Sary
Then and Now
I was 18 years old...one day
I woke up sick. I felt like I had a very bad cold.
My Mom gave me all the medications for a
cold...but nothing worked. I had a bad headache and a severe fever, I
was in bed almost all day. My mom notice some red marks on my
legs...and told my dad about it.
My dad said, "Ok time to go to the
hospital. This is something else".
I needed to go to the bathroom, but I
didn't have the energy to stand up. My mom help me, but I fell to the floor.
I remember, I heard my mom screaming...I was in and out of conscious
by this time.
I woke up in my dad's arms taking me to
the car. I remember going to a private
hospital near my house. They told my dad they didn't have any beds
available and I would have to wait in the waiting room. My dad again took me in his arms and
took me to another hospital.
When we arrived there, I woke up
again...and a policeman took me in his arms and carried me to the
emergency area to a bed...I don't know how much time pass, but when I woke up
again. I was in an ambulance with my mom, going to a bigger hospital.
I was in a coma for a week, that week
was terrible for my family...the doctors were guessing what was going on with
me...the fever was worst...I remember, I woke up in a bed full of plastic
gloves with ice all over me and around me.
My blood pressure was going down and
down...they tried to take a blood sample but could not get one, They
inserted a big needle in my chest in my aorta. The doctors told my family they
thought I had leukemia.
I remember seeing my dad and mom
crying. Still in and out of consciousness , I knew something bad was going on.
I went into a coma. Finally a doctor suggested to do a spinal
tap. It revealed I had meningitis.
The doctor started giving me
penicillin 4,000 units every (4 ) hours along with other antibiotics and
medications. Finally, I came back....
I still could not feel my legs at times, my
arms and hands were stiff.
The doctors said that they needed to take
off the skin on my feet and my nails, they were black.
That was terrible! I felt allot of pain
with this. Then my center finger of my right hand turned black too.
Three weeks later they amputated the
point of my finger and the second toe on my right foot.
They said my case was different...a very
different one...The diagnosis was...meningococcemia combine with the
Toxic shock syndrome, and that it was a miracle that I was alive.
They began the same treatment used on
burned people . They used a medication called Silvadine.
I remained hospitalized a month and a
half, leaving the hospital on a wheelchair. I begin to walk with very short
steps...and then I was better everyday. I received treatments for the next six
months.
My boyfriend quit college to take
care of me, never leaving my side.
We married, and had two kids. Eighteen
years later we divorced. That is another story.
Eventually...I decided that I wanted to
live like I did before meningitis...so I stood up from my wheelchair
!!!! I was very brave...I wanted to live!
I started college...I became
depressed, mostly because people looked at me like they were sorry
for me...looking at all my scars, etc.
I began to hide my scars...Though very hard
to fight the depression, I did it!
Today I wear sandals and short
sleeves, etc. I still suffer with the after effects of meningitis but
I feel very blessed God gave me the
opportunity, to live and to be a, Mom!
I thank God everyday of my life.. I am an
Earth Bound Angel.
Sary
Messages
To Sary
Hi Sary,
We have been trying to find you. Please contact us as we love you and miss
you very much!
Pat & Carlos