Eye opener

I just wanted to pass on a very recent (as of last night) experience. Most of you know or have heard me talking about my best friend Charly. She and I have grown up in each others pockets. We've been friends for going on 12 years and I love her and think of her as my sister.

I got a phone call last night around 8 PM from our mutual friend Andie. She wanted to let me know that Charly was up at the hospital with her family. Now just a few weeks ago Charly was in the hospital due to an allergic reaction to penicillin. No one knew she was allergic. So before Andie could finish talking I immediately thought Charly had gone back into the hospital due to further complications. Come to find out her dad had a full blown stroke. Not good. It was a left-brain stroke so it affects the right side of his body and his speech. Apparently he had been having the stroke all day yesterday but didn't throw the actual clot until roughly 6 pm or so. He woke up yesterday with the complaint that he just didn't feel good. He didn't know exactly what was wrong other than that he was tired and really had no appetite.

When I first met this man he scared the living you-know-what out of me. He stands at least 6'2" or 3" and has the air of authority about him. Needless to say he is a very strong man. The proverbial "rock" of the family. As time went on, he became like another father to me, one I hated disappointing and thought of as "dad". Standing in the hospital room last night as we waited for the test results, it hit me. That could be my father in that bed. I haven't always believed in the saying that life is short. If you think about it, life is the longest thing we will ever do. But it came to me last night not to think of that saying in the literal sense. No, life isn't short, but it can be cut off when you least expect it. It was a great shock to see Charly's dad in that bed. It scared me. Here I am in a hospital beside a man that I think of as dad, one I thought nothing could happen to and would always be the way he always was. That could have easily been Dad.

I guess I'm just rambling now, but there is a point to all this. Let the ones you love and cherish KNOW you love and cherish them. Tomorrow might not come for you or them and there are no guarantees that if it does, it will be the same as yesterday.

Thankfully the doctors say he is showing some good signs. His legs are strong and even though there is some paralysis on the right side of his body, he should be able to walk again with aide of a cane. As far as his speech goes, it will be like teaching a child to talk, but he will be able to talk. A lot of what he says is jumbled right now, but that is because he is extremely tired due to the stroke. He understands what you're saying and some of what he says is understandable. These are all GOOD signs. Say a prayer for him and his family and then let the ones in your family know how you feel.