Monday, May 26, 2014

The Beginning


Where to begin...

My mom, Denise Israels, is a fighter.  She is the strongest woman I know.  She takes care of her family, she helps raise her granddaughter and she loves unconditionally.


On May 24, 2014, she suffered a bleed in her brain.  After many tests we have come to find out that she has a large hematoma (pocket of blood) on the right side of her brain and due to the swelling has affected the movement on the left side of her body.

She also had subarachnoid hemorrhage (bleeding in the area between the brain and the thin tissues that cover the brain.)  

Another issue that they found during testing is a vertebral artery dissection.  From Wikipedia: “Vertebral artery dissection is a dissection (a flap-like tear) of the inner lining of the vertebral artery, which is located in the neck and supplies blood to the brain. After the tear, blood enters the arterial wall and forms a blood clot, thickening the artery wall and often impeding blood flow.”

At this point the doctors are trying to figure out what the next course of action is. Normally in order to release the blockage of the Vertebral Artery Dissection they would use high doses of blood thinners to help break up the blockage but they can’t do that because that will increase the blood in her hematoma.

We know that we are at the best hospital for this kind of medical condition and have the best doctors on her case. 

She is currently in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU), is sedated and on a ventilator. They want to allow her brain to heal and give her plenty of rest.

We don’t know true causes yet – could be stroke, high blood pressure, tumor, aneurysm... the list goes on. At this point we are just hoping that they will make a plan to move forward and help her heal.

Please pray for peace and wisdom for our family. God’s plan and timing is perfect but hard for us to understand at times.

Jeremiah 17:14
“Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.”

We praise you Jesus!



Our last family shot at Victoria's bridal shower during the early afternoon of May 24. 

10 comments:

  1. Best of luck to your Mum! We all wish her a speedy revovery!! Hopefully she will be back and and about in no time!
    Love,
    The Pain family.

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  2. Victoria - I am here if you need me for anything. I am praying. Much love to you all and your awesome mom.

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  3. Beautiful picture of you all.
    We love you, and our heart goes out to you.
    Let us know if there is anything we can do.
    Praying God will comfort and touch you all in amazing ways.

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    1. Hello; My name is Bettymscheef. I knew you and your parents in the Bahamas where we all lived. When your mom was about 8 she fell backwards off the ladder to the 3metre diving platform. She suffered a skull fracture and brain bleed. She stayed with my family while the rest of you went to Germany. I was an RN at the time. I doubt this has anything to do with the current situation but decided to bring it up as part of her medical history in case it might be relevant. I live in Lewisville Texas now.

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  4. Victoria,
    Stay strong and believe God has it in His hands. Your mom and i went to school together here in Freeport. I will be praying for her complete recovering! Keep all of us posted.

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  5. Victoria:
    We are praying for your mom's healing and for patience and understanding for your family. Your mom is an amazing woman who is in God's hands alone. Our whole church is praying for her.
    The Harms Family

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  6. Victoria and Caroline, we're praying for your mom, for peace for you and wisdom for the doctors.

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  7. Victoria and Caroline,
    We are praying for your mom! Have known her since we swam together at NE.She is an amazing lady and a fighter like no other. Know that God has her in the palm of His hand.
    The Groeneveld family

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  8. Gods grace and peace on this amazing woman... Isreals family if you need anything we are here ... The Sanders... Lord here our plea... Mercy Lord we desire from your great hand!

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  9. Victoria and Caroline, your mum's in our thoughts and prayers. Wishing her a full recovery.
    The Marshall family

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