Sleeping Beauty ... Once Upon A Time

This is the 2nd installment of Once Upon A Time weekly series. To view previous Click Here ..

Much like Sleeping Beauty, the princess was in a sleep that no one could wake her from. Not even a Prince Charming could help. Everyone thought she would slip away and not awaken, but hours turned to days and days to weeks, and the princess continue to lay in a deep sleep. Tubes and machines aiding in her breathing, to keep her from completely slipping away.

While Angels hovered around her human body, making sure all was going as planned. Other Angels awoke her soul and guided it gently Home.

The princess was uncertain what was happening, the Angels assured her all would be revealed to her in time, to have patience. Some how the princess knew they spoke the truth ... and remained calm and silent as they glided upwards in the crisp night air.

In the distance a golden gate was emerging into view, then suddenly out of thin air the silence that embraced her throughout the journey was broken. The silence was replaced with a sound the princess could not place, and try as she might to describe it no words seem to fit. "Angelic" the word appeared in her mind's eye "Peaceful", "Magical", "Beautiful" all seemed to float inside her head. 

As the princess entered through the gates, she realized ~ Angels were creating this beautiful sound, that was filling her with warmth and a familiar peacefulness - but she could not recall where she had felt  it before.

Suddenly everything was a golden glow and the princess and everyone around her was dressed in the most lavish gowns and suits; the air was filled with the energy of strength and good health. Not one person appeared frail, old, tired, in pain or ill. Perfect! They were all perfect! Healthy and joyous.

As they entered, the enormousness of the room seem to continue infinitely. Suddenly with the next step she took, the princess realized she was not actually walking but floating across the room.

 Reaching out to get a passer-by's attention the princess was taken back ... suddenly everyone was transparent;  floating as golden, glowing energy, including herself. How could this be? she wanted to ask, but her mouth did not open. Instead she was communicating in thought and was receiving a response in thought. Is this a dream?

No, you are not having a dream. You are Home, it will take a few moments for all the memories of lives lived and lessons learned become accessible to you. Then you will remember everything. The words were received in thought by the figure who stood before her, shrouded in white. Just beyond where they were communicating, was a flowing river, a group of thousands seemed to be waiting. Where are they going? thought the princess ... forgetting her thoughts were no longer just hers. Again the figure shrouded in white before her responded " They have ended their earthly journey and have chosen to reunite with those who have returned Home before them."

What do you think will happen next? Will the princess join the waiting group? Tune in next week for a continuation ... of

 Once Upon a Time is a new weekly feature ... till next time..

Once Upon A Time ...

There lived a very fit and active curly haired princess ~ she kept her golden brown locks tamed and in place, you would not have known they had a mind of their own. She worked hard at a career she loved, often starting early in the morning with the chirping of the birds and ending the day long after the final evening news had aired. But, don't worry she played equally hard, travelled the world and attended many social functions.

Life was good for this business developer and marketing princess! She wore the finest clothes, stood taller in her Jimmy Choos than her 5'2" height , Gucci and LV dangled from her hand. She ate at the finest restaurants; lived in her very own charming little castle and was friends with other lucky princesses and princes who called Yorkville their playground. 

She wasn't looking for a prince charming, nope, she was a modern day princess. Equally comfortable in a pair of jeans and T-shirt as she was in an evening ball gown. Independence was her middle name.

Even with a very busy schedule, she gave of her time to a help others get a helping hand in life.

Then one day as she crossed the street on her way to a very posh dinner party, she was knocked off her Jimmy Choos by a careless jalopy driver. As her lifeless body laid on the pavement, witnesses were sure she had taken her last breath. 

How could this be happening? She may not have always been the perfect princess, but she was a good princess, with a great life, would it end this way? Tune in next week for a continuation ... of

 Once Upon a Time is a new weekly feature ... till next time..

Critical Care – Step 1 of 4 to going home - Part of Picking Up the Pieces Mondays

I started to “wake-up” – I do not recall exactly what my first thoughts or feelings were – but at some point I remember thinking “where am I – and why can’t I wake myself up from this nightmare?” At some point it started to become clear that I was not having a dream, the pain and confusion as to where I was and I why I felt this way – was actually quite real. I tried to speak, but no sound was coming out. I would later discover this was due to the tracheal intubation tubing that was coming out of my throat and helping me to breathe. This trach would also become the obstacle to getting me to the next level of care.

During this time – I was completely at the mercy of the nurses for all my needs. From monitoring my life saving equipment to bodily function needs. Looking back now I often wonder how I made it through this time. My sister tried to make it and keep me as comfortable as possible; from emptying bed pan when there was no one available to come and retrieve it; personal grooming – to pleading my case for polish on my toes (yes, all else was escaping and failing me, but the fact that the polish on my toes had been removed – did not. Perhaps, looking back now – it was my attempt to retain some part of myself, as all else no longer felt like me, though I don’t think I was consciously aware of this yet.) Yes, I was allowed to have polish put back on my toes – and was delighted when the x-ray technician commented - I was the only person who ever came from CC with freshly polished toes.

