Oh what a day! I just wanted to celebrate life on this one year anniversary of the ruptured brain aneurysm! You can click the link above to hear my new theme song. I was driving in my car listening to Positive Life Radio and started laughing and crying at the same time when I heard this song. I couldn't have a better theme song! These lovely ladies were the first link in saving my life. Emily on the right of the picture notice things weren't right with me. She lifted me up out of the water and Kevin, our coach, and Sharon on the left got me up out of the pool. I can't even imagine how difficult all this was for them. 911 was called and the miracle ball started rolling. God was with me and all involved every step of the way. I know it. First thing I wasn't in the middle of the pool. I was swimming right along the side so I was taken out of the water quickly.
Emily and I had some coffee after swim practice and Emily really wanted to go to Holy Family Hospital to track down anyone that was there that morning. She has told me many times they did every thing right! I needed to go back to Holy Family. I am so glad she got me there. Some of the pictures are a little blurry but I had to include them blur and all.
Emily was able to track down the head nurse and Emily explained that a year ago I was a patient at this hospital. That got things moving.
I was so thankful to meet these wonderful people. Dr. Cecilia (forgive me if I spelled this wrong) was pulled away from work for a couple of minutes to talk with me. It felt so good to be able to say thank you to all these people. He told me that his son wore Stephen's football number 34 at Gonzaga Prep. Cool! He also told me Mike was holding it together until he asked Mike if I smoked. He lost it there and said, "Why would you ask me that? My wife is healthy and doesn't smoke". I can hear exactly how he sounded. My guess is that was the straw that broke the camels back for Mike. I can't fathom how difficult this was for Mike.
Thank you, thank you! Thanks for taking time out of your busy day to greet me and give me the opportunity to say thank you!
Jo, was one of the nurses that took care of me. She was teary eyed when she was reminded of who I was. She thought I would probably died. I didn't and I am back 100 percent. My 32nd Bloomsday, the Windermere Half Marathon, zip-lining twice, and many other things I have been able to do by the grace of God and because of the skilled the hands and loving hearts of these people. Not to mention hugging my family, friends and my precious grand kids!
Dr. Carlson was not at Holy Family on the day I visited. He would be there the next day so I went to see him before his first patient on Wed. When he met me he said, "I am sorry I don't remember you." I told him that was OK because I didn't remember him either. He was familiar with what happened to me for sure. I asked if I could give him a hug and say thank you to him. I shared a few of the things I have been doing this past year. God is good!
It's party time. 44 people joined me for this celebration. I did give a thank-you talk but I can't remember exactly what I said. I do remember saying this celebration is not about me. It is about all of you that are here and the support you gave me and the prayers that went up to God. You all believed I would survive and prayed that way. When I read the journal that was written for me that was the thing that hit me the most. These people believed God would heal me, no doubt. I cried and cried while reading it. Makes me cry right now. I also talked about saying thank you to a mighty God that gave me the miracle of life. How do you say thank you for that! I think the song above is how I can do that. I think I mentioned that the aneurysm has become a blessing in my life. My love for God and my trust in Him is so intense and the joy I feel everyday is indescribable. I just want to hug everyone.
These are friends from school!
Margaret and friends from school! Deanna, Denise and Sandy.
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Mike, Mariane, Emily and Rick!
Sharon grew up in the neighborhood I live in now and she had a great reunion with Norma and Vince who still live in the neighborhood Sharon grew up in. They knew each other well.
Jennifer and Steve! We have been blessed to have them as Keri's in-laws. Keri married their son Mark. Kristin, my daughter and her little precious Lucy. I tell Lucy and Layne they are precious all of the time. Then I ask them what precious means...very, very special, with a good heart!
These are all people from Mike's work at Windermere. Larry, Lois, Dave, Shelby and kids. They were all a huge support for Mike while I was in the hospital.
Sandy and Cheryl both spent lots of time with me at Harborview. Good friends!
We couldn't have better neighbors. They would do anything for us. We are so blessed. Tyler and Nola!
Wayne lives next door too. Such a wonderful man for sure. He notices you need help before you even know you need help.
Nick and Stephani had a baby boy, Nolan, 13 days before the party and they came and shared this precious little life with me. He is so sweet. He slept through the whole party. Stephani said he wakes up around 11:00 PM and stays up. Sorry Stephani!
