My Familiy's Story

Hi all,

My name is Arturo, I have quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy and I'm 28 years old. In my eyes, my disability does not stand out compared to other incidents in my life.This a little background on my familes medical circumstances. My mom had a brain aneurysm in 1995, at 37. Flashing forward back to 1995, my mom's brain aneurysm was a Subarachnoid Hemorrhage unknowing just complaining of severe migraine headaches just days before rushing into emergency surgery. While in surgery, my mom's heart had stopped..

Fortunately doctors were able to revive her, but it left her in a coma in the ICU for four days following surgery. This near deadly health scare left my father speechless, leaving him unwilling to talk about it.

From 1999-2002 my dad was suffering from frequent balance control and memory blackouts. In June of 2002 my dad, at 55, was eventually diagnosed with a 100% fatal neurodegenerative disease known as Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (or sCJD). This was something I could not bare. With my disability and my mom's aneurysm, I thought the worst was behind us.

My mom cared for my dad as he did when she had her aneurysm. As for me, being the youngest of two in the family. I had step up and help my mom care for my dad. This monstrous disease took my dad's life in a little over 4.5 months, passing one month after his 56th birthday.

A year later our lives hit another roadblock. At 46 my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. She went from having a single mastectomy at stage I to having a lumpectomy at stage III in a little less than a year. She gracefully survived her battle with cancer.

Looking back at all this I realized more advocacy needs to be made about these three illnesses, and thusly that's what I have set out to do. Thank You!

1 Like

Arturo, it sounds like you have found a mission! Good for you, I think we should all have a purpose. I for one am glad that there are people who are willing to step up. I am sure your parents are very proud of you.

Thank you!

Arturo ...welcome...you have experienced so much and have so much to share, to research more..

Recently I learned a bit about Creuutzfeldt-Jakob by its name - not detail...in my research for dementias...and, in my tracking "cognitive impairment" that can/may advance to a dementia...

Overall it appears your mother and her family were blessed in her procedure and recovery. Please accept my condolence for the loss of your dad...you have experienced a lot in your young life.

Thank you for what you have shared...

patioplans



patioplans said:

Arturo ...welcome...you have experienced so much and have so much to share, to research more..

Recently I learned a bit about Creuutzfeldt-Jakob by its name - not detail...in my research for dementias...and, in my tracking "cognitive impairment" that can/may advance to a dementia...

Overall it appears your mother and her family were blessed in her procedure and recovery. Please accept my condolence for the loss of your dad...you have experienced a lot in your young life.

Thank you for what you have shared...

patioplans

Thank you!

God bless you you have gone through so much in your young life I’m so sorry and I don’t mean that in a pity way which I personally do notfeel better when I know someone is pitying me as I am disabled myself and my family has been rocked by tremendous issues none of which are fair (but life is not fair ) it is what it is I just want you to know that I think you are enormously courageous you’re a good son and your mother I am sure thanks God for you every day I say that as a mother of four myself I adore my children and husband the greatest source of sorrow in my life is the fact that I could not provide them with a “normal life” because of all of my disabilities. God bless you sweetheart just know that there’s someone else out there who is fighting the good fight just like you every day! Mommy24



Mommy24 said:

God bless you you have gone through so much in your young life I'm so sorry and I don't mean that in a pity way which I personally do notfeel better when I know someone is pitying me as I am disabled myself and my family has been rocked by tremendous issues none of which are fair (but life is not fair ) it is what it is I just want you to know that I think you are enormously courageous you're a good son and your mother I am sure thanks God for you every day I say that as a mother of four myself I adore my children and husband the greatest source of sorrow in my life is the fact that I could not provide them with a "normal life" because of all of my disabilities. God bless you sweetheart just know that there's someone else out there who is fighting the good fight just like you every day! Mommy24
Thank you for your kind words. And we are all fighting the "good fight"!

So sorry for the loss of your father. You have been through a lot. I hope you and your mom can recover well. All the best. Mark


Thank you Mark from your kind words. My mom did recover well from both her Aneurysm and cancer.
mark de koning said:

So sorry for the loss of your father. You have been through a lot. I hope you and your mom can recover well. All the best. Mark