Finding Strength From Within

The stroke has caused both a blockage and a bleed in the brain. It is too risky to intervene. If your husband becomes more and more sleepy, it may be caused by the blockage getting bigger. He may then sleep and not wake up again. We just have to wait.

That’s what the doctor told my mom on April 13, 2018. While on vacation in Sarasota, my dad, age 58, suffered a severe stroke to the cerebellum.

I can vividly remember the moment my mom called me and asked to set up a three-way call with my sister. I sat at my dining room table on speaker phone listening to my mom all alone in Florida telling her daughters what had just happened. I remember holding my crying until I got off the phone when my boyfriend just held me as I broke down. Those are never easy words to hear, and even more so when you’re 900 miles away. Within hours, my sister, my boyfriend and I were on a one-way flight to Sarasota, arriving at 3am to my dad’s hospital bedside, my mom, going on almost 36 hours of no sleep.

The first 72 hours were the most critical for my dad in the ICU, while we waited impatiently for updates from the doctors or nurses. Once he passed the 72 hour mark, we had some hope.

Hope he could leave the ICU.

Hope he walk again on his own.

Hope that his speech would return strong.

Seven days after the stroke, we got him into the rehabilitation pavilion at Sarasota Memorial Hospital. I believe every ounce of strength, prayers sent and faith went to my dad to get stronger!

And it worked! 29 days later, my dad was discharged and deemed ready to head home, back to Washington DC to continue rehabilitation.

If you know my dad, he’s the type to never backed down from a challenge, doesn’t like to lose and fights like a true warrior. Last year we ran the Cherry Blossom 10miler and he beat me by 30 minutes! His strength from within is so powerful. (Not only is my dad a Type I Diabetic, he is also a Stage IV Lung (non-smoker) cancer patient on ALK targeted therapy, diagnosed in January of 2017.)

My parents are finally back home in DC. My dad has no shortage of doctors appts, test and therapy on a daily basis, which my mom takes him to. My mom, God bless her, is the one keeping this whole family afloat. She’s been the incredible piece of strength that continues to hold us all together, She is as much a fighter in this daily battle as my dad is.

Me, I tell stories. It’s what I do, like a firehose I can’t turn off. When my dad was released from the rehabilitation pavilion I made this video for two reasons: to continue to motivate my dad (I think he watches it daily) and to help raise money and awareness.

Last year when my dad was diagnosed with cancer, a t-shirt was designed and #JaimeStrong came to life! We raised over $10,000 for LUNGevity research.

This year, with the help of my friend Amanda Kloos, we designed a 2018 t-shirt to continue the fight while raising money and awareness. Buy one today!

UPDATE: the t-shirt campaign has ended but you can donate directly to LUNGevity to a campaign specifically for ALK here!

There has been no shortage of love to my family. Both in person and virtual. You know who you are! Thank you!

Always #JaimeStrong!