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On December 4, 2022, I had one of the most traumatizing and scariest experiences of my life. The incident resulted in a five-day hospital stay and a need to walk with a walker for about a week or two. This is my Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) recovery journey and testimony — a story of God’s faithfulness and healing in progress.
My son and I were both home sick with the flu on a Sunday morning. My husband, who wasn’t sick, decided to stay home from church with us, and I’m so glad he did, because of what was about to happen next. My son and I both had fevers. I don’t remember if we already knew he had the flu, but at this point, we didn’t know that I had it too. My fever was high, and I was feeling terrible, but I was just sitting on the couch with my little boy and my husband.
All of a sudden, I felt an intense wave of nausea and an urgent need to go to the bathroom. I rushed to the bathroom and made it just in time, but while sitting there, I suddenly felt myself losing consciousness, as if I were about to faint. My body felt incredibly weak, and my vision started to blur.
I shouted with all my strength, as loudly as I could, “London!” calling my husband’s name, then I blacked out.
I came to briefly while he was trying to lift me. I couldn’t stand on my own or speak. I had no control over my limbs. He kept calling my name, and although I could hear him, I couldn’t respond. I kept drifting in and out of consciousness. Eventually, he got me to the bed and called 911.
The next time I opened my eyes, EMTs and police officers were in the room. I still couldn’t move or speak. One of the officers repeatedly called my name. I could look at him for a moment, but my eyes would drift, and he would snap his fingers to regain my attention. I couldn’t even nod my head when he asked yes-or-no questions, but I could understand everything. I felt completely trapped in my body. In my mind, I called out “Jesus! Help me, Jesus!”
Then I blacked out again and woke up in the ambulance.
The Hospital Stay
By the time I was in the ambulance, I was able to nod my head yes or no, but I still couldn’t speak. I don’t remember arriving at the hospital. After a couple of hours there, I was able to move more of my body and speak a little, but I was having trouble finding words, what the doctor referred to as “word-finding.” I would try to speak normally, but even forming simple sentences took a lot of effort and concentration.
I was talking to my father-in-law, who had come to check on me, when all of a sudden, my heart rate dropped. Alarms from the heart monitor started going off, and although I can’t fully describe how I felt, my body went into a state of panic. Nurses and the doctor rushed in. I don’t even know exactly what they did, but they ended up tilting my bed so that my head was lower than my feet. Eventually, my heart rate returned to normal.
They decided to admit me to the hospital under a stroke protocol. After a five-day stay, several MRIs, and various tests, we found out that I had experienced a transient ischemic attack (TIA). It’s not a stroke, but it’s often called a “mini-stroke,” even though technically it isn’t one. I was also diagnosed with the flu.
Regaining Strength
My hospital stay was bearable until the second or third day. After that, I couldn’t take it anymore, I would cry because I wanted to go home and missed seeing my son. He is young, and I was on a floor/unit where minors weren’t allowed to visit. Thankfully, my husband was with me every day, and other family members came to visit multiple times, so I usually had someone there with me.
Keep in mind, I was on bed rest most of the time I was there, which made everything more difficult. On either day three or four, I was finally taken off bed rest. That’s when the occupational therapist and/or physical therapist came in, and I walked for the first time since the incident.
I had no idea I would have trouble walking. When I stood up and tried, my walk was unsteady and wobbly. I couldn’t walk on my own, no matter how hard I tried or how determined I was. I couldn’t believe it, it felt like I was in someone else’s body. I couldn’t walk anywhere without nearly falling down.
They gave me a walker and scheduled me for a month of physical therapy, along with in-home nurse visits for about a month.
Recovery at Home
When we went home, I had to use the walker everywhere. I also had to use a shower chair because I had trouble standing steadily in the shower. I began receiving in-home care, starting with the occupational therapist, then the physical therapist, and nurse visits, which, I believe, were twice per week. I was about 35 years old when this happened! I never imagined anything like this for me, especially at this age.
I praise God because by the second week after being released from the hospital, I was able to walk normally again!
