I desperately need some help with this
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joyjoy · 12-13-2002, 09:55 PM

I have been contemplating mentioning my situation here on this board for several weeks, but I hesitated because it seems like you are all such good friends and I'd be kind of butting in. But I can't take it anymore and I need anyone who can to listen and pray for my friend.

On December 3rd, my good friend Cheryl at work called Diane, another coworker into her office. Diane went in to find Cheryl pale, clenching and unclenching her hands and complaining of a terrible pain in her head. Diane got some wet paper towels and turned off the light, thinking Cheryl was having a migraine. By the time Diane called someone else to come help, Cheryl began barfing her guts out. Diane called 911 and our Medical Rescue Team at work came over with all their stuff. Then Cheryl fell to the floor out of her chair and had a gigantic seizure. We were all standing around watching and it was horrible. The ambulance came and they rushed her to the hospital. An EKG determined she had had a ruptured aneurysm in her brain. She was life-flighted to Hermann Hospital in Houston. She had brain surgery the next day to repair the ruptured aneurysm and they found two more, unruptured. She has been in ICU ever since, and has not regained consciousness. It is so hard to go see her. She isn't herself. She is only 40 years old and has two teenaged children and no husband or anything. She has been struggling financially and with teenaged daughter problems for awhile. When she had the accident, we all wanted to believe it was stress. She is worse every time I go see her. She now has a ventilator and they suspect internal bleeding. The blood that leaked into her brain when the aneurysm burst caused permanent damage. On Monday we learned that the doctors do not expect her to ever walk, or even speak again.

I talked to her literally 30 minutes before she went down on the 3rd and she was fine. Now her life is completely changed, as is the lives of her children. It's so awful. I feel so sad when I let myself think about it all. And here I was feeling sorry for myself because I didn't qualify for a loan to refinance my house. Everything seems so trivial to me now.
It's just shocking how your life can take such a drastic turn in an instant.

Please pray for Cheryl. Her name is Cheryl Walker and her kids' names are Kalynda and Jay. If anyone knows anyone this has happened to before, please tell me something good.

Sorry to go on and on for so long. I hope I didn't overstep my welcome here.

reinstructor · 12-13-2002, 10:20 PM

Ours prayers are here for her now. I'll also pray that you have the necessary strength to go thru this.

luvnwdwgal · 12-13-2002, 10:36 PM

I am so sorry about your friend. My heart goes out to her and her family. You are right that everything that we are going through seems trivial compared to her and her families' problems. May God bless them all.

debe · 12-13-2002, 10:55 PM

I am so very sorry to hear about your friend Cheryl. From what you have written, it looks like the medical staff has & still is doing everything they can to help her. Will be keeping her & her family in thought and prayers. Sending you some cyber hugs & will also be keeping you in prayer too.

Kruggie · 12-13-2002, 11:28 PM

Our thoughts and prayers to Cheryl her family and her friends. It sounds as though there is a long road ahead, please keep us updated.

Versafox · 12-13-2002, 11:46 PM

Very best wishes to our friend, and to her children. You just never know what might happen, good or bad . ..

**LilMarcieMouse** · 12-13-2002, 11:50 PM

I will keep Cheryl in my Prayers.

Nala · 12-14-2002, 12:59 AM

I am so sorry to hear this. I will keep Cheryl and her children in my thoughts.
You have not overstepped your welcome here. This is a place full of people who not only love Disney, but who are kind, caring and compassionate towards others. I hope you find comfort here durring this trying time. Please keep us posted about Cheryl.

[ 12-14-2002, 01:01 AM: Message edited by: Nala ]

Dumbo · 12-14-2002, 07:57 AM

God has a way of showing us that our the things we think are important really aren't. Material things are just that material.

You said you were with your friend a little while before it happened. My Dad had a lower aneurysm rupture. My mother was with him at the time. One minute he was fine, the next he was on the floor.

Sending pixie dust for all of you.

aurora1429 · 12-14-2002, 09:05 AM

Sending prayers and pixie dust for your friend and her children.

Elliot'sDragon · 12-14-2002, 09:16 AM

My prayers go out to Cheryl and her children as well as to you.

AKLRULZ · 12-14-2002, 11:33 AM

Prayer is the most powerful tool we have and is so underutilized, so I'm so glad you chose to post this concern. You can never have enough people praying! Indeed, my prayers go out to Cheryl for healing and and to her family and friends for a peace that passes all understanding.

Steve

[ 12-14-2002, 11:36 AM: Message edited by: Dadtojbj ]

Teresa · 12-14-2002, 09:46 PM

My continued hope for your friend's recovery.
12 1/2 yrs. ago, my daughter was injured in a freak accident. She lost all of the blood in her body and her spinal cord was punctured in in th upper cervical area.
The doctors told us that she would never survive, and our best hope was total paralysis from the eyes down, ventilator, vegatative.
Samantha is now living in her own apartment with her best friend, has nurses who take care of her only 3 hours a day, and is attending college.
She has not had a vent in 12 years, has full use ofher arms (not her hands though) and the only brain damage is that her short term memory is not great. She is a wheelchair bound quad, but, given the alternative, I'm happy [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]
My point- as we found out over the years because of frequent hospitalizations, is that often the doctors tell you only the worst thing that can happen, and not to listen to them.
Talk to your friend, see if you can make sure that someone from work stops in every day. And, tell her kids not to give up.

[ 12-14-2002, 09:47 PM: Message edited by: Teresa ]

Suzie · 12-15-2002, 12:00 AM

Prayers and pixie dust to your friend Cheryl and her family.
You asked if anyone had any hopeful stories about this kind of thing, well,two years ago at almost this exact time of year a friend of mine at work's husband was out working on putting up Christmas lights. One moment he was fine and the next, he told his wife that he had a terrible headache. He resisted going to the hospital but when he started to slur his words and stagger, she insisted. She thought he was having a stroke but as it turned out, he had an aneurysm and then two more ruptured. The doctors told his wife that he would possibly not ever regain consciousness and at the most he would be severely disabled. It was a long recovery but two years later he is able to walk and talk and the only remnant of his illness is that he cannot use his right arm. They lost their house and had to declare bankruptcy because he could no longer do his job as a plumber but she says that they are happier than ever because they now know what is really important.
I hope your friend has a smiliar recovery. Never give up hope.