It is in times of crisis that we discover who we truly are, and who will stand by us in anything we choose to do. It is in times of emergency and trial that we find our strengths, and we find the strength the save another...
Saturday was just another day. I woke at 6:30am got ready for work and left at 8:30am. Everything was normal and fabulous! Emily and I were working the drive thru at Good Ole' Deseret First Credit Union, when all of a sudden it hit. My mouth was on fire, and I didn't know what to do. As soon as I was free I sped to Walmart in search of a numbing substance for my mouth. When I couldn't find it I started to pray. I received the impression to purchase a grapefruit and some yogurt. I have never in my life downed a grapefruit that quickly, but the pain was gone. For that I was truly thankful! I took two Tylenol and went my merry way to Alaina's house. However, once I got there I realized that my mouth was a bit swollen. Odd, but anything was better than the pain that had taken over my mouth not even 2 hours ago. We proceeded to talk for an hour or so, and then drove to my house to await Josh and Nick. Once we got to Josh's house we started to fix the sandwiches and I was hit with a sudden wave of nausea. I knew that feeling I was going to pass out. I asked Josh for a glass of water and sat down. That wasn't going to cut it, so I laid down on his kitchen floor. The most bazaar thing I think I've ever done, but it did the trick. Granted I got a few odd glances and several 'Jess are you okays?' but that was about it. We get to copperton park, beautiful in full color by the way. Josh spots an empty park bench... half way there... bad news... up comes a the water... Worse yet, I caught a bit of my hair... Disgusting right! Thank goodness it was just water that time was all I can think of. Alaina and I walk to the water fountains so that I can splash my face a bit. We casually walk back to the bench (I made it all the way that time) Sat for about 5 minutes and wound up laying on the grass. Josh keeps up conversation, and I was good for about an hour and a half. I changed positions so the sun was out of my face, rolled onto my side and vomited again. This time it was worse, but I caught my hair! I sat up slowly, Alaina came over and started to rub my back while Josh and Nick started swapping barf stories. Now I'm usually pretty easy going, but after the second one I was getting nauseous again. We agreed to go to the bathrooms and try the swings. The first mention of swaying and I finally admitted they were right, it was time to go home. We got 3 steps onto the pavement, I flipped around and vomited stomach acid in the dirt. Alaina suggested we call the bishop and get me a blessing. I handed her my phone and wretched again. Poor Josh, what a date huh! After the 3rd time I was okay to get up and move. The bishop was coming over and Josh was driving pretty steadily this time, for which I was truly grateful. We got to my house, said our goodbyes. Awkward, but it was a first date gone absolutely crazy (No one can say we didn't have an adventure though!) I walked in my garage door with Alaina followed close by, there went the fourth time and yes it was still stomach acid. I hadn't eaten anything since the grapefruit and that came up the second time. I felt awful, and probably smelled worse. I went upstairs grabbed my blue lankie, I was shaking at this point, and waited in the sitting room with Alaina. The Bishop gave me a fabulous blessing and then came back a second time with a 7up for me. How cute is that!? Alaina called her brother, and had him take her home. I couldn't have been more grateful for her. She was such a wonderful friend, and even more she is a fantastic person. So strong, and beautiful, I can't wait to see where she goes in life. She is going to make a huge difference in a lot of peoples lives. I know she has made an impact on mine, and not just because of Saturday.
