On a seemingly ordinary Saturday evening, June 22nd, my husband Nathan, our son, my FIL and I were taking a walk, before a much-anticipated early morning drive to Galveston to begin what was supposed to be an amazing family vacation to Belize, Honduras, & Mexico, unaware that it was about to take an unexpected, harrowing turn. As we neared our home, just a block away, Nathan suddenly realized something was terribly wrong. He stopped, called out to us, and began shaking, struggling to keep his balance. In the tense moments that followed, we sprang into action, calling 911 and assisting the first responders who rushed him to the nearest hospital.
The doctors soon determined that Nathan had suffered a stroke, caused by a blood clot that had formed in his body and traveled to the base of his brain. Despite receiving a clot-busting drug, Nathan's condition rapidly deteriorated - he lost the ability to speak clearly, identify basic objects, and control the left and right sides of his body. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the medical team quickly transported Nathan to Medical City Plano, where he underwent a life-saving thrombectomy procedure to remove the clot. As I waited anxiously with family and friends, the surgeon emerged with the news that the procedure had been successful. Though cautioning that Nathan's recovery would still be a delicate process, the surgeon's cautious optimism provided a glimmer of hope. True to that hope, within 30 minutes of being settled in the neuro ICU, Nathan was talking, moving, seeing, and remembering - a remarkable turnaround that spoke to the skill and swift action of all those involved in his care, from our family to the first responders to the medical professionals who saved his life.
I'm truly grateful for the outpouring of support and love we've received from everyone throughout this difficult period. Thank you to all who reached out by phone, text, and Facebook messages. Nathan was humbled and deeply moved by the many visitors who came to see him in the hospital. The team at The Martial Arts Lab set up a meal train for us, which alleviated the stress of having to immediately go grocery shopping. My sister has been by my side every step of the way, and she also organized a GoFundMe campaign [
https://gofund.me/bda96685] to help with the incoming medical bills. I never imagined such a situation could happen to us, and I couldn't have been as supportive for Nathan without the support of everyone around me.
