It Has Been Five Years:

It hasbeen five years now since my life was permanently altered and turned upside down. Unexpectedly, after a full day of work, I came home and 20 minutes later to suffer a massive stroke in the shower. Thankfully, my husband was near eniugh t hear me fall and knew enugh to call 911 immediately. I was pulled out of te shower, tossed on the bed and covered up nwhile we waited for the EMT's to arrive.My 14 year old son sat with me trying ti hld me still, after e got his tw younger brothers out of the house. I am told I was thrashing around andfighting the EMT's.For that reason, I was strapped down, it was a god thing too since thr stretcher hit every wall and vorner on the way out. I was freezing and st hoolding onto my son, s he walked m all the way to the ambulance. i was taken to the wrong hospital but twas hankfully administered CPA upon arrval; to dissove the clot. Strangely, i could hear what was hapening around me but could not react or respond. Although I didn't know that until much later.I truly thought everyone could hear what I wa screaming, but it was only in my head. Later I would mention the things tht I had said, only t be told I could not tal at all or respond. "was it al in my head"?To quote Albus Dumbledore, "Just because it happened in your head doesn't mean it wasn't real". i was kept in the ICU and allowed visitors and my room, while i remained strapped down to the bed.My room was packed. Wellwishers came to check on John and see how we were fairing. Sady, many, ant people saw me in such a poor state!There was an intubation tube that was too arge for my throat so i was having dificulty swallowing around it and I could not tal to tell anyone. i tried using sign language and almost earned myself a trip ti the psych ward, until my father remembered, i knew how to talk with my hands...crickets. So they tried having me write.Now keep in miund, I was alled a vegetable just the night before, snd now they want me to write?!? Who is the brain damaged you ask? Not Bonnie, my sister. she wuivkly found a pad of papr and loaded t with letters like a keyboard. i could tap out my requests thar way... Vegetable, my foot! Since i was making so much progress , I was moved to a real room and was assigned a physical therapist to het me up and n a walker. i have a fewc vbideos of ythis. They are quite pitiful and i am told remarkable. i still was strugglng with my left side paralysisbut could now respond if you spoke to me from the right side of my body. From here I would be moved to Walton Rehabiitation Hospital. Thry transported me by ambulance so i was back on the stretcher Walton was a whirlwind of activity.craig waswheeling me through the halls when I heardva familiar voice. I looked up snd it was Gena!!I had a daily schedule starting at 7:00 am. to begin my ADLs, Activities of Daily Living. wash my face, do my hair, brush my teeth, and Everyone eats breakfast! My caloric intake was increased, to my dismay and my increasing waistline. "We are going to put ten ounds on you", the doctors said. "Calories heal the brain" I was ntroduced to my roommate. She wasa character. I cannot remember her name. I called her crunchy because she would rattle chip bags in the middle of the night, frequently.Upon our meeting, and the staff leaving the room, se informed me quickly that she was leaving soon, ripped off he shirt transferrred to her wheel chair and started to push her way outofthe room, slamming into my bed a few times before evexiting. i began then counting down the days until she checked out andd I was by myself. `She liked Law & order SUV and the Menendez murderspecial was being aired. Sure as can be, it was on in our room all night for days,really loudly. our family wasamazing, Alice would come before work to hejo me with my ADLs, Will was drivung the boys to school every morning and did untilI could drive again.Anna cameregularlu with a Chia tea Latte.Friends andvformer students vsited me. I stried to focus on my tasks and workouts. it only took a 10-15vminutework out to put me bacj in the bedfor a nap. I was exhausted! i couldn' imagine how I was going to get through the day at school when I got home! I had no idea that I would never be going back to work. Or,that I wouldd be getting a newcroommate. When they brought her in my drape was drawn and i lied as quietly asI could and cried. We turned out to be soul sisters!God was good! I stayed there, wth no phone or way to communicate with the outside world.I felt like i had checked into the Hotel California. I could go out whenever I wanted but I could never leave. I was missing my oldest boys entire football season and ony kept up with bthe games duev to th fact that my doctors son was on the same team. he promised he would have me out by the last game; and i held him to it!So, on october 12, not nealy ready to leave te hospital, i was picked up, clapped out and taken home for a night.I did go to that football game though. in the hot sun, in my wheel chair. I was relentless. I was also pput bak into physical rehab the very next day. i coud not stay by myselfand needed someone to babysit me and I needed more therapy. Thus, i was dropped of every morning at Neuro Restorative for dy therapy. I worked with Marty, Rebecca, and Tonya for a year.They made me go to the cold Crock pool but they also took me to golf, which agter crying anf almost calling in sick, i absolutely loved.i met some amazing people too, a different Marty, Nick, jenn, Ricky and John and the adapted gof program at Wedges ans Woods, I cannot say enuigh god things about it! It made a huge difference in ny life!i continued to go to go to once a aweek unril stupid COVID locked the world down,After N.R.Nut umtil then anna and I went to lunch together every Friday. I wassent to AU. i joined Katie's Pool at te Y. This totally changed my life. Claudia and the therapists really helped me change and grow stronge, still I cried. in public, in private, from morning until I fell asleep again. I don't mean boohoohoo.I was wailing and just carrying n as my grandmother woud say. I cried at church, in front f my children, out of town and in every situation yuo could imagine, i cried.I was unsoothable. I went to the pool every other day when i could find a ride. I also had to have help dressing, either John would take me and help,my mom, sometimesmy friend Sterling came with me, or my new friend Shirley would help me. God put so many new and amazing people in my life through this whole ordeal. Rudy. Mike, Charlie I COULD NOT DRIVE! for a least two years. Then on a trip to Atlanta, I got the call there was an opening in Marietta for an adapted driving test.My parents and son took me over, dropped me off.I passed the written test, and went out for the driving portion at 5:00 traffic and the sky fell torrential rain, traffic and half-brain driving.I passed with flying colors ad wecdrove home.At first my driving was restricted to places i knew well and morning carpool. I began seeing a neuropsychologist and the crying stopped.Little did I know that I was headed back to rehab at N.R.but this time, I would be drivng myself. What does Tiktok say? Let's skip to the good part: During the lockdown, my left hand stated moving, itbstill doesnt do much and knocks things over often.God was showing His grace again. i can: drive with both hands cook...relatively speaking open doors hold a water bottel but spill because it squeezes so hard tutor walk jog...haha trot actually climb stairs almost at a run do a little dancey damce at home of course I can't type: forgibe the typos do my hair/ponytail support weight on myn arm walk in inthe dark walk my dog put my own jeans on by myself put on my bra normally... still over my head feel anything with myleft hand stand with my eyes closed and things that you think I can muntil I try and fail But it's been 5 years and I feel extraordinarily better Scriptures: be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” Joshua 1:9 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7 (borrowed from a friend/) HAPPY BIRTHDAY SCOOT!