I Was Told I Had Only 12 Hours to Live—But I Didn’t Know It
I had only been married one week and had graduated college six weeks prior. It was 10:30 PM, and I was getting ready for bed when I suddenly fell onto the floor.
My husband at the time said, “Get up and quit playing.”
I said, “I’m not… and I can’t.”
Things suddenly started spinning, and I thought it was sinus. But the spinning got faster and faster, which was fearful. He asked if he should call 911, and I said no—it would stop.
But it didn’t.
The dizziness got so intense it felt like I was on a Ferris wheel going faster and faster. I couldn’t stand up, so I wobbly crawled to the bathroom and started throwing up.
He got me dressed to take me to the ER and had to help me to the car. He laid me down in the seat of his Z28 Camaro because it was the fastest of both cars. I remember going really fast and swerving. I was still dizzy but tried to keep my eyes closed.
When we got to the emergency room, he grabbed a wheelchair and wheeled me into the first nurse he saw. I had opened my eyes—I think she was with someone—but she urgently took me and asked questions.
As I answered, it didn’t come out right. He had to tell her I hadn’t taken anything or been drinking. The “no” didn’t come out clearly.
I was losing the ability to talk.
Everything Started Slipping Away
I was pushed into a room and placed on a bed where several doctors and nurses hovered over me with a bright light.
I tried to keep my eyes closed.
Then the vomiting started again, and I couldn’t control it. I was dry heaving. My mother-in-law, who had been a nurse, put a cold paper towel under my chin and it stopped—but as soon as she removed it, it started again.
Eventually the vomiting stopped.
Then my left leg and right arm began moving in and out like jumping jacks—but only those two limbs.
I was quickly wheeled into another room. I was opening and closing my eyes because of the spinning. I remember seeing a big machine (later I learned it was an MRI).
I was laid on a table, and the jerking continued uncontrollably. They were able to put in a catheter, and I have no idea how, but I heard someone say I was going to feel a pinch lol
I then heard a woman say, “Be still.”
But I couldn’t tell her—I couldn’t control it.
The Moment I Thought I Was Dying
I remember being so scared that I kept saying to God:
“I want to live for Aaron and Laura.” My younger siblings.
My brother Aaron was a year and two months younger than me, and my sister is six years younger.
Aaron had been diagnosed with muscular dystrophy at three years old. He slowly lost the ability to walk and crawl. My parents were told he would eventually lose all his muscles and pass around age 14.
They were devastated.
My father went into denial and became abusive toward him, trying to control what couldn’t be fixed. I tried to protect him in every way I could. I was always there for Aaron and was his comfort and protector. As I got older, I'd stand up to my father.
My sister and I weren’t abused, but I always felt responsible for her too because my mother was in depression. We didn’t really have a mother emotionally—she became very depressed and became addicted to opiods.
My brother passed at 24, and I’ve never been so happy—because I knew God had him!
So, in that moment, I kept saying:
“I want to be there for Aaron and Laura.”
And then, out of the blue, I heard a still, calm voice say:
“It’s okay, Lisa.”
And I fell asleep.
Waking Up… But Not the Same
I woke up in a room. The dizziness was gone.
My mother was there—she lived six hours away—and she was three inches from my face talking loudly. I kept trying to move my head back thinking, Why is she doing this? lol I can hear just fine.
She asked if I needed paper and pen and couldn't understand until I tried to talk and it came out like gibberish—like a baby.
I laughed and shook my head thinking I was saying yes, but that didn't work either. My head moved like a bobblehead. I laughed again.
They gave me a pad and pen, but I couldn’t grasp it. They had to hold it, and what I wrote was just scribble.
I was trying to tell them my arm band was wrong. My Social Security number was wrong. In my mind, I could do everything—but my body wouldn’t cooperate.
I even tried to point, but I couldn’t.
That’s when they told me I had strokes. I was disoriented and didn't understand most of what was said.
Starting Over Like a Baby
My feet were cold, and I kept trying to sit up to cover them, but it made things worse. A nurse watching me so me struggling and covered them for me. lol
A couple days passed and they tried to see if I could walk—I thought I could—but I fell back into the bed when they stood me up. In my mind I thought I could walk and do everything normal.
