One morning, everything changed. A young mother in Ascension Parish woke up feeling numb on one side. Within moments, she couldn’t move the entire left side of her body. Living in a two-story home, she couldn’t get downstairs. Her daughter, a junior in high school at the time, had awakened her early and likely helped save her life.
An ambulance rushed her to Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, where testing revealed the cause: a ruptured arteriovenous malformation (AVM), something she hadn’t known she had. She was then quickly moved into emergency brain surgery.
“That was early in the morning,” she recalls. “And by the afternoon, I was in surgery.”
Before she went in, her mother asked to pray with the surgical team. “Coming from a prayerful Christian family, it meant so much to know the team was open to that. We were at a hospital where faith and healing could exist together.”
The ICU: Healing With Compassion
When she woke up after surgery, she couldn’t walk or feel much. She could speak, but her mental processing and abilities had shifted.
“I wasn’t myself,” she says. “Not even close. But they made me feel as normal as I could in an abnormal situation.”
The ICU team not only cared for her physically, but emotionally and spiritually, too. They welcomed her family and gave her teenage children a moment to see her, which meant the world during such a traumatic time. And when she joked about needing a haircut after surgery, they responded with kindness.
“They actually sent someone in to shave my head properly so I could feel human again. That may seem small to someone else, but to me, it showed respect. It helped me feel like myself.”
She isn’t a fan of drinking water, so the nurses made sure to keep her stocked with juice, even mixing her favorites and calling it her “rum punch.” These small gestures added light to her darkest days.
Rehabilitation and Recovery During COVID
Once stable, she transitioned to inpatient rehabilitation at Our Lady of the Lake, where she would relearn how to walk, regain fine motor skills and re-engage with her life.
This was all during the early days of COVID-19. The hospital began to limit visitation, and her outpatient rehab was delayed due to new safety protocols. But the care never wavered.
“I never felt like I was just another patient,” she says. “From my doctors to the person who brought my lunch, everyone treated me with dignity and compassion.”
Finding Her Voice and Helping Others
Her recovery continues. There are still struggles, and she’s had to learn to ask for help and speak up when things are difficult.
“Some things are invisible, but that doesn’t mean they’re not real. I’ve become more comfortable advocating for myself and for others who may not have a strong voice.”
Now an active member and recently elected secretary of Our Lady of the Lake’s Patient and Family Advisory Council, she’s using her experience to support others. She’s passionate about creating more resources for people with AVMs or brain injuries, especially younger patients.
“I was 35 when this happened. Most of the groups and resources I found were for older people. I’d love to help build something here in Baton Rouge to educate, to connect and to help others feel less alone.”
The Power of People-Centered Care
Through prayer, therapy, family and the unwavering care of the Our Lady of the Lake team, she’s found strength, purpose and healing.
“Sometimes you’re in a situation where you can’t control much, but having a team that respects your dignity, that sees you as a whole person, that’s everything.”
