Some of you may not know about my mom's sixth sense. She doesn't see dead people or solve crimes for the police department. She does have dreams and pretty eerie (eerie because they are correct) premonitions and impressions. Sunday night she was watching an antique appraisal show when they started appraising this old quilt from Virginia. When she heard the appraiser say "Virginia" my mom felt this terrible panic that something bad was going to happen in Virginia. The feeling returned each time they mentioned this piece and it being from Virginia. That night she had nightmares while she slept. She dreamed she was back in college, huddled under a desk, and terrified because a mad man was shooting at people. This was the night before the Virginia Tech massacre.
When I was in the 4th grade, maybe mid-February of that year, I came down with a high fever. My mom took me into Keizer Permanente to see one of their rotating doctors. The doctor noticed pink spots on my belly and legs and quickly concluded I had chicken pox. He also diagnosed me with strep throat and prescribed me with antibiotics for that. Later on that day my brothers and sisters came home from school and the name-calling ensued. I was clearly a "faker"-- a pretty nasty, but expected accusation in my house when someone was sick. I remember my brother Scott running up the stairs shouting "Rebecca is such a faker!" I thought to myself "Hmm, this is funny. I am actually NOT faking this time." I guess I liked to fake sick for attention.
Well, that night my mom was tucking me in bed when it came time for her to leave the room. I internally panicked. I liked the attention and didn't want her to leave. I scanned my brain for something to pique her interest, when I remembered a bruise I had seen on my knee while I was going to the bathroom earlier. I guess I knew my mom appreciated a good bruise.
"Hey Mom, want to see a cool bruise?" I asked. She walked back to my bed and curiously indulged me.
I pulled up my pajama leg to reveal a quarter-sized unimpressive blue bruise. For some reason, this bruise struck my mom as something to be noticed. She proceeded to search the rest of my body for similar bruising, and that is when she found odd marks on my ankles and belly. The red spots were turning blue.
After a quick call to the E.R. my mom hurried me to the hospital. I remember being quite confused about how easily I manufactured such intense attention. It was a good thing, though. I had aggressive spinal meningitis and apparently if she hadn't reacted as she did I might have died in my bed that night. The doctors told my parent's if I had survived, I probably would've needed to have "some" limbs amputated. I am thankful for my mom and her strong impressions. And maybe even my insatiable need for attention.
4 comments:
wow what a story, not a bedtime one,but wow what a story.
and on that note
happy birthday liam! :)
thanks for the message, i cant wait to see a picture of what you picked out!
Happy Birthday, Liam! You know that is an interesting story about your mother, Rebecca. Your grandma Olsen also had a bit of second site (I have had it too). One day she was walking around her home in Albany and she said out of the blue "someday the Tigners will live here" and my cousin Donald Tigner does live there now! This was told to me by Aunt Marquita.
Becky I rememeber that very clearly. Your mom was very driven that night. It was very scary. You were admitted into the hospital immediately. I remember you being in a tent been a witness to many other like sixth sense experiences your mother has had.
Yes, of course I remember that time. Thank goodness for inspiration, mother's love and intuition, or whatever it may be. What the stupid doctor at K/P thought was chicken pox.... When talking to the ER triage nurse on the phone, she was so freaked out, she had us rush there in our pajamas remember? They wouldn't even give us time to get dressed. A very fast moving, killing disease. It was very sad to hear of a little boy who had it the same time who did survive, but had to have both legs amputated. Do you remember though, your legs were a little stiff and sore for the next year? But, thank goodness, all turned out well. We mothers do need to listen to that still small voice, be it inspiration, desperation, or persperation, it is so important to listen!
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