They fed me thickened food so I wouldn’t choke. It was awful lol
I had lost everything.
It felt like starting over as a baby.
I overheard a mans voice telling my husband and in laws I could be 100% in a year.
I thought, I can do this with God’s help before a year.
Learning Again… With Laughter
I was moved to a regular room and started speech, physical, and occupational therapy. I was still on IV fluids so I needed help using the restroom.
I had to hold up one finger for peeing or two for the other so my husband would know what I needed. One instance, I thought I was signaling correctly, but it looked like something completely different. He kept laughing because I was and he was saying, "what are you doing?"
I laughed so hard I ended up peeing in the bed.
My husband realized what I meant and said, “Oh, that’s what you were telling me,” and we both laughed.
Doctors said you’re either a crier or a laugher after strokes.
I was a laugher.
There was so much laughter while relearning everything—
At the rehab center, I was still on thickened fluids and food, so I was to be watched around regular food. I wasn't supposed to have it but one day my husband brought in Mexican food and put it on the tray with my nasty thickener food lol I kept staring at his chips thinking, I'm gonna sneak one when he turns his head and they will see I'm fine. So, when he turned his back, I snuck one. I thought I had it swallowed just perfectly and I choked (lightly) lol He quickly turned around and I was smiling. He said, "did you eat a chip?" and I smiled. He lectured me talking about how important it was that I not eat what I'm not supposed to because it will hurt me.
He took all his food away after that!
Another funny moment was him and his father went to get a bite to eat. I still had the IV fluids, and the railings were up on the bed. He told me to call the nurse if I needed to go to the restroom. As soon as they exited the door, I started getting out between the rails lol I went to the restroom and was getting back in bed. I was between the rails, and I heard a man's stern voice say, "what are you doing?" and I got startled. I turned around smiling and it was him and his dad with food. So, I got another lecture on my safety lol
Learning to Live Again
Eventually, I was allowed to go out for short trips out of the rehab center for the day. My husband and his parents too me to the mall to eat. I remember I was walking with my hands stretched out in front of me as if I was going to fall face first. My husband quietly said, "you can put your hands down, I've got you" and I laughed so hard.
Independence… Maybe Too Soon
I went home as an outpatient but wasn’t allowed to drive. One morning when my husband left for work I got ready and went shopping. I made sure to come home about an hour before he got off work. As I turned the corner I saw him and a neighbor in the driveway. I knew I was in trouble lol I pulled up and was told I wasn't to be driving that my license was revoked until I took a driving test to make sure I was safe to drive. He told me he had the neighbors peeking in the windows to see if I was lying on the floor dead. He took my keys and hid them!
After all my therapies, I finally returned to work six months later!
Rehab, Family, and Small Victories
I never knew how many people loved me until this happened. Flowers and gift baskets came like it was Christmas. I also had so many visitors, it was overwhelming but exciting!
I was later told something I didn’t know at the time:
I had been given 12 hours to live.I was diagnosed as having Hughes Syndrome, Blood Clotting disorder leading to a lifetime of Coumadin (blood thinner). I had a major blood clot at the stem of my brain blocking any oxygen to my brain! I had the main artery open and that was it. I had 5 strokes as a result. It has hereditary and I was taking a birth control. I did not know this was hereditary until after the fact.
They couldn't operate at the time because it was in a place that wasn't operable. It had to dissolve on it own over time. Taking Coumadin daily caused me to feel bad all the time so I tried every natural way to thin my blood and nothing worked. Finally, 22 years later it hit me....God says, "you have not because you ask not".....I prayed and I have faith that He has healed my blood clotting disorder so I do not take a blood thinner! It's been 5 years!! Thank You, God!
Gratitude and Truth
I do want to say this:
I messed up the marriage I was in.
But he and his family were there for me from start to finish. They never left me alone. They supported me through everything.
I am so thankful for them.
And I am wholeheartedly sorry for the ways I hurt them.
Him and his parents helped shape who I am today—and that means everything to me! If any of them happen to stumble across this....I am truly sorry and thank you for all you did for me!
God uses even the bad for His glory and I'm thankful for His forgiveness!
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