He was angry that I was not being tracked by a monitor and proceeded to ask me if I knew how serious my condition was. He even told me to stay in close contact with my next of kin! As only Bernie Mac could say, God rest his soul,“ wayment”( wait a minute). My next of kin. So, like I could die? Hmm … wayment! The neurologist said they were going to do everything they could for me, but if the blood thinner didn’ t help, it was going to be fatal.
I cried and then I prayed and then I cried some more. How could this be happening to me? I was always healthy. I ate the right things. I exercised. I was only 35 years Old. Why me? I had to get over my emotions quickly because I knew I needed to be prayerful. The days following were hard and long. The doses of blood thinner and pain medications were never ending. Doctors, surgeons and specialists were coming from every corner of the hospital to find out who was this 35 year old stroke patient. Their visits made it hard to sleep. I welcomed their visits because no one knew why this had happened. I had no family history of blood clots. Maybe, just maybe, one of them could tell me what was going on and also tell me how to keep it from happening again.
It wasn’ t until I was released from the hospital and went to a follow up appointment with my primary care physician, Dr. Lisa Y. Harris, that I understood the magnitude of the situation.
She told me that when the hospital called her and told her what happened, she thought I hadn’ t survived. But when they told her I was alive she couldn’ t believe it! Dr. Harris was also a woman of strong faith and in that moment, she began offering praises and thanks right in the middle of her medical office! She said she didn’ t care about who was watching her; she was grateful for the miracle. During that visit, I learned that I was a walking, talking, breathing miracle! Two main veins in my brain were 100 % blocked from front to back and even down into my jugular veins. I should have died, but I didn’ t! Pheww … It just wasn’ t my time! According to Dr. Harris, surviving was one thing, but to have my cognitive and motor skills in tact was simply amazing! I told her how the physical therapist came to me in the hospital and couldn’ t believe I was able to walk up and down stairs. She was amazed, and I was supremely grateful. The tears began to flow right in the exam room. I knew then, that I had great purpose in this life, and I vowed to live it to the max from that point on! I am so grateful and thankful to my awesome God for taking care of me!
Shona Dukes is a native of New York. She is a mother of one daughter. Many know Shona as an Evangelist, author, motivational speaker, relationship empowerment coach and lover of empowering people.
Email: shonadukes @ gmail. com
FAITH HEART MAGAZINE I 8