My story
Hi All, I am here today to share my story/testimony. One reason is because it is not believed by many that see my face today. Another reason is because someone needs to hear it. I am a widow of 16 years now. I lost my husband in 2007. He was only 44 years old. I was then 38 years of age. It was devastating to our family to say the least. Something like this teaches you to move forward in life more aware of your true existence here on earth realizing that it’s not always about you. We are here to share the many talents and resources that we are blessed with. I set out to do that in an area that I had no idea about after praying for something to past time and take my mind off of such a traumatic loss. I was given the knowledge to make jewelry with no experience at all. I gathered some items and just started putting together what I thought to be beautiful. I have never lacked creativity in my life. I just kept making pieces and before I knew it I had made hundreds of pieces. I started having jewelry shows at the homes of friends and saw that they took a great interest in what my hands and the help from above had created. Things were going well until time took a long pause in my life. For time sake, I have to make this long story short. So, fast forward to 2019, I had to have emergency surgery due to my lungs bleeding profusely. The surgery was successful BUT I somehow got pneumonia and septic a few days later. I was put on life support for almost 6 months. During this time, I am not breathing on my own (ventilator), My right lung removed, heart not functioning well (pacemaker), Shock liver, Kidneys shutting down (dialysis), and ECMO machine (to remove and replace oxygen in my blood). After this uphill battle, I was removed from life support and transported to an acute facility with a tracheostomy tube, paralysis, and feeding tube not able to do anything for my self. I was monitored around the clock for 3 months. The trache tube was removed and I was transported to an inpatient rehabilitation facility to learn to walk, talk, eat and other tasks on my own. I was finally released to go home from the rehab facility after 4 months of vigorous tasks. Finally going home, I was released in a wheel chair with a walker, on dialysis, on oxygen, no pacemaker, and no trache, I was just happy to be alive and going home. Through it all, thanking God. I really had no clue what all had happened to me. I just knew it was hard and that I had a LONG way to go to call it victory. My immediate family is my rock. They were by my side daily, praying and doing everything possible to assist in me finding a positive place in life again. I love them with everything in me and I always will. TODAY, four years later I am finally living on my own again. I take care of my self, mostly. I no longer have any heart issues, liver is fine, no dialysis and I can walk and communicate as well as prior to all of this. It did leave me with kidney disease but it is stable at this time. I also have supplemental oxygen. My lungs have permanent damage but is being monitored and treated by the best off doctors and God. This experience has forever changed my life. I am taking it one day at a time. I have time to reflect due to being disable to a degree. I may not be able to run a marathon but I am living a marathon at the pace that God wants me to. I am forever grateful and do not take one second of life for granted. I am now able to slowly but surely create jewelry to be added to my website again with the help of my family. Feel free to browse my site at espjewelrydesignsetc.com. Thanks for taking the time to read my story, I pray that it blessed someone.