GLENDALE, AZ — When life handed Delia Lucio a lemon, she made lemonade — literally.
The Glendale mother of three launched a small baked goods stand called "The Little Lemon Grab and Go" from the front porch of her West Colter Street home after doctors discovered a lemon-sized tumor on her brain.
Lucio says she suffered from intense headaches, hearing loss in her left ear, numbness, and tingling for nearly two years before getting answers. She was repeatedly told her symptoms were likely caused by allergies.
"They just told me that it was allergies, so that there was water behind the ear," Lucio said.
It wasn't until she changed doctors and her new physician ordered a CT scan that the tumor was finally found.
"I changed doctors, and I told her all my symptoms, and she ordered a CT scan, and that's when they found a lemon-like right here," Lucio said, pointing to the left side of her head.
Despite the frightening diagnosis, Lucio says her first reaction was actually relief, followed quickly by fear.
"The first thing I thought was about my, my daughters, my kids, my babies, and they told me, 'tumor, brain, open, take it out.' That's all I heard: tumor, brain, cut open, take it out," she said.
Rather than let fear take over, Lucio channeled her energy into the kitchen. With her daughters by her side, she began baking cakes, cookies, and lemonade, and "The Little Lemon Grab and Go" was born.
"When life, you know, hands you a lemon, you make something sweet, or you make lemonade," Lucio said.
Lucio is registered with Arizona's Cottage Food Program, which allows home bakers to legally sell homemade goods directly to customers.
The business is only about a month old, but Lucio says the joy it brings her has nothing to do with how many customers stop by.
"I told my husband the first week, not a soul stopped by, but I feel happy. I feel happy just to see the stand and what I made with said lemon," she said.
Her oldest daughter, Estrella, says watching her mother respond to the diagnosis with positivity and purpose has been inspiring.
"She's still making light of something that's bad and turning it into something great, and I love that because she's teaching her girls, like, even when we have hard times, there's still good that we can make from it," Estrella said.
Lucio's surgery is scheduled for October 2 at Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale. Her parents traveled from Mexico to help care for her and her family during her recovery.
She says her strength comes from her faith and her family, and she hopes her story encourages others facing hard times to find their own version of lemonade.
"Don't let it turn you sour," Lucio said. "Make something sweet out of it."
The Little Lemon Grab and Go is located at 10143 W. Colter St. in Glendale.
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