Three Years Ago Today

Three years ago today, my good friend Amy called me at 7am crying.  She said, "Something has happened to Brent!  I'm following the ambulance right now!"  She told me his symptoms.  It was pretty clear he was having a stroke.  I stood in my kitchen on my cell phone eight months pregnant crying and frantically trying to figure out how I could help her.  I got right to school and began talking with our friends.  Then we got another call from her.  It was indeed a stroke.  So bad they've moved him, already, from St. John's to St. Joe's.  Our compassionate principal let Laura and me go and visit.  We drove down there talking about how Brent is so athletic.  How could this happen to him?  What would we do if Amy lost her husband.  How can we help her cope?  We arrived to see our friend like we've never seen her.  She's a very strong woman.  Physically and emotionally.  There she sat slumped over and crying.  Cheeks and eyes red and ready for hugs.  We sat there for hours.  We ended up staying the whole day. When the principal came to visit she saw how shaken we all were and had us stay the day.  As the hours ticked by they told Amy they were unable to get the clot out in his brain.  There would be damage. 

We wondered what the future would bring.  The next day.  The holidays.  The next year. 

It's literally hard to believe THREE years have passed.  Brent has gone through hundreds of hours of therapy and treatments. 

Amy has gone through so much emotionally I can't even imagine.  She's in charge of so much at her house sometimes I can't believe it.  A couple weeks ago she lifted her snowblower into her truck and went to get a new tire for it.  I've never touched a snowblower in my life, let along lifted one.  She is amazing.

Here we are three years later.  They're going out tonight to celebrate.  Life. Love. Courage. Strength.

Amy recently recorded a radio commercial for the Courage Center.  It will play on 107.9 & Cities 97.  I hope you get a chance to hear it.