Sunday... wow, Sunday... after waking every hour on the hour, falling asleep on the bathroom floor at 1:30am... I wound my way back into my bed. Don't ask me how I wasn't extremely conscious of anything at that point. I was so disoriented, and full of pain on all sides. I finally woke at 6:30am and tried to stand up. I had to pee like nobodies business. I crawled that time, I knew I had a fever and something more had happened during the night. I found my way back into my bed and slept until 7. I was determined to go to church despite everything. Wasn't happening. I couldn't lift my head. At 9 I tried again, just sacrament. I had to do my visiting teaching after sacrament, and I didn't have my companions number or anything. So, already feeling awful I now felt even worse. This was going to be a long day. I could feel the fever growing in temperature and Brooke suggested a blessing from her dad. I finally relented and she called him for me. He would be at my house around 1, and he would have a fan with him. I teared up in gratitude. Whenever I got too hot I would vomit, and that was something I was so tired of doing at that point. You can only handle the dry heaves for so long ya know! Sunnie kept updated on everything that was going on, she had been there since the day before. She kept saying, "Jess I know I need to be there, are you sure you're alright?" I was alright, but I wanted my best friend. He'd been avoiding me, and it was painfully obvious. It felt like he was using this as a means to punish me for something I didn't know I had done, and wouldn't accept my apologies. I finally found out when in frustration I called him once I was home from Dr. Hal's house... Now I'm left to wait until "later" HA! Watch me believe later will be before August... Excuse my pessimism, I'm a little peeved at the moment... Gerry came around 12:30, and gave me the most beautiful blessing I've ever had. It was a fathers blessing through proxy, and I couldn't be more grateful for the words that flowed from that man. He truly is an amazing person, and truly honors his priesthood and that is something to be envied. The whole Graves family has been wonderful! Janet Graves has offered her services if ever I need them. I get teary eyed when I think about it... fevers do odd things with tear ducts just FYI... My father stormed into my room once he arrived home in all his glory. Demanded I come downstairs juice carrots and garlic because it would reduce the swelling in hours. I was shaking violently. I had just watched my temperature climb steadily from 99. to 100, to 101.3, and on up until it finally beeped at 104.9... Scared? You had better believe it! Leesa was frightened when she saw how I was. My dad tried to open the window and in a delirium I panicked. "NO DAD BUGS! The bugs will get in!" "Jess, bugs don't fly this high" "Yes dad they do, bugs will fly into my room and bite me" "Jessica, bugs don't fly this high up" "Yes dad, please, spiders too, the spiders will crawl all over. I can't handle spiders Dad, please don't open my window!" He couldn't open it, which was an absolute miracle for me. My daddy isn't a weak man. Sunnie came over shortly after bearing gifts. 6 grapefruits, a gigantic propel water, a protein shake (I can't chew anything), orange juice, and a lunchable. I was floored by the friend the Lord has blessed me with. She went so far above and beyond what I could have even dared to wish for. She sat with me for a few hours until my mom arrived home. My mother panicked and started texting as fast as her newly accustomed fingers would go (I am so proud of my student! Haha!) She demanded I see a dentist immediately. I was confused. It was a Sunday... what dentist in his right mind was working on a Sunday... Oh I found out rather quickly. My mom had me put a shirt on over my cami and we started to walk... Walking outside, fevered, shaky, and extremely dizzy not always the best idea... we made it to Heathers house. Now I was frightened... When the words "Uncle Hal" came out of Hailey's mouth I just sank. I slept with my head on my mom's shoulder the entire way. We pulled up and my mouth fell as open as it would go. The house was massive! The view spectacular, we were above everyone. Supposedly it's in Sandy somewhere. I sat on the cement driveway until they got the trailer put into the garage and I was lead upstairs and made comfortable on a leather couch... It was incredibly comfortable! Hal had me come into the kitchen and open my mouth. When I couldn't open it very far is face when grave. He said we needed to get me on antibiotics immediately and we didn't understand how truly serious this was. I was lead back to the couch. Eric pulled a blanket onto me, and my mom tucked me in a bit. I fell asleep until I heard Heather pull my mom behind the couch saying "you're a good mom Maryanne. Let me give you a hug." My mom was in tears after Dr. Hal walked her through the possibilities of what could happen if we didn't take care of this immediately. I was beyond comprehension as I had started shaking again. The unbelievably high temperature was back and I could just feel it. We finally left and I went straight up to bed. My mom came in about midnight to check on me and make sure the fever had gone down. She was so worried. Again it was a restless night as I woke every hour on the hour. Nightmare after nightmare plagued me, and I could feel my mouth getting tighter. It was complete misery. My mom walked in and checked on me before work. And so the day has gone with me sleeping, trying to be up and out of bed, and drinking more fluids than you would even believe. I was 119lbs Saturday morning, and I now stand at 110lbs... am I in the least bit frightened? You had better believe it, but I have faith and I am trying to push through despite the frustrations, and anger at being sick and not all the way functional. It's infuriating to have to depend on so many, but then again... we always need to learn to ask for help when help is needed...
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