Jodie's Journey

Pressing Forward           Movement, whether fast or slow is still movement. There are times when I have felt like a turtle in this race called life. There are also times when I have longed for time to slow. Today was one of those times.           My little girl sat behind the wheel and drove me down the highway. Didn't I just walk around with her on my hip? Time is flying by. I'm so proud of her and her accomplishments. She is a great student with a wonderful and caring heart. I couldn't ask for more from her.          Tonight, I set up my NCSU email account and registered for my first class. In a month, I'll be attending classes.  WOOHOO! I'm so excited! My long time dream is coming true. Everything that happened in my past has led me to this point.            The hardships we face build our character. Growth requires us to take a step. Just one step forward is ...

       Fight For It!            Four years ago, my mama and daddy, family and friends watched as I was loaded into an East Care helicopter bound for Vidant Greenville. I still cannot imagine the anguish they must have felt knowing that the independent, strong willed woman they had raised was unable to even breathe without assistance. For days, I had been battling a ruptured appendix. Infection filled my body and caused it to swell; sepsis. My breathing was fast and labored, up to 60 breaths per minute; ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome). Panic and anxiety washed over me like pounding ocean waves; constant crashing.             Relentless fighting! That's what this time feels like to me now. I was very heavily sedated and many of the memories I have of this time are foggy. Some of those memories, however, are vivid. About 2 years ago, the trauma reemerged in flashbacks, memories, and dreams (nigh...