A Year Of Miracles

My aunt, Sandy Pattan has had what many people would call…an awful year, but because of her faith and the faith of many people praying diligently for her, she has come out of it with a year of miracles. Aunt Sandy’s “year of miracles” began with a bleeding ulcer. She was on blood thinners, and for her, that is just not the best idea. She had a procedure to cauterize the bleeder, and the ulcer stopped bleeding. It was shortly after that procedure that I came into the picture, but this isn’t about me…this is about Aunt Sandy and her amazing year.

We went to see the doctor, and it was decided that it would benefit Aunt Sandy to have a heart monitor in place so we could see what needed to be done next. On January 26th, she called me to ask why I hadn’t come over that day. I told her I wasn’t supposed to come that day, but rather the next day. She told me that she had been a little dizzy, and she was slurring her words. I said, “Oh my gosh!! I’m on my way.” She, in true Aunt Sandy style told me it wasn’t really necessary, but I knew that it was. I have never been the one to “diagnose” a stroke, but thanks to my daughter, Corrie Petersen’s nursing school classes, when she often told me about as a means of studying, I knew about FAST…the stroke diagnosis test. I quickly ran it on Aunt Sandy and called for an ambulance. Aunt Sandy’s outcome was miraculous, not because of me, but because of God. I have no doubt. She has no significant continuing symptoms, and the neurologist has completely released her.

She had to go back on Eliquis, because while they were planning to put in a Watchman device, they found a clot in her heart. It was not what we had hoped for, but it couldn’t be helped. They could not install the device until the clot was dissolved, because if they bumped it during the procedure, it would explode and cause more strokes. I would love to say that after a standard wait time, the Watchman was successfully implanted in a “happily ever after” moment, but that wasn’t exactly how things went.

The middle of February found Aunt Sandy with a swollen right knee that was extremely painful. Initially diagnosed as a Baker Cyst, we were told that it would eventually shrink on its own. Again, not the case. By February 28th, her right knee was extremely bruised and swollen to the point of blistering and splitting open. She was again taken to the hospital, where the vascular surgeon found a bleed in the knee. After a blood transfusion, she was rushed to surgery with an extremely low hemoglobin of four (normal levels are between 12 and 16), and the race was on to save her leg. Dr Kaslow did save her leg, and after three months on a wound vac, followed by a skin graft, she is doing very well from that. We are thankful to God for putting Dr Kaslow there and for the miracle of again saving her life. After a little more than two week stay at Elkhorn Valley Rehabilitation Hospital, during which Aunt Sandy received excellent care (including having them catch and deal with another bleed in her right leg), and physical therapy, she was able to go back home. Healthy and grateful both the Elkhorn’s wonderful staff and to God!!

During her recuperation from the skin graft, Aunt Sandy’s cataracts decided that their time had come. I took her in for an eye exam, but we were told that glasses wouldn’t help. So, surgery was scheduled, and by the middle of August, she had new lenses in her eyes. Now, it was finally time to get the Watchman device. We were told all the possible outcomes and had all the tests done. She went in for the surgery on September 19th, and when it was over, Dr Fluture came out and told me that he was at the point of thinking it would not work, because she is very small. The probe seemed to be stuck halfway across the chest. Then, another miracle from God. Suddenly, the probe popped through and they were in. The rest of the procedure went as smooth as silk, and then it was in place. Praise God!! Now, she will have about six more months on a blood thinner (Plavix), and then, if all is good, she will be off of them for good.

Aunt Sandy has no doubt in her mind that she is alive today because of the incredible grace and power of God. I agree. With her double knee replacement surgeries, the repair of the bleeding ulcer, cataract surgeries, and now the Watchman device, I like to tell her that she is now “fully bionic” Aunt Sandy!! To that she just laughs. She might laugh, but when you think about it, she really is. It’s been one wild year, but Aunt Sandy is a fighter, and God had her back!! Today is Aunt Sandy’s 79th birthday!! It’s an age she wasn’t sure she was going to reach, but praise God…she has!! Happy birthday Aunt Sandy!! Have a great day!! We love you!!