In April 2018, I got the worst headache of my life and knew something was very wrong.  We cancelled dinner reservations and my husband and son drove me to Saint Joe’s ER.  The drive took 14 minutes, and it was less than 5 minutes after arriving in the ER that I was being treated for what turned out to be a subdural hematoma.

I remember the long, urgently fast gurney trip to the imaging center across the hospital and down the elevator. The MRI showed that the blood that was swirling around in my head looked to be draining on its own, so my amazing neurosurgeon sent me to ICU to be treated, where the care I received was incredible.  After a week home, the blood stopped draining and I was back in the ER.  This time I required a craniotomy to get the blood out and it took 31 staples to put it my head back together again.  The care was phenomenal. 

Unfortunately, an allergic reaction after I got home suddenly left me unable to speak, and my son quickly drove me to the ER for the 3^rd time while my husband raced to meet us.  As my son lifted me out of the car (I was by then unresponsive) and started carrying me inside, a woman with one leg gave him her wheelchair so he could get me in faster.  Can you imagine the kind generosity? I was received immediately and a volunteer whom I can only describe as an angel checked on my son, at which point he fell into her arms and broke down fearing the worst.  Saint Joe’s saved my life for a 3^rd time!

Since then, my life has changed in very positive ways and I am happier than I’ve ever been.  At 58, I’ve discovered that I am a competent athlete in equestrian riding.  I actually won Champion at the first horse show I competed in.  My scar (which is now hidden under hair) is a horseshoe shape so maybe it was destined that I start to ride and flourish!  But seriously, minutes do matter.  If St. Joe’s hadn’t treated me so urgently 3 TIMES, I would have died.  We gratefully made a gift toward the new ER and the onsite imaging that will be available quickly to patients in desperate need. It was an honor to support the new ER at St. Joe’s. I feel like the luckiest woman alive!