Again, both Laure and I really appreciate the nice comments and encouragement from everyone. Just to keep you all up to speed, there will be a part four but it will not be written for a few months. This journey we have shared together has been amazing, challenging, discouraging and uplifting all at the same time. Through it all, we both know that we are in the center of God's will and look forward to what He has in store for us!
I wanted to take time to write about what has transpired in our lives in 2024. One day I just might write a book called "My Interesting Life." I wouldn't trade a life of knowing the Lord for the world! If I didn't have a personal relationship with Him, I would very well be a patient at Pilgrim State or Bellview!!
Laure and I spent New Years with my family in Pennsylvania. Because of work, I was never able to get to travel there to celebrate with them on my own since the New Year changed from 2016 to 2017. We had a nice relaxing time with them. Little did we both know that in 5 days our lives would change. Laure has a sister named Nina who is exactly one year, one month and one day older than me. Not only did Nina grow up with a learning disability, but she has also had medical issues throughout her life. In 2013, she had her leg amputated and six years after that her big toe. Laure has been an amazing big sister to Nina. I always got along great with Nina. Nina is a master at classic TV trivia and would always stump me with questions such as "What was the Skipper's real name on the TV show Gilligan's Island?" We texted a lot and she would always ask me how my back was and how work was. Nina is married to Gary since November 24, 2011. Gary also has a learning disability. I had the privilege of renewing their vows on their ten-year anniversary in their apartment. On Friday, January 5th around 10:30 a.m. I was at work and my phone started vibrating in my pocket. It was Laure calling me. She was working also so if she ever calls me, it's either a pocket call or an emergency. I answered and Laure was crying telling me "Nina is unresponsive!" What? She said the ambulance came and they were taking her to the hospital. I told my job I needed to get to the hospital to be with Laure and they totally understood. As I was turning onto Old Willets, Laure called me to tell me Nina was now in the presence of the Lord. After I hung up the phone with her, I immediately broke down and cried. I loved Nina and my heart broke for Laure and Nina's husband Gary. In the ER room we all sat by Nina's side for 4 hours and all three of us were in shock. The ER staff were wonderful to us not forcing us to leave. Nina's viewing at Brueggemann Funeral Home was 4 days later and her burial was on January 10. I had the privilege of officiating the service and doing her burial. Besides Laure, Nina was one of the kindest, sweetest and most caring persons I have ever known. To this very day when I think of a trivia question from a classic TV show, I always want to text her, but I know I can't.
Understandably, this took its toll on Laure, and I knew it was very healthy for her to grieve, to cry, to talk and to reminisce about her amazing sister. She needed to cry, she needed hugs, and she needed my support which is exactly what I did for her. Laure is a strong woman who loves the Lord and puts God first in everything she does. Let me fast forward to June of 2024. I was house sitting for friends of mine who were traveling overseas. Their home is located in Smithtown. I was there from April through the end of June. In early June, Laure was complaining that she was not feeling well. On June 8, we were invited to a surprise 50th Birthday Party for her cousin Kathy's son Jason who lives in New Jersey Laure really wanted to go but at the last minute she still was not feeling well so we did not travel. Laure has had issues with her heart and on occasion will go into AFib. She has had cardioversions and we both knew this was not something to ignore. I took her to St, Francis Hospital in Roslyn, NY which is known around the country as a leading hospital dealing with heart disease. She was under the best of care and the doctor's wanted to schedule a procedure called an ablation. After this procedure they sent her home two days after she arrived. Whenever Laure travels to visit her daughter, I am usually the guy who "Bird Sits" for her. Cracker stayed with me in her travel cage. If you know Laure, you know she absolutely loves this bird. Cracker is a yellow naped amazon who talks, whistles and loves attention. Laure and I stopped to get something to eat, and we also stopped at McDonald's because she wanted a McFlurry (and I did as well!). While we were in the parking lot eating our ice cream, Laure went inside to use the bathroom. She came out and told me to take her home immediately that she didn't feel well. For Laure to say that and bypass picking up Cracker, I knew something was not right. I took her home and she picked up Cracker the following day.
