Spring is a season of miracles. Twelve years ago at the Spring Equinox I was beginning my journey with cancer. First, I had to fight with doctors to even be examined. I was told to simply go home and learn to live with symptoms that I knew were not normal. Herbal medicine would have healed me if that were so. When symptoms didn’t diminish I knew I was in trouble. Eventually I asked my husband to take me to the ER where I forced the issue. All that happened in the months that followed is a story for another day. The short version is that I was eventually diagnosed with a rare aggressive sarcoma and had surgery to remove my uterus, ovaries, and 19 lymph nodes.
My prognosis was dire. There was no protocol for this kind of cancer. I am grateful for that because I didn’t have to fight so hard to limit conventional treatments. I had one devastating radiation treatment. Although that was rough to go through, I was comforted in dreamtime by a long time spirit guide who told me not to be afraid, but to choose this particular form of radiation. This took a great burden off me and allowed me to go ahead. All along the way the use of flower essences, herbs, Reiki and magick supported my healing. I didn’t listen when the well meaning oncologist forbade me from using herbal medicine. I healed quickly on the physical level. Healing on the emotional, spiritual, and physical levels has been ongoing and is a part of my spiritual path in this lifetime.
My husband has been my close companion throughout my healing. We have been together since we were 18 and 20 years old. He has always been a perfect model of healthy living. We have never worried about Daryl’s health, though he has always done his best to improve his health habits whenever we became aware of better ways of living.
Daryl’s history of adult onset allergic asthma had been just that- history. He seemed to have healed that issue over time and hadn’t touched an inhaler in several years.
On the day of the Spring Equinox it was warm and sunny. We strolled around the yard examining the plants and shrubs, planning the gardens and other summer projects. I was just in the last days of recovery from my first upper respiratory infection in 3 years, still a little tired, still coughing a little. After lunch Daryl didn’t feel well. His chest felt “weird”. We both thought maybe he was catching my cold and that this would be something that could set off his asthma. He managed to find a new inhaler, packed away in a box in the pantry. After a few puffs he initially felt a tiny bit better. Then he vomited. He had no pain radiating down his arm. The feelings in his chest were still consistent with bronchial issues. Still, I didn’t like that he seemed in distress and asked if he would like to go to the ER. I was shocked that he said yes. In retrospect we are not sure why we thought to go to the ER. The symptoms at this point were not drastic. Daryl has no risk factors for heart disease- no high blood pressure, no family history of early cardiac disease, eats good organic food, doesn’t smoke, exercises, does Yoga. We decided to drive 45 minutes to our preferred hospital where our PCP is located.
About 20 minutes into the journey it was obvious that Daryl was feeling worse. He continued to vomit and was agitated. I told him that I was going to pull over and call 911. He asked me to continue on a few minutes to the Safety Complex in Lee where EMTs could take a look at him and decide if he was in trouble. This stop saved his life.
The police, fire fighters, and EMTs were amazing. At this point I still thought it was likely asthma or an allergic reaction, although part of me must have known since I raced into the building calling for help, saying “My husband is exhibiting signs of a heart attack”. They gave aspirin, put him on oxygen, took his blood pressure and pulse (162/92;81). The ambulance rolled in and I reiterated our desire to go to Exeter Hospital as opposed to Dover or Portsmouth. Daryl went on a stretcher in the back of the ambulance with 2 EMTs and I rode in the front with a very sweet young man who did his best to put me at ease. I began to pray hard and continued calling on all our spiritual connections to protect Daryl as I had been since we left the house. I called our son Kirk and asked him to call our daughter to meet us at the hospital.
Upon arrival at the ER, the EMT took me aside and looked deeply into my eyes. He let me know that they had done everything for Daryl in the ambulance that would have been done had we made it to the ER. He told me that the EKG was consistent with a heart attack and that this EKG had been forwarded to the ER. An angioplasty team was assembled and Daryl would be prepped and in the cardiac cath lab in minutes. Within 20 minutes his artery was opened, blood flow was restored, and the delicate business of placing a stent was begun. The placement of the stent took more than 2 hours.
I waited with Kirk and Laurie, Hollynn and Jamie. We got reports from various nurses over time, but of course it was hard to wait to see him and know that the procedure was complete. The surgeon came in to explain what had happened. I didn’t notice, but the kids were stunned at the amount of blood on the doctor’s pant leg. I was focused on the doctor’s words. The blockage was in the anterior left descending artery. This kind of blockage is called “the widow maker” because the person feels fine, is asymptomatic, and then suddenly feels unwell and can experience sudden death. There is a small window of opportunity to save someone who experiences this. Tim Russert, the journalist and moderator of Meet the Press, died of such an event, sudden and decisive.
Everything that we did made a huge difference. If we had hesitated in our decision to go to the ER, he would likely have died. If we had called 911 from home, we most certainly would not have gone to Exeter, the only area hospital prepared to scramble an angioplasty team so quickly. If we hadn’t pulled into the Lee Safety Complex, many life saving treatments would have been delayed.
So now the recovery phase begins. Daryl is expected to return to an active lifestyle. He is on several pharmaceutical medications as the stent settles into his body. This is hard for us to adjust to since we have been committed to herbal therapies over pharmaceuticals, but above all we are committed to rational decisions being made. Heroic medicine was needed to save my husband’s life and I am very happy that it was available to us. We will take things as they come, making changes and decisions along the way. We will proceed as Daryl wishes to proceed because ultimately it is his life and his body. We are extremely grateful.
As a couple we are now two walking miracles. Two people who statistically shouldn’t be here, yet we are. No human being is a statistic. Follow your instincts about your own health and insist on the care and response that you innately know are needed. Life and death are mysterious. Love is all there is. Thank you for all the prayers and healing that are flowing our way.
