I Went to The Other Side

They say life is short but most of us really don't take that seriously. We go on with our days with the same thing over and over again. We experience so much throughout our lives, happiness, sadness, anger etc and we never stop to really think "this can all end in a split second".

I had a childhood, I was a teenager, I am an adult and have experienced marriage, having children, getting divorced, watching loved ones die and I turn the page and go on with another day, every day, never thinking about when I will die. You just think everything will always stay the same.

Last December I felt a soreness in the back of my throat and honestly that's the last thing I remembered until 2 weeks later when I woke up in the hospital. I opened my eyes and saw nurses looking down on me. The first thing I asked was "Oh no, do I have Covid?" to which they replied "no dear, you have Bacterial Meningitis and we almost lost you". I found out I had been there for 2 weeks with no recollection of any of that time. Apparently my companion brought me to an emergency care center after I had been throwing up with a horrible headache and high fever. There they told him I was just dehydrated and gave me IV's and sent me home. The next day I was in tremendous pain and apparently told him to bring me to the hospital. They wouldn't let him inside due to Covid. They took me in and had me fill out paperwork. I can't even imagine how I filled those forms out because I don't remember any of it. My companion out in the car call inside on his cell to find out what was going on to which they told him I was going down fast, was agitated and becoming quite combative. They told him they were going to admit me. Thank God there was a Doctor in there who recognized my symptoms and ordered a Spinal tap where the Meningitis was found.

Meanwhile back home, my son who lived next door after the first week went into my house searching for my End of Life paperwork! Yup, it was that bad.

I have learned after this experience and some research that 1 out of 5 people with Bacterial Meningitis will loose limbs, go blind, go deaf or just die. Why was I so lucky? None of that happened to me, but for months after getting out of the hospital, I felt like literal shit! I could barely walk, take a shower or even stand up for too long.

But I wondered, "why was I spared?" and I found out rather quickly. My family told me that my Granddaughter during this time, became so depressed she tried to harm herself! My son and his wife had gotten divorced, long story, but he got full custody of his 2 children. I had helped him raise them so I guess you could say I was their substitute mother all those years. My Granddaughter was loosing the only mother who had been there for her.

I am now 10 months out from being sick and this is what I have learned - Don't take life for granted. Life can be taken away in an instant. Tell those people you love how much you do every day. Do the things you always wanted to do if you can. And most of all, love yourself and spread that love!