Itzel G.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
By: Itzel Garcia

Survivor

It all started when I was dizzy

It was a Saturday, I wasn't scheduled to work that day, but I wrongly decided to go get some stuff ready for Monday (and because I'm a workaholic), my boss didn't show up till after 10 and we got in a fight. I was so upset and went to the back of the shop, it's usually very noisy, but that day I couldn't hear, I was super dizzy and the back of me neck was starting to hurt.

I couldnt control myself and as soon as I reached someone to help me, I started crying. I cried for at least ten minutes.

I went to run some errands and later on met with my husband, my neck kept hurting a lot, I took a couple pain pills, and went to have my eye exam as I was previously scheduled.

The days went by as normal but my neck kept hurting, Wednesday February 16 2011 in the  morning I was at work, talking to some people before opening, but I got very dizzy and started throwing up, I texted my husband to pick me up, but the vomit was constant, I was very cold, my husband got there and saw me, he decided I had to go to the ER, we got there and they ran some tests, everything was normal. I wasn't throwing up anymore but when I was in the ER I had a couple seizures.

The Drs. didn't know what was wrong and said they will keep me overnight for observation.

I don't remember anything after that, I was told I had more seizures and a Doctor said I was having a stroke, I was lifeflighted to a hospital downtown where I spent a month (that I just remember pieces and I don't know what is real and what is fake) in the NICU and 3 months in rehab, I don't remember my first days at TIRR MEMORIAL HERMAN, but I met fantastic people there.

The feeding tube and traech are out, now I'm learning to walk and talk again. Going to outpatient therapy, and now using a cane after being almost a year in a wheelchair.

At the beggining I used to think why did I had to survive a brain stem stroke and live like that, but  now I think that at my age, there's a long way to go and much to do, and I can't wait to recover 100% and ride my bike again.