It’s Pink Saturday, with a twist. This week many of us are participating in a special series of posts about Miracles. Special thanks to Beverly from How Sweet The Sound for including Pink Saturday in this special time. You can find more blogs who are taking part over at Bev’s Blog – How Sweet The Sound. This special time was inspired by the wonderful caring and love given to Colette, pictured below.

I’m sure by now you’ve read all about the wonderful Makeover – but if not, go over to Kattilac Shack to watch the video of the make over and find out about the wonderful giveaways! The video is truly inspirational and shows what can be done when people chose to reach out to each other from a place of love and healing.

As for my own “miracle” I believe it happened to me this past May. I was getting my dinner and Bootsy’s dinner ready (my son’s Chihuahua who spends the day with me while my son is at work.) I hadn’t been feeling well for several days – had a bug or something. As I was working in the kitchen I felt my left hand go numb and an area around my mouth go numb. I called my son at work – not sure why – I really wasn’t thinking too straight – and asked if I should call the ambulance. He told me “Yes!”

So I called 911 and within five minutes the paramedics were there taking all my vitals. I got Bootsy into my bedroom and closed the door before they got there – poor little guy didn’t know what was going on but I wanted to make sure he didn’t bolt out the door.

The paramedics were wonderful and within half an hour I was in the ER of our local hospital and while they were doing some tests my son showed up. I was really surprised when they said they were going to admit me. I suppose once I saw a specialist in strokes from the Heart Hospital I shouldn’t have been surprised I wasn’t going home.

I had a bilateral stroke – meaning a stroke on each side of my brain. I got just about every test they could think of – including one where I had to swallow a camera on the end of a feed – luckily I was knocked out for that one.

The doctors were puzzled. They couldn’t find where the blood clots had come from or any part of the clots. The evidence was there – but they can’t figure out what caused them.

I really feel as though it’s a miracle that no damage was done. It’s been four months now and my doctor says he expects for me to make a full recovery. I still have a few more doctors to see for a test or two and follow up – but other than being just a bit more tired (which could be attributed to the awful summer) I’m fully recovered. My cholesterol is down to a very respectable number, my gloce, for the most part, is good, and I’m gradually losing weight.

I know the dangers of a stroke. I never knew her but my maternal grandmother died of a stroke when my mom was only 16.

I think God every day for the Miracle I experienced. The feeling isn’t quite as strong now, but I can remember when I got home from the hospital I felt such a Joy for not having suffered something very severe.

A blessing in my life happened after the stroke. I’d been after my parents for sometime to move from Florida, where they had retired many years ago, back up here to Illinois. They finally agreed and just last week my son flew down to Florida to pick them up and drive them and their car up here. They now live about ten minutes away and a beautiful retirement village! Oh, and they are both 89 and will be 90 in December and January.

And of course my biggest blessing is my son Dave who has been a real trooper through all of this – getting them moved up here (my dad was in the hospital when he got down there so that set them back a day) and then spending all of the next week (one of his vacation weeks) helping them get the furniture moved in, organizing their “stuff” and running various errands because of something that no one had realized they would need.

I am so thankful for all the Blessings in my life.

Sandra

Note: This is a repost from a year and a half ago. Forgot to charge the battery on my camera. Been a busy week with my parents (both 89) moving “back home” from Florida. It’s so good to have both of them five minutes away.

Have a wonderful Pink Saturday!

I began collecting items painted by Debi Coules on eBay. She has now moved on to having her own website (banner lower down in the post.) I just love her roses and have lots of items spread out through my condo. I’m sure they will all eventually find their way to the blog.

The following pictures are of the bay window in my kitchen. My son took them because my digital camera has gone missing. It’s somewhere in the “day room” that is still a mess from the remodeling.

The bay has a shelf and right now has a combination of enamelware and two stained glass lamps. Somewhere I’ve got more plates that I’ll probably put on the shelf – but I tend to like the way it looks now. I do have a lace trimmed runner that’s in my “to iron” stack that will go back on the shelf.

Thanks to Beverly at How Sweet The Sound for hosting Pink Saturday. I’m thrilled to be able to participate this week.

Hope you enjoyed this look at my “Pink Pretties” from my kitchen.

I love this version of Shour To The Lord that the American Idols did during Season 8 during Idol Gives Back week.