What I Learned This Week

Last Saturday night my mom had a stroke.  The left side of her face and her left hand went numb and by the time Ryan and I had arrived her speech had been severely affected.  Fortunately, she called my sister and together we were able to convince her to go to the hospital.  I was so impressed with the American Fork Hospital and their quick response to her symptoms.  Within minutes we knew that she had a hemorrhage in her brain and that it was most likely caused by high blood pressure.  When she arrived her blood pressure was 230 over something that I can't remember.  But that top number was shocking to me.  I had no idea blood pressure could get that high.  The hospital felt that it would be better for my mom to be seen by the Neurologists at Utah Valley so they sent her there by ambulance.

This last week has sort of been like a whirlwind for me.  At times I felt like I was living hour by hour, just trying to field doctors and nurses and therapists and make sense of my mom's situation and what she needed.  My sisters and I all took turns at the hospital so that my mom was only alone for a few hours in the middle of the night and so someone would be there for whenever the neurologist happened to stop by.  My mom got worse before she started getting better.  She developed a severe headache, most likely due to the pressure of the bleed.  But it took a good day and a half to get that under control.  Once the headache was gone, though, she began to improve dramatically.

On Wednesday she was moved to inpatient rehabilitation where she has made miraculous progress.  Her speech has significantly improved and she has developed more movement in her left hand which is important since she's left handed.  The doctors are all hopeful that she will be able to go home next week.

As I have learned more about strokes I am amazed at how well she is doing and how quickly.  I know a lot of it is due to her own determination and I also feel part of it is due to the speed with which she was able to get to the hospital and get on medication to control her blood pressure and stop the bleed.  But I also believe in miracles and I believe that her healing has also been facilitated by her faith and the faith of those around her that love her.

I have also learned this week how important it is to manage our own health.  My mom hasn't been to a doctor for a check up in almost ten years.  She had no idea she had high blood pressure or high cholesterol.  She always said she'd go see a doctor when she had better insurance or when she had more time.  I know she's been trying to eat healthier the past few years but obviously it wasn't enough.  It is a lesson to me to never neglect my health for the sake of something else or everything else.  I too have been trying to eat better and exercise more and I feel that also made a huge difference this week.  My days were long and exhausting and yet this big pregnant body held up and I was able to do what was most important at the hospital and at home.

I am so relieved that my mom is doing well and will make a full recovery.  She has been positive through the whole experience and was cracking jokes like crazy.  I am so grateful to all my wonderful friends, family, and neighbors who were able to help me with my kids this week so I could be at the hospital with my mom and give her the support she needed without having to worry about my own responsibilities.  It has definitely been a week of shock, learning, and gratitude.