Thursday, I had an appointment for myself in Greenville, Mama rode along. After my appointment we went to Greenville hospital to visit a cousin that had a baby the day before. We parked and quickly got a transport chair and got on our way. After our visit, we made our way around the twist and turns of the west end of the hospital. As we got back to the main hallway, Mama said, "Take me around there where I was at." Taken back by her request, I said, "Mama, We can't just walk up to the MICU." "Yes, we can and we are!", she replied.
We rolled down the hallway past the cafeteria towards the North Tower elevators. We got in the elevator. I pressed number 2 like I had done probably a hundred times before, just this time she was with me. We exited the elevator and I explained to the MICU guard why we were there. She asked if there was a specific nurse that we were looking for. "Krystal Kennedy", I said without hesitation. I knew through Facebook that Hayleigh worked in a different part of the hospital now.
Krystal Kennedy and Hayleigh Westmoreland were two nurses that connected with our family and Mama in a real way. These two ladies walked along side of us as we heard awful news over and over again. They talked to Mama as if she was awake and called her Sarah, which was very important to me. Hayleigh was with me when Mama opened her eyes for the first time on June 28th, 12 days into her coma. As I started shouting, "Her eyes are open!" Hayleigh ran to the cabinet doors and grabbed the pictures of the grandkids and started showing Mama the pictures, with tears just like me!"
The guard hung up the phone and said, "Krystal will be right out." Mama looked up at me and said, "Who is she?" I took a deep breath and said, "Krystal was one of our favorite nurses, she was really good to you. She helped save your life several times, twice while I was there." Mama seemed to take that information with hesitation. Just then the doors opened and Krystal walked out. With tears rolling down her face, she bent over and hugged Mama. Then astonishments rolled out of her mouth. "Where is your trach? Wow you look wonderful! How much weight have you lost? What you don't have any oxygen?" Mama said, "You remember me?" Then she said, "Who could forget you, one of the strongest patients I have ever had." We went back and saw 218, her room. Krystal confirmed a few stories that we have told her about the severity of her sickness.
After that we went over to the step down unit and ran into the Physicians assistant, Pat Rice, that was instrumental in Mama's trach care and got her transferred to Life Care, where she was weaned off of the ventilator. She was also amazed at her recovery. "Only God can do the healing that has happened to you."
There is power in prayer. God's mercy and healing are real, Mama is proof of that and we are thankful to the ones that believed that along with us.
