Miracle

I cannot begin to say how wonderful my doctor, Dr. Ronald Jenkins was to me. He kept me in his office until Our Lady of Lourdes had a bed ready for me so I wouldn't have to go through admitting or experience the horrors of the ER again. My mother and Oren waited with me and when a bed was ready, I was brought over to Lourdes. The treatment I received there was beyond compare!!! Everyone including the ladies bringing my meals would ask me if I needed anything before they left. But back to that day.....

I arrived at the hospital and was immediately surrounded by scores of people in bio-suits. Needless to say, it was very frighting. A plastic face mask was put on me as well and people were drawing blood from both arms. Before I could even take everything in, I was whisked away for testing, first chest x-ray, then placed in the hallway next to the transportation station to await my spinal tap. My head was about to explode and in the rush of everything no one thought to give me any pain medication. I could tolerate no sound at all, so the loudspeaker at the transport station was more than I could bare. I cannot say how long I was in that hallway, but it seemed like forever. I think they forgot me because after a long time a nurse, seeing me crying and covering my ears, stopped to ask what I was waiting for...she helped get me where I needed to be. The spinal tap wasn't that bad, but they started talking about doing an MRI after and I still had no pain meds so by this point I lost it. I cried and cried. The nurse was able to get something for my head and the MRI tech got me some ear plugs and towels to try to muffle the sound. The next few days were a blur. I went into the hospital on August 5th.

I was put on the antibiotic Zyvox, which is the one they give patients who have the flesh eating bacteria. I can tell you it's hell on your veins. After each dose, they would have to find a new vein in my opposite arm because it was extremely painful. I got an even worse headache after the spinal tap and had to have a blood patch after the third day in the hospital. It wasn't until the third day that I could sit up or stand. The hospital staff was worried because I wasn't eating but I just still felt so awful. I should say that from the time the tooth was extracted to the day I was put into the hospital my jaw was still open and exposed, it never healed or closed up. On the fourth or fifth day Sister Helen came to see me. She told me that sometimes God works through her and allows her the power to heal. She asked if she could lay her hands on me. I have to say, at this point, I was willing to try anything to feel better. Sister Helen put her small hands on both sides of my jaw and began to pray. As she began, her hands became warmer and warmer until they were just hot!! Then she opened her eyes, smiled at me, thanked me and left. The next morning I was eating breakfast and it felt like something was stuck in the extraction site. I called Mom over to look and see what it was. She looked, the backed up with the most astonished look on her face. There was nothing in the hole, it was completely closed up and healed! It was a true miracle. After this point, I turned a corner and began to get better.

The doctor was right, all the test came back negative except the MRI of my brain which showed the swelling on the right side indicating the meningitis. My physical therapist said that the weird, heavy feeling in the back of my head was a classic indicator of meningitis. She was very surprised that the other hospital hadn't suspected it.

All total, I spent 10 days at Lourdes. I know friends and family came to see me, but I really don't remember. That's been the hardest thing about this whole thing. I've lost so much memory. I have virtually no short term memory and anyone or anything that happened a year or so before I got sick, I don't remember. All in all, I was lucky. Dr. Jenkins told Oren if we had waited a couple more days, the infection would have gotten to my organs and we wouldn't have had such a good outcome.

It was really a hard year for the whole family. The kids had to start school while I was in the hospital. I hadn't finished my shopping for school, so my sweet in-laws took care of it. Thinking about it even now makes me cry. My poor, sweet children still watch me like any minute I'm gonna break.

My Mom stayed two months with me. It was a month after I left the hospital before I could sit at the table to eat. The second month I was still walking into walls and hitting my head on the door frames. It was three months before I could drive. I was so grateful to all my family and friends who did so much for me while I was recovering. I didn't have to worry about cooking or anything. The love poured on our family was overwhelming.

We are so blessed. I survived, I'm here!!