional verywelcomeinMy therapistKalyan recalls that the community.moment.My Learning Experience AddsNaseem,talked to me aboutmom was really Oneofthekintsugi [the Japanesestressedout benefitsandart of repairing broken pot- thatday,he thepositivestery, which loosely trans- says,begin-of this is thatlates to golden mending]. ningtocry. IwasabletoShe got really spendtimeShe talked to me aboutmad at me.withpeoplecelebrating the cracksI no longer that Ive knownand celebrating thehadthesame for years but nev- journey.controlovermy ergottentoactu- reactions/impulses ally know beyond theandthetraumare-WHAT PARENTS SAY: pickups and dropoffs. wired me, says Naseem. AN Its hard to believe someone so gifted in karate NaseemcreditsDr.SofiaMyoperatingsystemwas INCREDIBLE would be so patient and good with kids, but Shapiro, who practices in South Or- overloaded and off kilter. I had never 12. Sensei Howard is a rare find! - K.Kaplan ange, for helping her navigate throughexperiencedsuchirrationalandun- $ 00themanyphysicaltherapyappoint- controllableemotionsandreactions, first week (3 classes) Shihan is the kid whisperer! He builds confidencements and doctors she needed to see.and on courthouse day I finally admit-includes uniform and character in all of the kids. - W.ArmstrongWestcottsays,WhenNaseemwasted I needed help.discharged,wewerentsurewhatweTurningtotraumatherapistLin-REGISTER NOW!should do next even though we haddaDitullio,Naseembeganworking CALL 908-967-8132 full [health] insurance. Naseem adds,through the incident. At first I had Our family is so well-equipped. Myscars all over my face, she recalls. My Visit us at BlueLifeKarate.com1882 Springfield AvenueMaplewood, NJfather is a doctor. But we were still sotherapist talked to me about kintsugi lost. We can only imagine how even[the Japanese art of repairing broken 18/ matters magazine / winter 2020"