I have read this article over & over & OVER, again, today. I cry EVERY TIME!!! I didn't allow myself to cry "then"-- it was too distracting. A clear head was needed to make decisions & also needed to talk to doctors. Schlumping into a pile wouldn't help anyone. --Now, that Jim is out of the woods, we are sharing his most vulnerable time. Maybe a comeback isn't possible in every case; but, in this case, the odds of pulling through were low. Our hope is to show that as long as you're alive (even with assistance)... if you're chances are "low"... comebacks are not impossible.
Runners are a pretty supportive group- inspiring others to try, not give up, try plan B... try plan C... try plan D... TRY! This article is hopefully motivating to others in multiple ways. The blog mentions one mom that wanted me to try running-- when I didn't think I "could". I TRY to share this story as often as I can. It helps people see that sometimes you can do stuff you never dreamed were possible. I HOPED Jim's recovery was possible.
I told a runner mom that I couldn't run. "I'm a weightlifter! Weightlifters don't run. We're too heavy & we're too slow." *My excuse-- so I'm off the hook, right?* A recent quote in this blog (about unnamed Thais McClain Whitehurst): "Sarah continued to lift with James, but it was a runner–a mother at her children’s elementary school–who inspired her to give running a try. “Despite me telling her many times that I couldn’t run, she kept telling me that yes, I can. She never let me have the last word and she planted a seed: what if I could?” Sarah decided she would try running and told James. While he wasn’t thrilled with the idea, it didn’t take long before James was trying it himself. Soon, he was running with Sarah." --It was that new activity that conditioned his lungs for the most difficult endurance event of his life-- fighting for his life. While Jim was muscular, it would be his heart & lungs doing most of the work to facilitate his recovery. He had multiple organ failures. One organ would affect another & they Domino'ed out of control. After 19 days of a coma, they were successful in waking Jim up. His condition was still bleak but he was awake! Then the real work began!
Betsy McCort, Jim's family in Cleveland, was so supportive, allowing us to stay at their home while we visited Jim in the hospital. Retired biology professor, Tom McCort, helped IMMENSELY- putting all of the hospital abbreviations, test results, numbers, etc into layman's terms so I could make decisions for Jim when he couldn't. After 5 weeks in two hospitals, Jim was supposed to go to a rehab facility. He couldn't sit up in bed; he couldn't eat; he couldn't do much... but he wanted to come home. I didn't blame him-- but I knew I wasn't qualified for what would take place. We muddled through. Two more hospital visits in four more months would eventually show Jim had residual infection in his abdomen. A regiment of strong antibiotics FINALLY kicked what was making him so sick!!! --Now the ultimate comeback...? Would it be possible? We would TRY... and guess what... it worked...
Pic 1: Jim, in the hospital- April 2016- after they finally found & treated his infection. Pic 2: Thin & weak- but back in the gym a couple of weeks after getting out of the hospital.Pic 3: More stability- eating & gaining strength. Pic 4: Blood work check up: multiple stabs to check all his numbers :) Good report! August 2I don't know WHAT will happen in the future. I do know we made it through a rough storm & we're a tighter knit family... I hope this story helps others to HOPE when their own life gets rough. I HOPE... this never happens, again...
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