The day my world changed forever

November 24th 2005 - Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving, it was always one of my families most favorite holidays! This year it was different than the ones we had celebrated in the past. My parents had been divorced for a few years at this point and even though we had our families Thanksgivings that we went to, my mother loved to cook, she was THE best cook in the world, and she decided that we were going to have our own dinner (just my mom, my sis and me). - I was pumped to say the least, that meant I could have a HEAPING pile of the bestest, smoothest, fluffiest mashed tatas :-)

We sat the table and looked around and then looked at each other and just laughed, because it was so much food for just us. We ate and laughed and enjoyed each other's company. When we were finished, my sister and I cleaned the table and put the left overs in the refrigerator, did the dishes and I went off to my grandmothers house for the weekend. - This was a typical routine for me as I was very involved in church and teen group at that time and so I would stay with my grandma, where my cousin Jessica lived and we would do activities with the teens in our group and go to church together!

The next day:

I remember standing in my grandma Sharon's kitchen and chatting with my closest friends from church, The Rockwells - oh my, do I miss those beautiful girls! - We were getting ready to go see a movie in the theater together. A few minutes before we were about to head out, in rushes my Aunt Mardell who lived down the street from my grandma, the phone had been off of the hook and she was unable to get through with a phone call, she had an emergency which we figured it was one of grandma's siblings since she had so many brothers and sisters - my grandma rushed into the kitchen and said, "Hannah, there is an emergency, it is your mom, she is in the hospital in critical condition." - My entire world stopped and my body was instantly numb - what? how? when I left she was perfectly fine? are you sure it was my mom? there had to be a mistake - Grandma then prayed for what seemed like 10 straight minutes and then we got into the car to head to the hospital. I was crying and scared, what exactly does it mean to be in critical condition? Was she in a car accident? What could have happened to her?

Lutheran Hospital, Des Moines, IA:

When we arrived, I ran into the emergency room, after the security check, I proceed through the two sets of white double doors. I walked down the long hallway and when I turned the corner I knew something extremely horrible was happening because there were about 20 family members there and my sister ran up to me, sobbing and just hugged me and said, "mom is not doing good sis, but I promise that no matter what happens, we will always have each other!" - I had no clue what that meant, I said, "what happened to her?" - she said, "they are doing some tests and we are not exactly sure but something internal isn't right." - I walked down the hallway a little further, my sister held my hand and directed me to the door. I walk into the room; it was cold and bright, my mother was laying there with tubes everywhere and I just lost it. - How could this happen? Why my mom? She was the glue that held our family together after my uncle David passed - who was going to step up now? Why? A few minutes had passed and a nurse walked in and told us that all of the services that were given at the hospital were utilized and in order to try and save my mom, she would have to go to another hospital that was located about 1.5 hours from where we were - in Iowa City. They were not able to transport her via ambulance, so she was life-flighted by helicopter and my sister and I were not allowed to ride with because they needed all of the space they could get inside to administer the best care possible along the way.

University of Iowa Hospital

I walked in the emergency room only to realize that we had beat my mother there, how in the world did we get home, pack bags and drive to this hospital faster than the helicopter flew her? - I will forever be amazed by this fact. We had over 30 family members there waiting at this time, they sent us to a conference room, so we had more space and privacy (that woman was so loved by her family!) - About an hour later a surgeon comes in and introduces himself and explains, basically my mother had a brain aneurysm and it had ruptured, during this tragic process she fell onto her back, she had been vomiting, but when she fell - her lungs had filled up with fluid, we were told of a couple of possible options that could potentially save her life, but she had to be stable for 24 hours and the fluid had to be drained from her lungs first.

The Longest Week of My Life

A bit later, my mother had been moved to the neurology floor where she was closely monitored and the family that stayed there moved to the waiting area down the hall from her room. A couple of days had passed and her lungs drained and her pressures were stabilizing. My mother had got better before she got worse, I went to sleep hopeful that the following day she would be getting surgery and eventually I would be bringing my momma home, unfortunately God has different plans sometimes. I woke up early the next day and walked into the dark room, I didn't understand why the lights were off in there, but I was told it was to alleviate the stress, normal brain pressures are to be between 7-15 and my mother's was into 30's, they had administered all of the possible medication and procedures at this time, I cried and ran to get my sister, she went in alone and spoke to mom... I gave her space because I wanted to do the same before anyone else had a chance to go in, while she was still here - I remember my exact words, "I am here momma, it is your mother hen, Hannah Marie, I love you so much and I know you are tired, Heather and I will protect each other always, I promise." I walked out crying because I knew, this was the battle of a lifetime, my mother was a fighter and she held on as long as she possibly could, but she was tired, she was scared and she didn't want to leave her girls behind. - Hearing our voices gave her peace, I just know it because shortly after her pressures got even worse and she started having mini strokes in her brain causing her to loose memory/speech/mobility, any place that she had a stroke, there would be damage that would last the remaining years of her life. My sister and I made a pact that we would take care of her forever if we had to, but the Lord knew my mother would not want to live this way. A short time later, another nurse came to the waiting room and said that she was not responding to light, basically she was brain dead and the machines were the only thing keeping her alive. - We called the closest relatives and had to prepare for the hardest thing I have ever had to witness and that was removing all of the machines and lastly, the breathing tube. I sat and witnessed my mother take her final breath. 15 years old and I had to say my goodbye's. She breathed for another 16 minutes on her own that day - she was a fighter and will forever be my hero. May her beautiful soul Rest In Paradise.

I hope to have opened a heart or two and none of my readers take a life for granted, hug your babies too much and tell your loved ones you love them, you never know what will happen and life can change in the blink of an eye!

Until we meet again momma, goodbye will always be the saddest word. I love you forever.

12/18/1962 - 12/01/2005

~ Dianna Lynn Jones ~