Nero Posted January 6, 2018 Report Share Posted January 6, 2018 This last Monday, New Year, has been a special day... In the worst kind of way. Just before lunch, we received a message asking to pray for one of my friends from our parish community, who was heading to the hospital in an ambulance. Nothing else. Hours latter we got to know that she had suffered a stroke and was on a surgery. By the end of the day, we were told that she had been on the surgery for 6 hours and his state was critical, currently in coma. She has been battling, though, because on Wednesday she started to move her legs at the doctors' questioning. Her family asked the doctors if they could stop sedating her during that afternoon's visit, so they could talk to her and ask her questions. She moved even her arms or mouth a bit. There was hope. Thursday she started to breathe on her own (though she stays intubed) and this Friday she was able to directly answer questing halfway moving her eyelids up, confirming that those weren't reflexed but straight conscious answers, though she didn't move extremities as other days. There's hope, but the battle is far from being won. We are worried now because they have seen in the last scanner a lot of liquid, and she has a bit of fever (infections are very risky at her state). She keeps fighting. Her name is Marta, she's 32, married and mother of two gorgeus girls of 4 and 1. It's overwhelming because her mother died in 2001, and her father in 2013, both of cancer. She has 3 sisters and 1 brother. The death of their parents made them bond together as a very united family. I didn't plan or want to post this here, I'm a quite shy guy myself. But if posting this here adds a person remembering her and her family in their prayers, it will be worth it. All the parish has her on their prayers, there are some praying groups that have been created to pray for her, and even other parishes or monasteries have been noticed about this. But there's never enough. Thank you very much for your time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Bone Posted January 6, 2018 Report Share Posted January 6, 2018 Sure puts things in perspective...... Thoughts and prayers for your friend and if there's one thing my 50yrs of life has taught me, is that life is too short. Hug 'em while you got 'em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghoolie Posted January 6, 2018 Report Share Posted January 6, 2018 I will put her on my prayer group list. Thanks for sharing. We are so very blessed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jiggins7919 Posted January 6, 2018 Report Share Posted January 6, 2018 How old was she? 32?! My goodness...I can't even imagine. The only silver lining I can think of is that she's young, so hopefully that means she has strength. Please keep us posted, and you KNOW everyone here is thinking of her and your community. #BrownsStrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gumby73 Posted January 6, 2018 Report Share Posted January 6, 2018 Sorry Nero, she's in the good hands of the lord,we pray them babies have their mama for life. Added to pray list & lords hand of healing.Fight Marta!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasAg1969 Posted January 6, 2018 Report Share Posted January 6, 2018 I do not normally pray because I figure God can sort out what's best better than what I want anyway. But since I have a friend of 38 years who had a dense stroke leaving his left side paralyzed and with expressive aphasia, I will offer one up for your friend Nero. And one for you to accept whatever the outcome. Recently my friend's daughter says she is getting a new device for him from the VA which will allow him to "talk" again. He understands everything you say, but only has a few words while retaining complete non-verbal communications. Last visit I took him to several places like museums and a civil war battlefield while pushing him around in a wheelchair. We relied on our long history of friendship to communicate. So there is hope my friend, wherever it may lead. God bless you both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canton Mike Posted January 6, 2018 Report Share Posted January 6, 2018 Marta & all who love her are included in my Prayers. God Bless, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieHardBrownsFan Posted January 6, 2018 Report Share Posted January 6, 2018 You have my prayers. My cousin died at O'hare Intl Airport of a brain Aneurysm leaving behind a husband and 5 year old boy. She was 38. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjp28 Posted January 6, 2018 Report Share Posted January 6, 2018 These things can be particularly hard on the immediate family and close friends try to stay strong and offer any support that can. Little things also can help a lot. Our best thoughts and prayers are with you and them at this time. Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickers Posted January 6, 2018 Report Share Posted January 6, 2018 I had a stroke when I was 38... I know the process.. I'm very sorry for your difficulties.. Prayers sent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flugel Posted January 6, 2018 Report Share Posted January 6, 2018 11 hours ago, Nero said: There's hope, but the battle is far from being won. We are worried now because they have seen in the last scanner a lot of liquid, and she has a bit of fever (infections are very risky at her state). She keeps fighting. Her name is Marta, she's 32, married and mother of two gorgeus girls of 4 and 1. It's overwhelming because her mother died in 2001, and her father in 2013, both of cancer. She has 3 sisters and 1 brother. The death of their parents made them bond together as a very united family. Sorry to hear about that for your friend Nero - she's too young! At least there's some good signs to rally around here. We'll definitely put her in our thoughts and prayers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren15 Posted January 6, 2018 Report Share Posted January 6, 2018 Wishing all the best in the recovery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tour2ma Posted January 6, 2018 Report Share Posted January 6, 2018 Sending all the positive thoughts I can muster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcam222 Posted January 7, 2018 Report Share Posted January 7, 2018 Prayers here too, I've seen my father in law through two strokes now. It's sobering seeing the devastation they can bring in the blink of an eye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion Posted January 7, 2018 Report Share Posted January 7, 2018 Offered prayer for Marta at church this morn. (and for my deceased best friend Vikings fan, for the grandchildren, etc. etc.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc1971 Posted January 7, 2018 Report Share Posted January 7, 2018 Don't believe in any of those gods but best wishes. No one should have to go through that especially not at 32. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calfoxwc Posted January 7, 2018 Report Share Posted January 7, 2018 Sorry to hear, Nero - I worked for a year driving folks in an assisted living complex - some of them had had strokes, I had to work very hard to learn to understand some of them - Hopes and Prayers from here, too. Sometimes life can be so fragile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dutch Oven Posted January 7, 2018 Report Share Posted January 7, 2018 Positive thoughts sent to you and your friend, Nero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nero Posted January 13, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2018 Well, miracles do happen. The first three days she semt closer to death than life, and now she's fighting and getting better faster than anyone could have thought. Even the doctors are astonished. She opened her eyes a few days ago, can look at people (though I think her stare is not 100% normal) has recovered control over all her extremities (slow and fragile, but improves as the days go), and can move her mouth and swallow on herself. She can breathe on her own though she went on a tracheotomy to assist her breathing at times (it's the normal procedure after so many days in hospital). I am not sure if she can speak but she surely can say words moving her lips (she started doing it today). Though everything I say she does takes a lot of effort for her. She started rehab to recover muscle movements yesterday and they are going to scan her the coming week to analyze how much brain damage does she have. Her relatives are optimistic and happy but cautious too. She's unbelievable. We will keep praying for her and her family and I (and her family) am specially grateful for anyone who does it at the other side of the Atlantic Ocean too Thank you very much for your time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flugel Posted January 13, 2018 Report Share Posted January 13, 2018 33 minutes ago, Nero said: Well, miracles do happen. The first three days she semt closer to death than life, and now she's fighting and getting better faster than anyone could have thought. Even the doctors are astonished. She opened her eyes a few days ago, can look at people (though I think her stare is not 100% normal) has recovered control over all her extremities (slow and fragile, but improves as the days go), and can move her mouth and swallow on herself. She can breathe on her own though she went on a tracheotomy to assist her breathing at times (it's the normal procedure after so many days in hospital). I am not sure if she can speak but she surely can say words moving her lips (she started doing it today). Though everything I say she does takes a lot of effort for her. She started rehab to recover muscle movements yesterday and they are going to scan her the coming week to analyze how much brain damage does she have. Her relatives are optimistic and happy but cautious too. She's unbelievable. We will keep praying for her and her family and I (and her family) am specially grateful for anyone who does it at the other side of the Atlantic Ocean too Thank you very much for your time! GREAT NEWS!!! Thanks for keeping us posted Nero! