It took me a day to get the strength to post this news but here goes... My sister Nicole, during her major surgery, has had a stroke. This explains why she cant move her right side, head to toe. Needless to say, we are all devastated. This procedure was supposed to give her a better life, a chance to get back out into the world without the fear of having a seizure, perhaps even a chance to drive.
If I would've wrote this yesterday, I think it would have come across very angry because that's what I was -- angry -- angry and sad. She has been through so much and was so excited about this procedure it just breaks my heart...
So, going forward (which we have no choice and very good practice), she has a long road back. They're going to start right away with physical and speech therapy, most likely on her floor in ICU as she's still pretty out of it (as of last night). Once she's alert and able, they'll be transferring her PT to a program within the DMC called R.I.M. which is a very aggressive and many times successful physical therapy program for stroke victims and the like. I'm hoping and praying that she has the strength and will to go at this with all she has. Knowing how tough she is and her will to make her life better, she'll do the best she can.
I don't want to get into the reason why she had the stroke because quite frankly, I don't know if any of us will ever know for sure. I remember Dr. Mittal mentioning how hard he had to scrape the old scar tissue from her brain and wonder if he might have scraped a little too hard, rupturing one of her blood vessels. In any event, it is what it is and there's not a whole lot we can do now except hope for another miracle (it's actually a miracle Nicole is alive in the first place if you've read any of my previous posts).
While I'm crying on the inside, I'm going to make sure to stay strong on the outside for her and do my best to be there for her (along with my family) all along the way. I feel better than I have in a long time at this moment and plan to use my newfound strength to help my sister and to continue to try and enjoy my life. Florida may get delayed and even shortened this year depending on circumstances but I'm not thinking about that now. My dream would be to be able to take her down with me for some sun therapy but that's a ways off right now.
Any good vibes and prayers would be welcome for my family. They've been working for Rich as he's seemingly been doing better and my Mom is on her last chemo regimen of Herceptin for only a couple more months I think.
This will be another major test as if we really needed another one...
Thanks for reading,
Chris