The road to moving from CC to Intensive Care was paved with good intentions, but I would have to be off the ventilator for at least 24 hours with no incidents ( I had to breathe on my own) it took a few attempts before I would achieve success. Breathing on my own was as equally painful as when they were suctioning out the trachea to make me cough up stuff to clear my lungs. Apparently it was equally as unpleasant an experience for those who had front seats to the process as it was for me– to them it was like I was going into convulsions, I was later informed.

Eventually tubes were removed and I graduated to a “ trach plug” – for the hole in my throat. By holding a figure over the “contraption” as I called it – I was able to speak and be heard – though I sounded much like someone who had inhaled helium. This of course did not give me an instant pass out of CC.

What I want to share with others;

Night time is a very lonely and most unsettling time. If you know someone in CC – please try to not leave them alone for any prolonged period of time and try to be on time in the morning. For me, if visiting hours started and my sister was not there – I would go into a big panic and anxious state until the nurses were able to locate her.

Many people feel when their loved ones are in the hospital –they are being taken care of; to this I say – there are some very terrific nurses , I was extremely fortunate to have some of these nurses care for me. I will forever be grateful to the nurse that took the extra time to wash between my toes (I can’t tell you how that small gesture made a world of difference to me); the nurse who wore a protective apron and held my mangled arm as I was in for an MRI (without her help it with would have extremely painful to hold up my shattered arm); the nurse that recommended my sister ask the black dead, skin around incisions on my chest bone be debrided… these are just a few examples of the great beyond the call of duty treatment I received.

Unfortunately, to every good there also is a not so good – balance they call it. I still get shivers every time I think about the nurse that threaten to put a bag or diaper on my behind if I continued to ask for the bed pan – that night my bowels were starting to move; then there was the nurse that left me on the bed pan for over 45 minutes (the man across from me had a digital clock above his bed – in CC they need to know the exact time in case you die – there are no walls, just curtains and they are drawn open); Oh and let’s not forget the midnight nurses that were very disturbed by my request to keep their personal conversation down- as I was trying to sleep… this list also goes on.

Know that the person in the bed no matter how much they look like they are OK – they are not, it is our human instinct to not want to look hurt, confused, depressed etc. – showing these may somehow make us appear weak in the eyes of others. Keep visitors to immediate family and those extremely close to the person – no one wants to be on display, especially when they have just gone through hell and back. If your loved seems to get stressed out when you get ready to leave at the end of the day – try and figure out why. Do not dismiss any claims they may try to voice – I’m not saying to jump the gun here – but take the time to carefully examine things.

Learn proper Etiquette for visiting patients in hospital - it will make your visit more enjoyable, especially for the patient. Here are a couple of websites that offer some wonderful tips on this matter: I wish that some of my visitors had been given this list to read, before visiting.

Etiquette for visiting someone in hospital

Etiquette for visting someone in hospital -tips

images; Me in hospital - HHL; other images -google search

God’s plan, the Power of Prayer and a Miracle - Picking up the Pieces Mondays

I can’t imagine what my family and friends must have gone through for 6 weeks, as the doctor’s kept telling them to prepare for the worst. A sampling of the list of injuries my family and friends were given: closed head injury; C-2 fracture; ruptured diaphragm; lacerated liver; severely bruised heart; fractured sternum; multiple fractured ribs; multiple fractures in right forearm; shattered right elbow; crushed right pelvic; bruised kidneys; lacerations to small bowel; bleeding from every cavity – over 54 units of blood – nothing holding. After providing a list that resembled the size of a week’s grocery list.

The Doctors wanted to amputate my right arm, due to all the fractures. Thankfully my sister and brother did some research and jointly agreed “NO” to the amputation – I owe my right arm to their love, caring and due diligence.

The doctors did not hold much hope of survival, especially since as fast as blood was being pumped into me, it was coming out. My family gave permission for a Trial Drug used for Hemophiliacs, to be administered to me. I was given 3 units of this trial drug – and still the bleeding continued. I was not expected to make it to the next day. I was extremely fortunate to have been taken to Sunnybrook Hospital, their Trauma team is second to none in Canada.

Over the next 6 weeks – my family and friends were on an emotional roller coaster ride. Each day that I continued to live was a blessing, then their hopes would be dropped as throughout this time – my lungs collapsed; I went septic; pneumonia would be added to the list, etc. every couple of days their hope was shattered with something new.

My sister stayed by my bedside throughout these weeks, relieved a couple hours a day by supportive friends and on week-ends by her husband, our brother and parents (my family lives 3 plus hours away). In the waiting room she would see families whose loved ones with less injuries did not survive, others with worse injuries were being transferred from critical care to intensive care. In case you are wondering the difference between CC and IC is – “CC you are closer to the other side, IC you are closer to our side” as told to a friend when he asked a nurse.

I have been told prayers were being said for me throughout Europe, Africa, South and North America, Asia – the power of the internet, loving family and friends throughout the world, spread the need of prayer for me.

I was truly blessed to have some many people from different cultures, religions, backgrounds and beliefs coming together for my survival.

Each year the Sunnybrook trauma unit, treats more than 1,200 injured patients requiring immediate and often life-saving care. To learn more about the Trauma, Emergency & Critical Care units click here.

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images:  world prayer - google search; In God's hands - www.mitchie.com