Unfortunately, over that weekend, which was Father's Day weekend, Laure still was not feeling 100%. We spent time together on Father's Day but basically relaxed that afternoon after church. We were going to go out for dinner but again, Laure was not up to it. The following evening, we spent time together. I called my mom to say hello. We played "phone tag" all day Sunday so I decided to call her. I had the phone on speaker so Laure could join in on our conversation. Both my mom and I tried very hard to convince Laure to take care of herself and go to the hospital. I know no one is a big fan of hospitals but it is the best place to be if you are struggling physically. Laure told us she wanted to wait. I was not happy about that, but I also knew I couldn't literally pick her up and carry her over my shoulder and force her to go. I was worried about her! The very next day while I was at work, Laure was home, and she texted me asking me to take her to the hospital after work. If you know my personality, you know I am not a forceful or pushy man. I admit that I am many times way too nice. This was one time I knew the "Nice Dave" had to become the "Pushy Dave." I told Laure "No, I am leaving work, and we are going now!" I know I shocked her because I shocked myself. She told me "I don't want you to lose hours" but my attitude was "Your health is more important to me than this job." I told my job I needed to leave to take Laure to the hospital. Of course, they understood. When I got to Laure's apartment she was very "slow moving," so I patiently waited for her to get ready and get her things together for our ride to St. Francis Hospital. It took some time, but we were finally on the road, and we made it safely to the hospital. I was just happy to know that Laure would be receiving the best of care.
Two days later was one of the most difficult days of my life but also a day I was rejoicing God and thanking Him for being so good to us. Let me explain. I was at my job at Chick Fil-A and I was at my station making "Mobile drinks" for all the mobile orders. It was about 12:30 p.m. and my phone is my pocket kept vibrating. I'm not supposed to be checking my phone at work, and I ran to the back of the kitchen to see who called me. It was Laure's friend Ellen who lives in Georgia. "Why would Ellen be calling me?" I thought. Within a few minutes I received a text from Ellen. it basically said, "Dave, I'm sorry I called but I was talking to Laure, and something happened while we were talking. Something happened as I heard people running around in the room." I told one of the managers that I needed to make a quick phone call, so I slipped out the back door and went outside to call Ellen. Ellen told me Laure was not responding to her call and that something was up. She told me she heard the sound of people hustling and what sounded like a lot of movement. She tried to get someone's attention by yelling in her phone in hopes someone would hear her. After I hung up with Ellen, I told my other work managers that I needed to leave and get to St. Francis ASAP. I tried sending a quick text to Laure hoping that maybe just maybe she would read it and respond. She did not. I said a quick prayer and prayed that whatever was going on that Laure was okay. As I entered the Long Island Expressway heading west, i decided to call Laure's cell. A nurse who I met the night before answered and told me what was going on. They had to perform CPR on Laure, and they had to shock her heart to resuscitate her. I couldn't believe what I was hearing! The nurse told me she was being brought to ICU and that it would be quite some time before I could see her. I decided to turn around a run a few errands before I would head to the hospital. I didn't want to go back to work and say "Hey, Laure's heart stopped so I'm going to work until 2 p.m. and head up to the hospital." No, thank you! I gave one of Laure's dear friends Marietta a call to let her know what was going on. In the middle of our conversation my phone rang. My caller ID said, "St. Francis Hospital." This time my heart almost stopped, and I prayed real quick that it wasn't any bad news. It was Laure's doctor reassuring me that Laure was fine and informing me she went into cardiac arrest. He walked me through what they did for her to revive her heart, but he kept reassuring me she was fine. He told me I could go and see her in ICU, so I turned around and headed west once again. When I walked into Laure's hospital room in ICU, the first thing she said to me was "I'm sorry I'm not wearing any makeup." I said to her, "Babe, I'm just praising God that you are alive!!" We found out later that due to the medication Laure was taking, this triggered her cardiac arrest. We were also told that if this happened to her when she was home, she would be in glory worshipping Jesus. Laure would spend about 5 days in the hospital, and we praise God that she is doing well. Talk about your close calls!
Like I mentioned in the beginning of this blog, Part Four will be written in a few months. Just to give you all a heads up, we are very much in love, we do want to spend the rest of our lives together and get married, and we are working towards that some time on the near future.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. I appreciate the text messages from people who are enjoying my blogs and both Laure and I are so grateful to all our friends and family who were praying for her during this difficult ordeal. All we both can say is GOD IS GOOD!
HAVE A BLESSED DAY EVERYONE!!
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