What happened... part 2 The good and the ugly side

I have been re-reading my last post and wow so much I didn't include. Perhaps because there is just too much to remember. I will point out that my little girl, Krista, who is 9 now, had no idea of what was going on as she had left before we got to the hospital. She stayed with a family that she did not know, just met, and yet they opened their arms and spoiled her with love and shopping. My mom had flown in from Florida and helped make arrangements for Krista to go stay with her aunt and family while I recovered/figured out what was going on with my body. They brought Krista to see me once before they left to go to Florida. I cried, she cried and didn't know what to think of mommy's lack of feeling and use of her right side. No one really knew what was to happen and this was the first time in 8 years that we were apart more than a few days. Very hard to even think. She is my miracle child.
Now for the rest of the story.. It's December 20, 2009, just a little bit before Christmas. I was glad to be home but I was no where ready to face all my issues. I couldn't walk with out someone with me. I had very very little feeling and had a foot that liked to turn on it's right side. I had to really depend on my fiance' to come home at lunch, help me move from room to room, fix my food, and I stayed put until he got home. Was a very frustrated time as I couldn't do anything but watch tv or read if a book was nearby. Within a few days, I had to force myself to walk from bed to toilet chair or couch to toilet chair right next to me. That toilet chair had to be moved anytime I moved rooms. My wheelchair didn't fit much anywhere in our apartment. Was a crazy time just a week... then my blood pressure went back up on the 20th. Just out of the blue felt that I needed to check my pressure.. 180/110 wow!
I was taken to a hospital nearby, Mercy Hospital. The ER staff tried to get my pressure down and we waited. I really didn't want to go back in to a hospital. Confused why my blood pressure was up, I took my meds. Finally came down some but had to wait to see what would happen. The pressure went right back up. ICU here I come as the medicine they wanted to give was in IV form. They needed to watch over me since I just had a stroke a few weeks before. I had hoped for holidays at home, time with my fiance' and just rest. I got my rest as I was in ICU for one day and the next week was in my own room on the 3rd floor. My blood pressure would not stay down. Up down Up down. The Dr taking care of me changed my meds, upped my dosage until I was stable. 4 medicine for blood pressure... God had a reason for allowing all this to happen to me. I didn't know at the time. Took me months to realize. I had not had any formal therapy. I had no idea how I was to get better. I only knew two people that had a stroke before. One was going on 3 years and had issues but could do most things in life. The other, 11 years, and still having to depend on others for life. I was so confused. Lucky me, there was a rehab center right there in the hospital! After I was stable, after Christmas and a blizzard, around one week I was moved to another part of the hospital and I had a schedule. I would have Physical Therapy, twice a day, Occupational Therapy, once a day, and started with Speech Therapy. I knew I slurred some but did not think was much. During this time, I started watching God's word on TV. Joyce Meyer was new to me but God convicted me of many things I needed to change. I had my bible finally, could read when I had free time. I realized this was my second chance! In the first hospital I was lucky to be alive. God used the second hospital to bring me closer to Him. In the 19 days I was in rehab I went from using wheelchair to walker. Walking here and there but walking! I could do the things they asked me to do with my right hand even though no feelings. Amazed that I could feed myself with right hand though could not feel. I graduated with flying colors on the speech part even completed tasks that no one had done before. There were still lots to come. Backwards and forwards. The brain needs repeating over and over to learn as a child needs to do activities over and over. I had to learn one more skill before they would release me. We live in an apartment on the second floor. There are 14 steps needed to climb to get in the door. I learned to take one step at a time, left foot first then bring up my right, non-feeling foot. To grab hold of the railing with both hands as the railing is right side only. Going up, hard challenge, coming down I soar. To this day I still have husband walk behind me while I go up the stairs. I still have balance issues but so glad they taught me before letting me go.
The next year would give me one challenge after another. God reminds me, renews me, and is still working on me but I can say... He guarded my heart and mind when I could not. For His Glory and only by His strength and power can I do anything!
More later - Next post perhaps a reflection of this past year and where I am today. Thanks for reading!