A Stroke of Providence

By Xlibris US

Gozil Oxley experiences a sudden brain hemorrhage on her way to work in 2006. She believes that it was Gods providence that led her to a place where people could assist her. Through the prompt intervention of the medical and nursing staff at Saint Agnes Medical Center in Fresno, California, she is quickly diagnosed and closely observed during the night, until she could be transferred to a well-known medical center in San Francisco the next day, for brain surgery.
Her family supported her in numerous ways through a very difficult recovery. Her recovery is compounded by her brothers death. But with her renewed faith in God, she emerges from this ordeal a stronger person, whose life has been forever changed.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Feb 3, 2014
• ISBN: 9781493126934

Book preview

Copyright © 2014 by Gozil Oxley, RN, Ph.D.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2013921389

ISBN:   Hardcover   978-1-4931-2692-7

   Softcover   978-1-4931-2691-0

   eBook   978-1-4931-2693-4

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,

without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Rev. date: 07/21/2014

Xlibris LLC

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

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CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Chapter 1   My Unexpected Damascus Road Experience

Chapter 2   Putting the Pieces of AVM Symptoms Together

Chapter 3   Lifesaving Medical Procedures and Treatment

Chapter 4   Recovering and Under the Almighty Hand of God

Chapter 5   My Spiritual Transformation

Chapter 6   Coping with Another Unexpected Loss

Chapter 7   The End Is in Sight

Bibliography

That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving,

and tell of all thy wondrous works.

—Psalm 26:7

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First and foremost, I would like to thank and glorify God for his guidance and enduring presence and for saving my life after I experienced a ruptured arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in my brain in 2006, that required brain surgery. As a result of the hemorrhage I experienced a hemorrhagic stroke.

I would also like to acknowledge members of my family who were also there with me throughout this time of suffering, providing emotional, physical, and spiritual support. Those who lived in California and England spent enormous amounts of time with me, ensuring that my needs were met. Those family members who lived in England visited me at various times to provide practical assistance when it mattered most. I would like to especially acknowledge the help of two of my sisters, Grace and Jenny.

Grace was by my side throughout this entire ordeal, providing care and support and advocating for my needs. She is not only my sister, but also my advocate and friend. Jenny was the first to arrive from England and she stayed with me for a month, assisting me in numerous ways. The care and assistance of these two sisters were invaluable. My sister Denise visited me from southern California and assisted me in various ways and kept in touch with me when she could not be with me in person. My cousin Corlisle, who was with me during the earliest moments, assisted me immensely and was the conduit through which family members received information about my sudden illness. I am also thankful to my sister Judy, who kept in touch with me, prayed with and for me, and later encouraged me to Get the book done. I would also like to thank my sister Lynda for her insightful and substantive editorial comments on this manuscript and my sister Pauline for her comments and organizational assistance. It is a blessing to have six sisters. They all supported me in different ways.

I am thankful to other family members and friends, who surrounded me with their love and unceasing prayers. It was this type of support that helped to sustain me through a time of turmoil. I thank God, who heard those prayers and extended his mercy to me. I am grateful for a mother whose life was focused on God and who continually prayed that I would come to know the truth. If she were alive, I would say to her, Mama, I have found the truth. One of my friends drove me to church every Sunday for an entire year, and we have maintained a close friendship.

I would also like to thank the physicians, neurosurgeons, surgeons, nurse practitioners, nurses, physical therapists, and other professionals who provided excellent care throughout out the time that I needed professional care. To my colleagues at California State University, Fresno (CSUF), I thank you for your support when I returned to work after the surgery. One colleague in particular and a graduate student gave me enormous help with an online course that I was teaching. When I walked into the first faculty meeting using a walker, they acted like this was the normal thing to do. It made me feel very comfortable.

This book is dedicated to my mother and brother Daryl posthumously. My brother Daryl spent one month with me during the early recovery period. Not only during this time, but especially during this time he was encouraging and supportive to me. Six months afterward, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He bravely fought his battle with cancer and died five months after he was diagnosed. Mama was the glue that held the family together, and she has left us a legacy of strength and courage in all situations. She was a prayer warrior. Her motto was Let’s have a word of prayer, and she modeled a life that was centered on God. We saw her reading her Bible daily and praying to God every day, and sometimes many times a day for each one of us. This book is a testimony of the changes I experienced in my life. When I came into the presence of a Holy God, as I believe I did, my life was forever changed.

I liken my experience to that of Saul, who met God on the Damascus road, and the changes that he experienced in his life after this providential meeting. He became blind after this meeting with God, and his life was totally transformed. He became known as the apostle Paul. Like Saul, I became blind after my providential meeting with God. God did not, however, speak to me then as he did to Saul, but he did, however, speak to me later during the time that I was hospitalized. Finally, my desire is that my experience will bring hope and peace to people who are suffering and recovering from a stroke and/or the loss of a loved one and need to find courage to sustain them through this difficult time of loss on many levels.

