Life is Like a Box of Chocolates...

Alright, so I know I said I wasn't going to write about my personal life but, there's quite a bit going on right now and it's kind of more like a prayer request... My best friend of like, my whole life, is having a pretty rough time right now, and so am I. To give you a bit of background information, in the middle of the valedictorian speech at our high school graduation ceremony, Melissa suffered a major stroke. Actually, she had three. That night was supposed to be one of the biggest and greatest nights of our lives. Instead, it turned into a sleepless night on a hard hospital floor full of heartbreak and tragedy. We were told she wouldn't make it through to the morning. She had seizures until 2am when she was put into a medically induced coma to stop them. She was in that coma for a month and a half undergoing multiple brain surgeries. When she finally woke up, she had to completely relearn all of the things we take for granted each day. It took so long for her to just mutter the word, "Hi." She had to learn how to breath on her own first. Then it slowly moved to eating on her own, speaking, sitting up, and eventually walking. She's come so far already but one thing that's not changed is her memory. For a while, when I'd walk into her hospital room it was clear she had no idea who I was. All of the memories from our childhood and after were wiped away and there was nothing anyone could do. As far as I know, she could only remember her immediate family. Usually, when I would come in the room, her dad would say, "Melissa! Jamie's here!" and there would be no change in her facial expression. Still not being able to talk, she would just turn and look out the window.

I will never forget the day she remembered me. Like usual, I walked in the room and her dad announced I was there. Her vision was still very blurred so I got close to her face to see if she could notice me and said hello. She looked at me for a few seconds with the most confused look on her face and suddenly, after another few more seconds, the confusion left her face and she started crying. I knew she remembered me. It took all I had not to cry a river but I held it in so I wouldn't upset her. After that day she began to show more signs of herself. I hadn't seen her smile in 41 days. It looked as if she'd be back to normal in no time. Besides the miracle that she's even walking now with a cane, that's as far as she has come. Melissa is back at home now but still has no recollection of our senior year, most of high school at all and even the day before today. Her personality is totally different and the right side of her body is somewhat paralyzed.

A few days after getting settled in back at home, we had a graduation ceremony at our high school ALL for her and the biggest graduation party ever! It was great to see her out of that hospital bed and back to where she's comfotable at but now, being here at Purdue and her being in Indianapolis, I'm not there to help her through things and it's been on my mind so much lately so, like I said, please keep her, her family and the rest of our friends in your thoughts and prayers and hope that her full recovery comes soon! =]

my bff. =]

"My momma always said life was like a box of chocolates…you never know what you're gonna get."

~Forrest Gump

"Be glad of life because it gives you the chance to love and to work and to play and to look up at the stars."

~Henry Van Dyke