Miracles

I wanted to spend a quick moment writing before I share a much longer story written by my wonderful sister-in-law, Brooke.

I know that our Savior loves each one of us. He hears and answers our prayers. I believe in miracles. I believe that each person is here on this earth with a divine purpose. A purpose that oneself can only accomplish.

This is a story about a MIRACLE. Paige (Brooke's little sister) is a living, BREATHING example of this.

Written by Brooke Lewis on June 22nd 2012:
http://theselittlethings365.blogspot.com/ (here is a link to her blog)

A week ago today, my life was turned upside down and was changed forever. This...is my side of what happened on that horrific, traumatic, yet amazing and miraculous day.

My baby sister had surgery on her ACL for the second time in a year. I had to work and I had a test that morning and so I couldn't go to the hospital but I promised her that I would be at my parent's house when she got home that afternoon. It started out as a normal Friday. I texted Paige to wish her luck and to tell her that I love her, as she was on her way to the hospital. We chatted for a bit and I told her that I would see her later that afternoon.

I went to work and left with enough time to go to school to take my test and then meet Paige and my parents at home. The test didn't take as long as I expected so as I waited for Paige to be released from recovery, I stopped by my grandparent's house to visit. I received the text I had been waiting for from my mom...it was time to head home; she had been released. I called my dad as soon as I got in the car, to find out where they were. He told me they had just gotten on the freeway and asked if I could stop to get a couple things from the store for Paige. He also said that Paige had mentioned in recovery that she wanted a Jamba Juice when she got home and he asked if I wouldn't mind stopping to get her one. Of course not! What flavor did she want? I heard my mom ask her what flavor she wanted but I didn't hear a response. Then my mom said something but it was muffled and I couldn't hear. Then with a panicked tone, my dad all of a sudden said, "I'm going to have to....hold on! hold on!!" I heard the phone drop and he asked my mom, "Is she breathing!!???" ...My heart sank.

In that moment I felt panic, fear, sadness and helplessness all at the same time. I had no idea what to do. Where were they? How long had she not been breathing?  Would she make it? What do I do???? 
I heard a bunch of muffling around and then...nothing. Silence. I kept looking at the phone to make sure I hadn't lost the connection, turned up my volume and just listened as closely as I could. Then, I heard noise. What was that? Then, it quickly became clear but it was something that I could have gone my whole life without ever hearing. It was my mom screaming and my dad screaming Paige's name. The emotion in their voices was complete devastation. Right then, I knew in my heart that my sister was gone. But I couldn't believe it. Was this really happening? Could this honestly be real? 

I froze. Pulled over to the side of the road for just a second and just kept saying out loud, "No, no, no, no, God, please NO! No, no, no", over and over and over. I knew I couldn't just sit on the side of the road and do nothing, but I didn't know what to do, except just drive and wait and pray as hard and as loud as I could. I was shaking, I felt sick, I was full of despair and couldn't help but think, in the back of my mind, what my life was possibly going to be like now without my sister. Even with all these thoughts racing through my mind, I couldn't even cry. I was frozen and stiff and didn't want to make any noise. I had to listen so carefully. Within seconds, I heard my dad start counting and I knew he was doing CPR on my sister, on the side of the freeway somewhere. Then I heard my mom on the phone with 911, her voice was shaking and panicky and she was wailing, "My daughter is 17, she just had surgery, we're on the freeway, she's not breathing, she doesn't have a pulse and my husband is doing CPR. Please hurry!!" My heart hurt more than ever, my throat had a huge lump in it, my eyes started burning and I lost it! 

For 6 1/2 minutes, I helplessly listened. My mom was screaming Paige's name, begging her to wake up and then her words became muffled and all I heard was the voices of people I didn't recognize. But through all the noise and confusion, I heard my dad, loud and clear. He was counting, as he pumped her chest and in between counting he was also screaming her name and begging, "Paige! Please come back, Please come back!! Paige! Paige! PLEASE!!!" and just more and more counting. Then... my mom called me on the other line. I switched over as fast as I could, "MOM!??" (I heard my phone click and I knew I had dropped my dad's call) My mom was screaming and crying and I couldn't understand anything she was saying. I begged her, "Mom, pleeeeease don't hang up! Mom, please please please don't hang up!!" I knew that if I lost this call, I would have no idea what was going on. Then, she quickly said, "I gotta go". Click.

My whole world was falling apart and I didn't know what to do. I have never felt so helpless and full of despair but I still couldn't believe that this was happening. This happens to other people. This could not actually be happening to my family. What do I do? Where do I go?

I was still in Orem, just driving to "who knows where". So, I called Jacen and when he answered the phone, the tears were uncontrollable and I could barely talk. I was actually saying this out loud, so that means that this is actually happening. I was hysterical. My loving husband was as calm as he could possibly be and gave me as much hope as possible. He talked me through getting home and said that he would drive me wherever I wanted to go. It had been what seemed like an eternity since I had heard from my mom. It had been more than 15 minutes since my dad first told me to, "hang on". They were the worst 15 minutes of my whole life. Then... my mom was calling again on the other line. I quickly told Jacen to hold on and I switched over. My mom was hysterical and was trying to talk to me but couldn't. The phone got passed to a paramedic who told me that they had Paige and my mom and they were heading to the hospital and he told me that I should head straight there. I asked if she was alive and if she was breathing. He said, "Yes, she's breathing and she spoke but you should probably get to the hospital right away."

