March 7th, 2010

Our lives changed that day forever. I know this is a very long post, but for myself, I would like to post what has happened to some special detail.

I had just gotten out of church at 2:00 pm and had a few missed calls on our phones. We returned the phone calls to find out that my Mom was rushed to the hospital and had a stroke. I rushed over there, not knowing what really that meant. It was the farthest thing that I would have ever thought my Mom would have had. At that time, I only thought old grandmas and grandpas had strokes. How could this happen to her?

When I got the hospital they had already rushed her into surgery to brake up the clot. This took several hours to do, because of how large and hard the clot was. Time was crucial! Getting more details as the minutes went by I found out She had suffered a very severe stroke on the left side of her brain. When this happens to that side, it affects the right side of your body and your speech. Mom was not able to speak anymore, or even sit up, move her right arm or leg, and even her right side of her face was paralyzed. We were all in such shock! Life changed for her and all of us in a matter of seconds.


I always would sit in Sacrament meeting and think how grateful I was that I never really have gone through anything hard enough to rely on the Lord to help me through it. Just the night before this happened with my Mom, my best friend lost her brother. This was such a tragic thing for her and my heart sunk, but that night I still thought how grateful I have the life I do. I went to church that day thinking the same thing. I was still so grateful for the many blessings in my life, and that I never truly had to rely on the Lord to help me through something so hard. That all changed when I got out of church and heard the news of my mom. I was told that she went to church (all three hours) and as relief Society was starting, then it happened. I was questioning why this would happen to her at especially at church when she was finally going to her meetings. Usually Mom would just go to Sacrament and then go home. She would take a nap or travel to go see my Grandma. I did question why this happened to her and especially why it happened at church. My brother was extremely mad at that same thing and wondering why. My thinking quickly changed as I was on my way to the hospital, and the spirit was so strong telling me all the blessings that just had happened. My mind was changed by the time I got to the hospital. I was now so grateful that she had her stroke at the church. She was meant to be there in Heavenly Father's House.

This is what happened that day at church... Her and my Sister- in- law and my nephew Preston, went to church. Jessica (my Sis-in -law) wanted my Mom to stay and go to all the meetings. They went to Sacrament, and then to Preston's Primary meeting, and then to Relief Society. Five minutes into RS my mom fell out of her chair and was unconscious. As bad as this was, WHAT A BLESSING THAT IT HAPPENED IN CHURCH. I couldn't be more grateful. Heavenly Father new what a great person my Mom is and new this would happen, so he made it happen in the best place possible. If my Mom would have just gone home after sacrament, she would have fallen asleep, and we would have not known she had a stoke for a very long time. If she would have gone home after sacrament and went to see my grandma, she would have caused a terrible car accident, making matters even worse. Heavenly Father works miracles even in the worst case scenarios. She went to church and all the meetings for the first time in years. She even went into Primary with all the children, where it could have happened, but Heavenly Father waited minutes after she left the children's presence so they didn't have to see it happen. Making things even better, my Mom's ward has several doctors in it. Seconds after my Mom went to the floor, She had a doctor at her side. He knew that she had a stroke, and called the hospital, to make sure they had their neurologists, and other doctors to perform surgery as she arrived. They were waiting for her! One minute after her stroke, she received a priesthood blessing. If her stroke would have happened at home, my family is not active in the church and doesn't hold the priesthood. She wouldn't have gotten a blessing for several hours after everything.

As my Mom was in surgery, I kept thinking that we need to all have a family prayer and pray for her. With my family not active in the church, and my Dad not even a member, I was a little scared to present this idea to everyone. It just kept eating away at me and finally I got everyone to kneel down, hold hands and I said a prayer. Everything in that prayer was so specific and the spirit was felt so strong. One of the things we prayed for was that my mom would be able to speak again. Literally, five seconds after the prayer, the doctor came in to talk to us. We were told that it was such a sterile procedure that we would not be talked to until after it was all done. It shocked us that the doctor came in to give us an update. Then our prayer was answered right then. He gave us some peace that everything was going well, and then told us that he didn't know if Mom was able to speak before surgery, but that she groaned just barely. I know that was an answer to our prayers. While we were praying my mom made noise, which was not expected. The Lord answered my prayer right then and there. Even though Mom's speech is still not where we wish it would be, and I still pray for it to come sooner, I know that with time, Heavenly Father will bless her to speak.

All of these blessings told me that my Mom was still being watched over by our Father in Heaven. He loves us! He loves Her!

This has been such a hard thing to go through for my Mom and our family. She is a very social person! My Mom is doing well, but has had to learn how to sit up, then stand, then learn how to walk all over again. Her walking is doing really well and she is able to get around by herself. The hardest thing is that she lost her ability to talk. She has come a very long way, learning how to swallow again, and then eating, and then speaking. Mom is still not able to even speak a sentence, but her speech is still progressing, just very slowly. It has been six months and things will still never be the same. I am so grateful for my Mom to be here with us today, but missing her at the same time. I am very close with my Mom and would tell her everything, and she would tell me everything as well. We would call each other at least five to seven times a day. I am in public and listen to someone speak on the phone to their Mom. Tears fill my eyes every time. I miss talking to her and she misses talking to me. I know that it will be a very long time, but she will be able to speak again. I am so grateful for everything in my life and try not to let time pass without appreciating it all. Life changes so quickly. Cherish the moments you have with your children, husband, parents, family and friends. You never know what will happen.