Matriarch
On Tuesday, I received the dreaded call that my mom is in the ER with chest pains. She thought she was possibly having a heart Attack and drove herself to the hospital. And then a couple hours later the phone rings again, but my sister is now informing me that my grandmother has had a stroke. She was being rushed to the very same ER my mom was being treated at. My mom was in Utah, my sister was in Alaska, and I was in California. Thank God my mom's siblings , uncles, nieces and nephews were able to meet ambulances when they were both rushed to a much larger hospital in Provo, UT. As the small town hospital was not capable of treating the level of severity of their conditions.
My Grandmother, the true matriarch of our family, was at deaths doorstep and cousins were calling to find a priest to read her last rights. We were told that her stroke had resulted in a brain bleed of which she would not recover and would not make it through the night. Now I can't tell you if the doctors became more knowledgeable/specialized from this point or God was working miracles. As the night progressed, my grandmother went from deaths door to 20% chance for survival, to 50% survival and by morning she was awake, speaking, with no visible damage from the stroke. It was NOT her time. This woman, my namesake, is one of the strongest women I know. She is loved beyond measure and stays under a constant cover of pray. SHE IS BEING DISCHARGE FROM THE HOSPITAL TODAY!!! She will have sometime in the rehab center to help with her leg strength, but we all are so relieved, impressed, baffled, and thankful for her recovery thus far. Love you so much Grandma!!
As I type this (7/14/18, 8am), my mom is being put under anesthesia and starting a 5-6 hour quadruple bypass surgery. She was in fact having a heart attack and wisely went straight to the ER. My mother was diagnosed with diabetes 20 years ago (she was 45yr and I was 23yr). At that time she was absolutely not taking care of herself, eating properly, nor was she exercising which is the perfect set up for diabetes. I remember how upset she was that she was now required to take medication for her diabetes and how determined she was to NOT have to ever go on an insulin shot. She did a great job…ate better and got her weight down. One day she called me so proud that the doctor let her go down to half of a pill. But as the years progressed and she got older she was just not producing the insulin she needed to stabilize her blood sugar, so she had to start giving herself insulin shots several times a day. My heart broke for her because she worked so hard to control this beast. It must be noted that all of her siblings and father are diabetic, in fact 2 siblings have passed away in recent years due to complications from this disease. This preventable disease is pervasive and devastating many families.
Although my mom's current surgery is not directly related to her diabetes, the damage she had done to her heart's arteries was done 20 years ago when she was diagnosed. The further obstruction of these arteries have accumulated over the years. Her fight for good health has undoubtedly slowed the progression and her diligence in getting help has prevented actual damage to her heart muscle. We are hopeful for a full recovery and know that the next 3 month will entail a lot of work for her. I am so grateful that my mom has that same fighting spirit of my grandmother. We meditated before they wheeled her away, she was focused and determined to not let any of this hold her back. I know her mind and spirit are strong...she will have to tap into every bit of that strength from this moment forward. When she is wheeled back into the ICU for recovery, I know she will forever be changed. She will have a new insight on the fragility of life and a new appreciation for every day. I am excited to love on my new mommy. My siblings and I will be blessed to show her the selfless tender care that she showered us with from infancy to adulthood. It is the circle of life!
My Notes:
1. Your health is your most valuable asset and you only get one fresh start!
2. The way you take care of your body now will direct affect the lifestyle you will live in your later years. How do you want to live in your 60's-80's?
3. Planning is key…it has been several years now that my mom could not qualify for life insurance, but she planned long before she was diagnosed. We have never had to worry about what we would do financially…once again, she has taken care of us.
Cheris your good health and your loved ones…in a matter of minutes everything can change!