I made it home, jumped in the passenger seat as Jacen jumped in the driver seat and I knew that I needed to call my other sister to let her know what had happened. I called Chanise's cell phone. No answer. I called her work and thankfully was able to get a hold of her. I had barely started telling her what happened when my dad started calling me on the other line. I knew she was panicked but I had to know what was going on with Paige; I had to know that she was alive. I told Chanise that it was okay, but I had to put her on hold, but I would be right back. A stranger who had stopped to help was driving my dad's car and taking my dad to the hospital while his wife followed them in their truck. My dad wanted to make sure I knew how to get to the hospital and that I had called Chanise. I could tell that there was some relief in his voice but he was still terrified. I finished explaining to Chanise what had happened and what I heard and told her we were coming to pick her up so that we could all drive up together.

Jacen and I drove back to Provo to pick Chanise up and then headed up North to the hospital. On the way up, I noticed that in my mom's state of panic, she had accidentally posted what had happened on Facebook (later we found out that she was trying to send a text to Tami to let her know what was going on). So, I tried to do damage control and let everyone know that Paige was okay. Even with this slight distraction, it was still the longest car ride ever! But we finally made it. I was soooo grateful to see Paige awake, in the hospital bed, in the ER. A huge weight was lifted off my heart as she tried to smile at me when I came into the room and I felt some comfort. I was still scared but I knew that everything was going to be okay. I had my sister back and it was a miracle!! She knew who we were and she was talking and I wanted nothing more than to be by her side and hug her and touch her and kiss her forehead. I was so glad that I still had her in my life.

All her tests came back positive. Her heart was okay, her brain was okay, her respiration was okay and she luckily didn't have any broken ribs. They assumed that with the anesthesia from the surgery, mixed with all of the pain killers she was given in recovery, she was overdosed which caused her heart to slow way down and then when she fell asleep in the car and her head fell forward, it cut off her air supply which stopped her heart and killed her. But, after she was revived, the paramedics gave her a shot that reversed the affects of the pain killers in her system and the anesthesia had worn off enough that she would be okay. It was just a "freak thing" that should have never happened. So, we were able to take her home that night and not one of us left her side. We were all up so late and I knew that my parents were exhausted from going through such a traumatic and emotional experience and I hoped that they would be able to rest and get a little sleep, which they finally did. I stayed up all night, watching her sleep and watching her breathe. I never thought I would enjoy the sound of someone breathing while they slept, but it was seriously the best sound I have ever heard. Our family friend, Tami, was there and stayed up with me. She was even so kind as to sit with me on the floor, next to Paige and play Up Words, to keep me occupied and awake. I didn't even mind staying awake all night, I was just glad that I got to be with Paige and that she was actually there; living and breathing. It was a miracle!

Paige continues to progressively get better and we are so fortunate that she doesn't have any brain damage or organ failure. She is starting to become the normal, funny and quirky Paige again and I am so grateful!

I have been completely amazed at what a huge impact this one 17 year old girl has had on the world. She has been such a great influence in so many people's lives and she has touched so many people! She is kind and sweet and friendly and hilarious and has an amazing personality; its no wonder that so many people love her and have been affected by her amazing story. She has a million people that love her and have prayed for her and I know that it is because of everyone's faith and prayers that she is here with us, she is okay and she is going to recover and live her life to the fullest!

This experience was horrible, traumatic and awful but it was also amazing, joyous and miraculous and it has strengthened my testimony immensely. I know that Christ lives. I know that he is my Savior and I know that because of his atonement, families can be together forever. I know that my Father in Heaven knows each one of us individually and he loves us. He knows our fears and our weaknesses and he is always there to lift us up and carry us when we need it the most. I know that he has a plan for each one of us. I know, without a doubt, that he hears and he answers our prayers. And I know that he still performs miracles on earth today. I know that the Holy Ghost guides and directs us in our lives. We may never know when we will be needed to be an instrument in the hands of God, to be an answer to someone else's prayers but I hope that I can always be ready when I am needed. I am eternally grateful to all those people who listened to the promptings of the Holy Ghost and stopped to help my family, on the side of the road and save my sister.  Not many people can make a full recovery after being dead for 15 minutes, but my sister did and I know that it can only happen through God's mercy. My sister is extremely special and has a purpose that she has yet to fulfill and I am so thankful that I get to be apart of her life.

I am so full of gratitude for Paige and the little qualities that she possesses that my life just wouldn't be the same without. I am grateful for her friendship. I am grateful for her singing and the way she can brighten my day or make me love a song I used to not like, just by singing it with her little touch of "Paige flair". I am grateful for her hilarious personality and all the ways she can make me laugh. I am grateful for her crazy facial expressions. I love that she can't help but start to dance and shake her hips, any time she hears music, even if it is her that is singing it to herself. I am grateful for her strong spirit. And I am grateful for the bond that we share. I could go on and on and on and on. I am just so grateful for her!! This experience has also made me more aware and extremely thankful for all the little qualities that everyone else in my family has as well. I am so blessed to have such an amazing, loving and close family and I cherish each and everyone of them!

I wanted to share my side of this story for two reasons; one, because I wanted to have it written down so that I would never forget how I felt and the lessons that I have learned from it. And I hope to continue to learn the lessons that I am meant to take from this experience. Two, I hope that someone else can learn something from it as well. Always, always remember to tell your family that you love them because you never know when it will be the last time. Don't take life for granted because it can be taken in an instant. Always treasure the little things in life and remember that your family is the most important thing that you have. Nothing else in the whole world matters. And don't forget that miracles do happen and the Lord absolutely does hear and answer prayers!
http://theselittlethings365.blogspot.com/2012/06/grateful-for-miracles.html (link to her post)

I am so grateful for Paige. I am grateful for her experience and what it can teach us about The Plan of Salvation. I am grateful for her strength, and Brooke's strength for writing this down for others to see. I am grateful for such an experience that can bring us closer to our Heavenly Father.