Nothing better than holding a new life in your arms.
Here we are! A few people had left but most everyone was in this picture. God Bless you all for being there for Mike and I and praying for my healing. Pray works!
Totally love Lucy with her hand on her hip!
Can you tell what is different in this picture?
Mike and Mariane! Good friends!
Steve and Mike! Mike was so there for me every minute. He helped me during this whole healing process. Mostly, he loved me and I could feel that. It helped me to heal. I love you Mike, you truly are the love of my life.
Margaret our neighbor, friend and church buddy.
Some of our EAOD ladies (Elite Athletes Only Different). Talk about being there for me! Wow! I knew I had a lot of good friends but now I really know what great friends they are. I truly love them all. Thanks for reading me Bible scriptures and singing Jesus Loves Me to me!
The neighborhood gang. This group took care of our house, our dogs. They helped Mike, they organized a house clean up and so much more. I love them so much! Really, I do!
Kristin is daughter number two. She has two little ones. Layne. who was at a Girl Scout activity with her dad Justin, and Lucy who came to celebrate with me.
This is the Bellotti family. They live very close to us and we got to know them through the ALSSO. ALS Service Organization. I was supposed to be visiting Nick last summer but that didn't happen. Nick and Stephani are Nolan's parents and Nick's dad Robert is with them. A beautiful family.
Rick, Emily (who was my first responder in the pool), Jackie and Sheila my walking buddy!
Ken works with Mike! Sharon was kind enough to man the camera and take pictures of me with all the guests!
Family...the Doolittles and the Gleasons.
Sharon and I worked together at Hallett. We spent many a time in the workroom at Hallett talking about prayer and God and our faith. Sharing prayer requests with each other. Precious times!
Bonnie and Lesley!
These two had a blast. Dave Cook started throwing a soft squishy ball to Mateo then Lucy wanted to play! They laughed and laughed for over an hour as Dave kept throwing the ball with them. Sammie, our little dog loves to play fetch and she kept trying to get the ball and ran back and forth trying to get that darn ball. Once in a while she got it and the kids would have to go after her to get it back. Dave was wonderful spending all that time with those two little ones. So much laughter and what a wonderful sound the laughter of children is!
I did forget to apologize to a few people when I gave my talk. First Cheryl...I am sorry I threw sugar packets at you in the cafeteria and that I tried to persuade you to steal a wheel chair and store it at your house in Spokane. You are such a good friend and you don't deserve that kind of treatment. I apologize to the nurses for refusing to give them my birth date (really shouldn't they have known it). I also apologize to the nurses for not letting them take my flowers because I believed someone would steal them. I do thank Mike W. for trying to help the situation by bribing me with chocolate chip cookies if I would hand over the flowers. I did get a little snippy when I said, "Oh, so now we are negotiating." Sorry Mike W. I apologize for saying SOOOO over and over with nothing after it. I know you were waiting for words of wisdom that never came. I am sure I was thinking of something quite profound. Freida, I am sorry for yelling at you and telling you to, "Stop bugging me!" You were trying to be helpful I know. Mike W. I didn't know what I was saying when I said, "I will not lay down with you that would not be natural." You just wanted me to lay down and rest, not with you. What was I thinking? Cheryl, I know I only have 7 grand kids and not 19. Sorry. Mike Gleason, you are not a very good driver, that is true, but I am so sorry I made that public by refusing to go home to Spokane if you were driving. I know I insisted that I would drive home but really, I was in no condition to drive. I don't even remember saying that. Kristin and Katie you were not adopted or switched at birth. So sorry. If I missed any apologies please let me know. I don't remember any of this but sometimes wonder if you guys just made all this stuff up. You spent a lot of time hanging around the hospital together. Plenty of time to drum up some good stories. I am suspicious.
I think I will end with this. Hard to end this at all and think it is an adequate representation of my thankfulness.
Mike told me I was just coming back to consciousness and I lifted myself up and shouted out, "Never Give Up!" Then I plopped back down in bed. I didn't give up and neither did all of you! I can never express my gratitude sufficiently for the fact that you all never gave up on me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I thank God everyday for the life he has given back to me and I thank him for the people he has surrounded me with. I love you all. To God be the Glory! I just want to shout out God loves you, BELIEVE!