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canton Mike Posted January 13, 2018 Report Share Posted January 13, 2018 1 hour ago, Nero said: Well, miracles do happen. The first three days she semt closer to death than life, and now she's fighting and getting better faster than anyone could have thought. Even the doctors are astonished. She opened her eyes a few days ago, can look at people (though I think her stare is not 100% normal) has recovered control over all her extremities (slow and fragile, but improves as the days go), and can move her mouth and swallow on herself. She can breathe on her own though she went on a tracheotomy to assist her breathing at times (it's the normal procedure after so many days in hospital). I am not sure if she can speak but she surely can say words moving her lips (she started doing it today). Though everything I say she does takes a lot of effort for her. She started rehab to recover muscle movements yesterday and they are going to scan her the coming week to analyze how much brain damage does she have. Her relatives are optimistic and happy but cautious too. She's unbelievable. We will keep praying for her and her family and I (and her family) am specially grateful for anyone who does it at the other side of the Atlantic Ocean too Thank you very much for your time! FANTASTIC! The power of Prayer coupled with her fighting spirit are as strong a combination as there is! God Bless & Prayers continue. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Couch Pulls Out Posted January 13, 2018 Report Share Posted January 13, 2018 Thoughts, prayers, vibes - whatever you need. Sending em your way. Sorry to hear that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nero Posted May 16, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2018 Hi guys. Now that it's no-news season time in football, I think it's appropiate to give you an update on Marta. She was discharged one week ago and is back home. Her status is as follows: she has complete intelectual abilities and understands everything; she can't keep her eyes focused on people, has a lost stare, but keeps some sense of humor. She can walk but needs help to keep balance as she has none on her own, so she mostly goes on wheelchair. She can eat but hasn't fully recovered her swallowing, so it's mostly purées for her I'd say, but can eat solid. She can barely talk and it's like she runs out of air when trying. The thing is that swallowing and relearning to breathe and speak are the processes that take the longest in these cases, so it's not surprise there. Having her back home has given back some "normality" to familys life (daughters were most of the times at granparents') but it's a whole new battle from now on. An ambulance takes her to rehab every day so she's still progressing but this will be a long process and nobody knows when will she stop progressing. Her family is happy but the one that struggles the most (for obvious reasons) is her husband. He takes care of her and is very caring (more than ever, actually) but suffers a lot. Anyway, he has still faith, hasn't given up and rests in his family, so there's something to be positive about. Thank you everyone again for your prayers, we still pray for them to God, so she fully recovers and gives them strength in this battle, so we are grateful to anyone who joins us anytime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canton Mike Posted May 16, 2018 Report Share Posted May 16, 2018 Of course, she & her loved ones remain in my Prayers. God Bless. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calfoxwc Posted May 17, 2018 Report Share Posted May 17, 2018 We vacationed in NC over the weekend, came back Monday. Graduation party for our close friend's son. Their friends, who go to their church, from their same neighborhood, also there. The husband is a paster/counselor who works with ptsd, family problems... I bring it up because his 19 year old daughter had stopped at a stop light two weeks previous, at night, and a big pickup truck rammed into the rear of her car at high speed. The driver hadn't gotten stickers on his license for 4 years... he and his wife had to be high. The truck rammed them, flipped up into the air, and rolled at least twice. The driver at first denied he hit her, then said it was her fault because she slowed down to stop at the redlight and was in his way. Her Dad was showing me the pictures of the accident, it was amazing she wasn't killed. So, the rear of the car ended up crushed up into the rear seat of the car - lucky no one was in the back seat. Her head injury was significant - bad concussion, etc, whiplash. He drove 160 miles from a seminar...back to the hospital, that night...only knowing his daughter was in a very bad accident and had a serious head injury. The rear windshield actually was what hit her in the back of her head. This pretty 19 yr old young lady came out of it, and was at the party, carefully having fun. She was joking here and there about the "staples in her head" and was really funny. She has a lot of healing to do, yet. Could have been a stroke like Nero's friend - so tragic up front - . There is so much we tend to take for granted every day - until something happens that changes that. Thanks for posting about it Nero. More prayers your friend gets back 100%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adoug319 Posted May 17, 2018 Report Share Posted May 17, 2018 Prayers sent brother Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.