A Defining Moment ~~

The calls started to come in around 10:00 that morning, the day and time a total mystery to me now as I write of a day that I will certainly never forget. It is blazoned in my mind like yesterday, it was a warm spring day I do remember that, but my life was about to begin a very new chapter, again.
It was Gary, coherent one minute, incoherent the next, the calls totaled 4 in all as I knew that something was amiss. First I had to call an ambulance then secure my store and get to him. I arrived right behind the ambulance crew, I watched helplessly as they took him out on a stretcher,not knowing what was going on or how could I help. The hospital, a sea of personnel bombarding me with questions that I could not answer at the time. All I remember now was him monitored and helpless, lying on a gurney with no reaction at all. This was my defining moment. Gary had been going through a stroke as I later came to find out and my day was a wash of paperwork,doctors and a lonely waiting room. Gary was only 38 years of age. How could this be happening, I furiously made phone calls to my mom, his sister and his parents whom were not in town at the time. I was to go this mission alone today.

The stroke was severe and brought total devastation to a man whom had been so full of life only days prior. Gary lay in acoma for days while I decided with the guidance of doctors what the next game plan was to be if there was to even be a game plan at this point. I sat with him day in and day out, talking to him, reading, holding his hands and praying. My days were just that days, that turned into weeks that turned into month's as I was now thrown full force into a system that had no idea of how to handle a young adult. I was overwhelmed by it all and took it in stride. At the advice of one of his doctor's whom I still see today we had a feeding tube inserted, the reasoning behind that at that time was with hope that the nutrition would juggle the brain and bring him back to the world hopefully as he once knew it. I was now "in the health care system", fighting for a life that had no voice except for mine. Each day brought a new battle, some I won, some I did not but I learned and soaked up all the information I could possibly get.

My support system was strong and he weathered it with me day in and day out. I received a phone call each morning and each night, just to see how I was and what the next move would be. I treasured those calls and the coffee dates we had made,he was my rock, this tender yet cunning man was now so ingrained in my life it was second nature for me to call him. He would stop by my store or the house, I would find cards or a message posted on my back door that simply stated,"Thinking of You". After a hard day that always brought a smile to my face as my battle had only just begun, this was the tip of the iceberg as I was about to plunge even deeper into an abyss that would rock my foundation even more..................