I can’t fully describe how bizarre the entire experience was. For up to two years afterward, if I ever felt dizzy or off balance, I’d immediately fear I was about to have another TIA or even worse, a stroke, and that fear alone would sometimes trigger a small panic attack. Looking back, I realize my TIA recovery journey isn’t just about physical healing; it’s about trusting God through the unknown.
A Setback at Work
Over the next few months, I saw several doctors, including a neurologist and a cardiologist. Sometime between 2023 and 2024, I had to wear a heart monitor for two weeks, which thankfully came back normal. I was assured that I had no underlying heart issues. While I had been diagnosed with a TIA, the neurologist suggested it might have actually been a severe migraine that caused the episode.
About a year later, in November or December of 2023, I experienced another, less severe TIA while I was at work. All of a sudden, I felt disoriented, my vision became blurry, and I began speaking strangely. My co-workers took me to see the in-house nurse, who checked me out and immediately called an ambulance to take me to the hospital.
Although this episode wasn’t as severe as the first, it was still frightening. My speech was delayed. Later that evening at the hospital, I regained the ability to speak normally, but once again, I had difficulty finding the right words.
I was out of work for a few days and thought I was ready to return, but the very same day I went back, I started feeling off again and had to leave early.
Another Scare and A Hard Decision
I was out for a few more days before returning to work. Unfortunately, I had another episode, worse than the last one, and my co-workers had to call an ambulance again. This time, I was admitted to the hospital overnight, and the incident led to me being out of work for the next few months while I recovered.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to return to my position because it required more from me physically than I could give at the time, and my doctor agreed.
God Redirected My Steps
For context, I had been working at a daytime program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, helping them with daily activities and leading weekly music and singing sessions. I absolutely loved the consumers and the staff there. I spent my days dancing with them, singing, staying on my feet, encouraging them to get on theirs, and helping them enjoy life.
It was very different from much of my previous work experience as a realtor and business owner, but I had wanted to do something more meaningful and enjoyable, so that’s why I chose to work there. Plus, the schedule was perfect for our family. I would drop my son off at school, be at work within four minutes since it was just a few blocks away, and then get off in time to pick him up at dismissal. It was, I thought, the perfect situation for us.
But clearly, God had other plans.
Answered Prayers
I had been praying that our son would be able to continue attending a private Christian school, and God answered that prayer. About two months after leaving my previous job, I was hired at a private Christian school, and I was able to enroll our son there for first grade. Not long after, my husband decided to join us as a teacher at the same school.
So, the Lord made a way for all of us to be at this school together, and I haven’t had an episode in over a year. I am so incredibly grateful to the Lord for keeping me and not allowing the enemy to take me out! While this was physical, I do believe it was also a spiritual attack. I’m reminded of the scripture:
“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” – Ephesians 6:12 KJV
It rings true to me because I remember that after this health scare, I experienced fear like never before. At one point, I had an incident while resting in my bed. My fitness watch alerted me that my heart rate was either too high or too low, and the fear that gripped me was beyond explanation. I called on Jesus. To this day, I don’t know if it was a dream or not, because I was lying down, but I do know it was an attack. During that time, I clung to 2 Timothy 1:7: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” The song below played often in our home during that season, and I love it because it’s essentially singing that very scripture.
Choosing Health and Believing God for Healing
There are many possible reasons the TIA may have occurred. I was diagnosed with PCOS around 2016, and some complications can come with that. It puts you at higher risk for other conditions.
So, what am I doing about it? I’ve made small lifestyle changes, and I want them to become habits over time. I’m also learning about anti-inflammatory eating, since I seem to battle with chronic inflammation. I’m trying to do my part so that God can do the parts that I cannot. He is the healer!
My TIA Recovery Journey: God’s Faithfulness in Progress
I’m believing God for my complete and total healing. He already blessed us with a son after we struggled to conceive due to PCOS, and I’m trusting Him for more and full healing in my body.
My testimony is this: God kept me alive! He allowed me to walk properly again after temporarily needing a walker. He brought me back to the baseline I had before the incident. It could have been worse; I could have had a stroke, but I didn’t, and I’m so grateful for that. Jesus brought me through this journey and is helping me take steps to steward my health well. Even though my TIA recovery testimony is still unfolding, I can say with confidence that God has carried me every step of the way.
Thank you, Jesus!
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