One year ago this morning, I awoke to a nightmare. My husband Jim had contracted bacterial meningitis and was lost to me for a while. Most of you know that it took days to figure out what was wrong, they were going to do brain surgery for a hematoma that they discovered, he was in a coma and intubated for two weeks, they forgot to provide nutrition for a week and he became skeletal. He was restrained and out of his mind; sometimes knowing me and sometimes not. Most of the time, he just suffered; Moaning and in pain. They gave me little to no hope of his survival and even less hope that he would not suffer permanent brain damage due to the swelling, ICU dementia and the fact that the bacteria was strong and fought back. It is still a mystery how Strep Veridens manifested in his brain. Duke docs say they have only ever seen it collect and infect the heart. They investigated and tested and said that, while the entire interdisciplinary team could not figure out where it came from or the route it took to get there, they DID know how to kill it. I imagine that most of them would be shocked at his progress because it was, and has been nothing short of miraculous. A month before, he was hours away from hospice because his liver and kidneys failed. Unbelievably tragic grief watching someone you love die. And yet, he lived. He recovered. Hes healthy. I am finally, a year later beginning to believe that he will be here. You may not know, but he came home in October and then his mother suddenly passed in November. The hits just kept coming. Yesterday, I looked back at my posts during both illnesses and your posts and want to say that you all are wonderful, supportive and genuinely good people. Whether we have never met, knew each other in high school, know each other vaguely or are close friends and family, you were there with me and for me. It still brings me to tears and my heart clutches to be transported back a year ago. I dont know that I will ever forget a moment of that horrible morning or the horrendous weeks that followed. I am not sure how either of us survived, but I do know that it is due to Gods intervention. Both times, he should have died...there was nothing the doctors could do. So we prayed. We lit candles. We sent out positive thoughts into the universe on Jims and my behalf. You were a part of that miracle. You helped a real life miracle culminate right in front of my eyes. Unbelievable. I am profoundly grateful for you, your friendship, and your faithfulness and your faith, whatever that may be. Because regardless of what faith you practice, each of you had a part in this miracle. We all worked together and shared our multicultural faith and it became a miracle. I wish you all peace.. and love...and strength and know that, near and far, unknown and family, we are sincerely appreciative of each of you. We both thank you so very much.
Posted on: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 21:12:57 +0000
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