INTRODUCTION

On January 17, 2006, a cluster of blood vessels ruptured in my brain due to a condition called an Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM). When these blood vessels ruptured, I experienced an intracerebral hemorrhage, and a stroke caused by the hemorrhage ensued. I believe that being led to stop at a nearby bank just before the blood vessels ruptured was divine providence that saved my life that day. When I left home to go to work, I had no intention of stopping at the bank. Had I not made that stop, collapsing while driving would have meant the loss of my life and perhaps that of one or many others. Prompt medical assessment, diagnosis, and management at Saint Agnes Medical Center (SAMC) also helped to save my life. On that day, my life was forever changed.

This book is about my six-year journey after the AVM ruptured in my brain. It includes e-mails and journals that attest to my spiritual transformation. These e-mails gradually evolved into devotionals that helped me to cope with numerous changes and challenges throughout a long difficult period of recovery. The devotionals emerged from my daily time in God’s word and prayer, and I shared them with my family, whose responses were a source of strength for me and also provided support for us. My progress was also recorded in some of these devotionals and helped me to accurately tell my story.

Many of the devotionals I have written are based on the Bible and other Christian books that I was reading at the time. They may be an encouragement to those who are stroke survivors, or those who may be suffering from a similar long-term debilitating disease. Many of the devotionals will demonstrate the changes I experienced after this illness and will explain how my life was totally transformed.

This book may also enlighten, encourage, and strengthen the families and patients who have gone through brain surgery and are wondering what the outcome might be. I acknowledge that many of the symptoms and outcomes which I describe may be uniquely different for each individual, but there may also be some similarities in my experience that others may be able to draw on or identify with. Through a long recovery period that included experiencing many other health issues and the sudden death of my only brother, my life was given new meaning. Only God could have given me the courage and the strength to survive. It was in the midst of this life-altering illness that I experienced new faith, courage, hope, and a closer walk with God.

It is my hope that professional nurses, other clinicians, faculty who teach nursing students and nursing students who assist stroke survivors may catch a glimpse of what it is like to go through a long and debilitating period of recovery following a stroke from the patient’s own perspective. Nurses and other health-care providers may be influenced to intervene with these patients on many different levels, especially in spiritual care and discharge procedures.

Having taken care of many stroke patients myself, I knew that the recovery process would be a long one, based on the physical and neurological deficits these patients experienced. I did not, however, realize the extent of the physical and emotional suffering these patients experienced, until I experienced a stroke myself.

CHAPTER 1

My Unexpected Damascus

Road Experience

It was a bright sunny afternoon in January 2006, when I left home around 3:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) to teach a class on research to nursing students at one of the universities in Fresno, California. The day had started out like any other. I woke up at 6:00 a.m. that morning, had breakfast, went to the gym, had lunch, and then continued to prepare for my class. I had plenty of time, since the class was not scheduled to start until later in the afternoon. While I was on my way, I called my cousin Corlisle. We talked for about five minutes and ended the conversation with the usual talk to you later. Since I had plenty of time, I leisurely drove south on Fig Garden loop and then east on Shaw Avenue, toward my destination. I made one previously planned stop and then proceeded with my journey. One of my colleagues and friend called, and we started a conversation. When I realized that this conversation might take more than a minute or two, I stopped, parked my car and we continued our conversation and laughter. The conversation having ended, I continued on my way, not realizing that my life would be seriously threatened within the next ten minutes.

I had no intention of making another stop, but I believe that by divine providence I was led to make a split-second decision to make a stop at a nearby bank. As I entered the bank, there was a sudden urge to go to the ladies’ room. I quickly walked there and made my way back towards the teller.

I noticed that my speed in walking had increased, but thought nothing of it. I was, however, unable to reach the teller’s window. On the way there, I suddenly had an excruciating headache involving my right eye and going to the back of my head on the right side. It was the worst headache that I have ever experienced. I made it to a chair, sat down, and started to groan with this severe pain that engulfed me. I had experienced severe migraine headaches in the past, and I knew from my past experience that this was not a migraine headache. Someone came up to me and asked if I wanted her to call an ambulance. I nodded yes. She also asked if I wanted her to call a family member. I nodded yes again, and took out my cell (mobile) phone to make that call. It was then that I realized in utter amazement that I had lost my vision in both eyes. Through the mercies of God, I had not lost consciousness yet, and I remembered the telephone number of my nearest family member. I gave the teller my cousin’s telephone number. She dialed the number, and I spoke to my cousin, Corlisle who was also in shock since we had spoken to each other only half an hour ago. I told her where I was and that I would be taken to Saint Agnes Medical Center (SAMC), which was about