contrary to what most people have thought, no, i did not get into a car accident nor did this happen to me at the beach (c'mon, people, i've been an island girl my entire life one would think i know beach safety! lol) truth is, i suffered a brain hemorrhage when i was 15 years old. had my sweet sixteen in the hospital. and for those of you who feel sorry for me that i had to celebrate it in a hospital think of the alternative: never celebrating it at all.
apparantly brain hemorrhages run in my father's side of the family but since i never knew him nor his family i never expected this. i had a two and a half inch blood clot in the back right side of my brain which rendered my left side immobile. i was, however, able to communicate by writing as i was right handed. i was comatose for 17 days. when in ICU i suffered a second stroke and lost movement in my left side, as well. came outta my last surgery unable to speak, swallow, hold up my head, sit up straight, move any of my extremeties and had the intelligence level of a kindergartener. my doctor said i wouldn't be speaking for months, moving my legs in years and if i was lucky, i'd remain at the intelligence level of a kindergartener for the rest of my life. um, i didn't know of these predictions so i began speaking in weeks, moving my legs in months and (considering i missed nearly the entire two final years of high school) graduated on time with honors. not bad for a gal as smart as a kindergartener, huh? :-D don't let ANYONE dictate how your life is to go. they can guide you and give you advice but in the end it is YOU who has to live it.
