What do you mean?!

I don't have a lot to report on our sass-a-frass MiniDiva this week. I've been home in Minnesota while her dad stayed with the littles in Georgia. 

Tuesdays MD has cheer until late in the evening. It was just her and I so we stopped at the store on our way home to get a few things we needed to make Guacamole. Lime, Jalepeno, Avacado's and a large tomato. We should only be there 10-15 minutes. 

We were on our way to checkout when I realized I forgot a Lime. I told MD hey, lets go grab a lime quick, ok and she replied "What is a lime, I've never had Limes" I was in the middle of saying a lime is like a lemon but green when my phone rang. It was my dad. He isn't one just to call and chat so I figured it was something somewhat important and answered. 

He was crying. He never  cries. Keep it together, keep it together...I had to keep it together. MD was with me, holding my hand and we were in the middle of the grocery store. I couldn't lose it. My heart started racing and I immediately thought something happened to my mom. If it were anyone else my mom would have been the one calling me. I hadn't even seen or noticed she had called just before and I missed it. Was she in a car accident? Just tell me already! He had a hard time getting anything out other than my name and I swear time stood still while I began panicking and imaging every single scenario of tragedy. (I have quite the imagination and do this on the regular without any prompt. Probably my worst characteristic) Except this one.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?! WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE HAD A STROKE" 

My little brother, he’s still a baby. He’s 23 years old, he just got engaged to his beautiful girlfriend of the last 2 years, he’s in perfect health and we had just talked a couple of days ago, he was SO excited about his placement test results for college. He's doing so much with his life right now. 

 

 This doesn't happen to someone so young. 

At this time I honestly didn't even know where MD was. I dropped my basket, covered my face and just gave up holding my composure. My dad kept talking but I was sobbing too hard to even hear what he had to say let alone understand. I knew he was on his way to Minneapolis in a chopper, he wasn’t able to talk, he had been at work and HE HAD A STROKE. 

A woman shopping had stopped and was standing with MD holding her hand when I finally thought to make sure my poor mini was here and probably scared out of her mind. She was fine. Staring at me. When I finally looked up at her she started telling me it’s ok mommy, it’s ok. Uncle is ok. She hugged me and kept saying it’s ok. I felt horrible. My 6 year old was consoling me. 

She is such an amazing little person. She did not shed one tear even though I could see she was scared, too. She held my hand, gave me love and pet my hair. She was my rock for a good half hour. 

I cried some more then found my way to the front of the store holding MD’s hand. I called my husband begging him to pick us up. We didn’t get our groceries, the basket stayed there on the store floor and somehow my genius little MD knew to grab my wallet out of the basket, carrying it through the store. Standing outside waiting for my husband I called my mom and found out what I could and told her I was on my way. Somehow. 

My husband packed up our 2 younger littles and made his way. IT TOOK FOREVER. I couldn’t stop crying. Actually, I wasn’t even crying …tears and snot just effortlessly flowed. He had already been working on ways to get me to Minnesota by the time he picked me up. 

My amazing little family…MD’s little brother continued to tell me he loved me on the way home. He isn’t one to say I love you often so when he does it’s that much more heartwarming. MD insisted everything will be fine. She heard my conversations, started to comprehend her uncle had a really bad owie and KNEW everything would be ok. Her uncle was strong so he would be fine. 

I went home, packed and booked the first flight I could while my husband tended to the kids making them dinner and getting them to bed. MD finally broke and wanted me to lay with her. While she lay there crying I held her and repeated her own words back to her. He is strong and will be just fine baby. She wanted to pray so we did. I said a prayer for my brother and for my family on there way and she followed up with her own. 

I repeatedly tried calling our biological mother and stepfather with no success. All the while checking on my parents and little brothers fiancé  and their 6 hour drive to the hospital my little brother was traveling to by chopper. I was losing my mind at this point. 

I made it. I met my parents and his fiancé in the waiting room while he finished his scan. His neurosurgeon team came out and explained everything. We made our way upstairs to see him and I lost it one last time for good measure. 

Fast forward a few days, a hundred tears, zero sleep and roughly a half dozen doctor introductions. HE IS GOING TO BE FINE. It is going to be a long journey and he has a lot of recovery to do but he is going to be fine. He has something called an AVM and will have to have surgery to remove it once his brain heals and cools down from all the stress of the hemorrhage. He is still struggling with speech but it’s coming back to him more and more every day. It certainly creates no barrier for his smart ass comments and/or jokes. 

Thank the lord for so many things. For the speedy action of his bosses that most likely saved his life, if nothing else his quality of life. For the location of his AVM  not permanently interfering with his abilities. And for his amazing neurosurgeon who is very gifted and the best at what he does as well as his amazing demeanor and ability to explain things in laments terms.

Our mom has set up a caring bridge site where you can read more about what happened, my brothers progress and leave well wishes. Our family will be setting up a donation account to help with the immense cost that will be associated with the rehab, surgery, rehab again and all other recovery.  In the meantime please continue to pray for a speedy recovery and that my brother keep his high spirits. It’s amazing to see someone go through so much and still laugh like he was. He is much stronger than I could ever be and I admire him. 

Here is the caring bridge site. http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/dylaneason 

Much Love, 

Heather