On Saturday October 6, 2007 our lives changed forever.
Before this time we carried on a very normal life. Justin worked as a security
guard at Primary Children’s Medical
Center. I was working
part time and we were both working together raising Lilly, who had just turned
two that summer. We loved going on family outings, exploring new places and
watching old western movies together.
That morning Justin said that he was feeling weird, his arm
hurt and was tingling. I felt his head and sure enough he was sweating. I told
him I thought he was having a heart attack and that I was going to call his mom
to see if she could get Lilly. He didn't want me to call 911, he thought is was
nothing. I called Linda, his mom, and told her that I thought he was having a
heart attack and she headed out. I went back in to check on him and his left
side was drooping. I told him he was having a stroke and that we needed to call
911. He again refused and asked me to get him up and to the car. He couldn't-
his entire left side was not working. I called the bishop and he said to
call 911 and so I did. The bishop came over and then Linda came around the same
time. Justin kept saying that he just wanted to go in the car. The
paramedics came and got him in the ambulance and got him to LDS hospital.
Linda and I stayed in the waiting area to hear anything. I remember that LDS General Conference was on and then the nurse or doctor came out and said that they had to perform a tracheotomy- or a tube down so he could breath and that he had a stroke and was being moved to the ICU. We went up and had to wait in the waiting room for the floor to finish getting him situated. I remember going into his room for the first time and seeing all the tubes and devices around him and coming off him. I was wondering if he was going to survive and what was going to happen to our family. The doctors came in at some point and talked to us about what had happened and said he had what is called a hemorrhagic thematic stroke. He had a blood vessel burst next to his thalamus and he had blood that filled up a good portion of it. The bleeding looked like it had stopped and they where looking at how to drain the blood. The Doctor couldn't operate; it was too close to the motor skills part of Justin’s brain- he was worried that he would hit it and make Justin paralyzed. The also didn't know how much his brain was impacted. They didn't know how his memory would be.
The doctor told us that he thought stints put on either side of Justin's brain could siphon the blood out of his brain. So, that is what they did. The stints worked off and on, but ultimately they worked.
I remember going in and sitting with Justin and reading and holding his hand. I would talk to him. I didn't know if he was going to have his memory, if he would remember me or not. I had so many thoughts and possibilities going though my head. He was under sedation so he wouldn't pull out his tubes. I didn't know if he even knew I was there or not. He would tap me with his thumb when I was holding his hand. Latter he told me that he was telling me that he loved me.
After about two weeks, he was able to get the tube out of his throat and began breathing with a oxygen mask. He was getting better and moved him to the respiratory intensive care unit. He was there for a few days and then the new hospital opened, Intermountain Medical Center, and they transferred him there. It was a big day and a little scary for me. Justin did fine though and was moved up to the rehab floor when I got to see him in IMC. He seemed to be doing fine, but I think he was only on rehab for a few days and they moved him back to the Neuro ICU where he seemed to be failing. The doctors and I still didn't know if he was going to make it through all this or not. We had many family and friends praying for us during this difficult time.
Linda and I stayed in the waiting area to hear anything. I remember that LDS General Conference was on and then the nurse or doctor came out and said that they had to perform a tracheotomy- or a tube down so he could breath and that he had a stroke and was being moved to the ICU. We went up and had to wait in the waiting room for the floor to finish getting him situated. I remember going into his room for the first time and seeing all the tubes and devices around him and coming off him. I was wondering if he was going to survive and what was going to happen to our family. The doctors came in at some point and talked to us about what had happened and said he had what is called a hemorrhagic thematic stroke. He had a blood vessel burst next to his thalamus and he had blood that filled up a good portion of it. The bleeding looked like it had stopped and they where looking at how to drain the blood. The Doctor couldn't operate; it was too close to the motor skills part of Justin’s brain- he was worried that he would hit it and make Justin paralyzed. The also didn't know how much his brain was impacted. They didn't know how his memory would be.
The doctor told us that he thought stints put on either side of Justin's brain could siphon the blood out of his brain. So, that is what they did. The stints worked off and on, but ultimately they worked.
I remember going in and sitting with Justin and reading and holding his hand. I would talk to him. I didn't know if he was going to have his memory, if he would remember me or not. I had so many thoughts and possibilities going though my head. He was under sedation so he wouldn't pull out his tubes. I didn't know if he even knew I was there or not. He would tap me with his thumb when I was holding his hand. Latter he told me that he was telling me that he loved me.
After about two weeks, he was able to get the tube out of his throat and began breathing with a oxygen mask. He was getting better and moved him to the respiratory intensive care unit. He was there for a few days and then the new hospital opened, Intermountain Medical Center, and they transferred him there. It was a big day and a little scary for me. Justin did fine though and was moved up to the rehab floor when I got to see him in IMC. He seemed to be doing fine, but I think he was only on rehab for a few days and they moved him back to the Neuro ICU where he seemed to be failing. The doctors and I still didn't know if he was going to make it through all this or not. We had many family and friends praying for us during this difficult time.
Finally, he was well enough to go back up to the rehab floor in the hospital
and start to relearn how to swallow, talk and eat. Because of his injury,
Justin is paralyzed on the left side of his body. He would go with the
therapist and start to learn how to roll from side to side, how to help himself
sit up. It was like watching a baby learn all those things again. Soon he got
strong enough to transfer to a wheelchair.
We celebrated Christmas in the hospital in rehab with our families. It was great...Lilly loved it.
Many long days and hard nights were spent in the hospital by
Justin’s side. It was difficult to know what the outcome of his injury would be
and how this would change our lives. Much about our future was unknown. We had
no other choice but to go forward with faith, trusting God that all would work
out.
Soon, we started talking about what was needed so Justin could finally come home. We had to change the way our house was, open doorways, add more room to the bathroom and get rid of the carpet.
There where so many people that donated to us at Christmas time, and friends
and family that helped. We were able to do the changes that were needed
for Justin to come home. He did have to go to a rehab center for a few months
while we got the house done. Dan helped us sell Justin's truck so we could afford
a van for Justin to come home in. We actually got the van in time for
Justin's birthday in March and were able to take him out for the first
time to dinner with friends and family. It was great. He was so excited to
finally get to go out.
Justin did have some set backs while in the rehab center, and didn't get
as much rehab as I was hoping. In June when the house was almost
ready we had Justin go back up to IMC hospital rehab center to finish his
rehab and prepare him and us to have him come home. We had to practice with
him at home and make sure everything was good for
him. He was able to get fitted in a new electric wheelchair
that would be his legs. He was a wiz with it. The therapy team would take
him shopping and he even had to make dinner at the rehab area to teach him and
I how to adapt to cooking and what tools he might need. I must say Justin has
come a long way. He was able to come home for the first time in 8 months. He
came home on Fathers day 2008.
He doesn't remember much himself. His first memory of the hospital is when we
had Christmas.
We are both so grateful for the staff and friends and family that helped us out at that trying time and for all the love.
Again our family has needed help and so many have and continue to reach out and help us. We both are so grateful for the love that has been given to us. We have truly been blessed.
Daily we see God’s hand in our lives and he is helping us and blessing us over and over again. It might just be little things, but it is the little things that make up the big things.
We are both so grateful for the staff and friends and family that helped us out at that trying time and for all the love.
Again our family has needed help and so many have and continue to reach out and help us. We both are so grateful for the love that has been given to us. We have truly been blessed.
Daily we see God’s hand in our lives and he is helping us and blessing us over and over again. It might just be little things, but it is the little things that make up the big things.
Thank you all, and God bless you!
Justin, Donna, and Lilly Hargreaves
