More on Maggi's Story
As a family, we have faced more challenges in 20 years than many do in a lifetime.
In 1997, with a precious 13-month-old boy at home and another on the way, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at age 27. After our second son was born, exploratory surgery was performed, my spleen was removed, and I endured months of chemotherapy and radiation. For many days, I wondered if I would live and, if I didn’t, would my little boys remember me? Infertility came after the treatment, and then two unexpected blessings followed in 2002 and 2005. Life was wonderful!
A year and a half later, in 2007, my husband rushed me to the ER. We thought I had the flu, but it was something far worse, bacterial meningitis. I had only been ill for 20 hours, but the infection was so violent that my organs were failing. I had lost the feeling in my legs, my blood pressure was dangerously low, and severe tissue damage was already evident. I was given only 30 minutes to live. Then I lapsed into a coma for nearly three weeks with a 98% chance to die. If I survived, I faced the likely loss of all four limbs, brain damage, and other severe complications.
I woke up profoundly confused, weak, heavily medicated, and suffering from gangrene. My future was undetermined. Two weeks later, we faced the hardest decision of our lives. Surviving was going to cost me my legs. We consented to the surgery, and everything familiar was wiped away. My new life began, recovering from brain damage, severe physical pain, and emotional trauma. I had survived meningitis, but I still did not know of the many difficult, dark days to come. My family was not even sure who I was. I was home, but I was different, not even capable of caring for myself. Getting out of bed every day was only the first step in a long recovery that would challenge, change and transform me from the inside out. There were always two choices: quit or get up. Some days I wanted to quit. I battled despair, loneliness, and pain beyond anything I had ever imagined. For multiple days, I failed to be the mother my kids deserved, and I sat broken and ashamed.
Motivation: The Story Continues…
At times I would feel discouraged, but I had hope. Every day was a new day, and through many setbacks, disappointments, and trials, I stepped forward to each new challenge, while keeping my mind focused on everything good.
A life can change by a single event. Change is an unexpected part of life that can derail the best of us or can be a catalyst for amazing growth, when we use courage to meet challenges, adapt to difficulty with flexibility, and overcome obstacles with determination. I find my mind can be my own worst enemy when I put limits on myself and what I “think” I can do.
Letting go of these self-imposed limits led me to a base camp at the Grand Tetons in Wyoming with four other amputees hoping to summit the mountain in June of 2014. We were each equipped with boots, a 25-lb. backpack, crampons to grip ice and snow, and clothing for every type of weather. With prosthetics that leaked pressure causing horrible leg pain, I walked and climbed for 13 hours, on the first day, and wondered what I had gotten myself into. In the last hours of the climb with only the faint moonlight and my headlamp to light the way, I realized I had just done the impossible. With my body battered and bruised and my legs paining with each step, I would never forget the life-lessons that I learned, and an incredible feeling of accomplishment when I finished beside my teammates.
My life has been a grueling, challenging, and unpredictable adventure with constant hills and valleys, maybe much like yours. What began as darkness, pain, brain injury, and the loss of my former life eventually became something beautiful when I reached a summit that I never thought was achievable. I am learning to love a completely different life full of overflowing joy and purpose. I bend myself beyond my own capabilities, take risks, and embrace challenges. I seek to share my message to touch, motivate, and inspire others to climb their own personal mountains, and live a life of hope and purpose.
Inspiration: The Story Continues...
Many prayed for my recovery. Many prayed my legs would be healed. Many prayers were answered, but one was not. I did not get to keep my legs. When they were amputated, I did not curse God, not that day, or any other because I knew the story of Job. Though I cried in frustration through the anger, darkness and despair, I experienced many moments of hope and unexpected blessings, which always arrived with THE perfect timing. This kept me hanging on and looking with faith, hope and trust toward something better. During times of loneliness I asked why I had been spared, but God had a plan. All I had to do was surrender, trust, and follow. The hardest part was not knowing where I was going! I received so much encouragement from books, and from people who came into my life, who shared their stories of hope to encourage me and to help my eyes stay focused on the cross. I humbly hope to do the same. It is all I think about everyday, to have the opportunity touch others, because of what God has done through me.
In 1997, with a precious 13-month-old boy at home and another on the way, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at age 27. After our second son was born, exploratory surgery was performed, my spleen was removed, and I endured months of chemotherapy and radiation. For many days, I wondered if I would live and, if I didn’t, would my little boys remember me? Infertility came after the treatment, and then two unexpected blessings followed in 2002 and 2005. Life was wonderful!
A year and a half later, in 2007, my husband rushed me to the ER. We thought I had the flu, but it was something far worse, bacterial meningitis. I had only been ill for 20 hours, but the infection was so violent that my organs were failing. I had lost the feeling in my legs, my blood pressure was dangerously low, and severe tissue damage was already evident. I was given only 30 minutes to live. Then I lapsed into a coma for nearly three weeks with a 98% chance to die. If I survived, I faced the likely loss of all four limbs, brain damage, and other severe complications.
I woke up profoundly confused, weak, heavily medicated, and suffering from gangrene. My future was undetermined. Two weeks later, we faced the hardest decision of our lives. Surviving was going to cost me my legs. We consented to the surgery, and everything familiar was wiped away. My new life began, recovering from brain damage, severe physical pain, and emotional trauma. I had survived meningitis, but I still did not know of the many difficult, dark days to come. My family was not even sure who I was. I was home, but I was different, not even capable of caring for myself. Getting out of bed every day was only the first step in a long recovery that would challenge, change and transform me from the inside out. There were always two choices: quit or get up. Some days I wanted to quit. I battled despair, loneliness, and pain beyond anything I had ever imagined. For multiple days, I failed to be the mother my kids deserved, and I sat broken and ashamed.
Motivation: The Story Continues…
At times I would feel discouraged, but I had hope. Every day was a new day, and through many setbacks, disappointments, and trials, I stepped forward to each new challenge, while keeping my mind focused on everything good.
A life can change by a single event. Change is an unexpected part of life that can derail the best of us or can be a catalyst for amazing growth, when we use courage to meet challenges, adapt to difficulty with flexibility, and overcome obstacles with determination. I find my mind can be my own worst enemy when I put limits on myself and what I “think” I can do.
Letting go of these self-imposed limits led me to a base camp at the Grand Tetons in Wyoming with four other amputees hoping to summit the mountain in June of 2014. We were each equipped with boots, a 25-lb. backpack, crampons to grip ice and snow, and clothing for every type of weather. With prosthetics that leaked pressure causing horrible leg pain, I walked and climbed for 13 hours, on the first day, and wondered what I had gotten myself into. In the last hours of the climb with only the faint moonlight and my headlamp to light the way, I realized I had just done the impossible. With my body battered and bruised and my legs paining with each step, I would never forget the life-lessons that I learned, and an incredible feeling of accomplishment when I finished beside my teammates.
My life has been a grueling, challenging, and unpredictable adventure with constant hills and valleys, maybe much like yours. What began as darkness, pain, brain injury, and the loss of my former life eventually became something beautiful when I reached a summit that I never thought was achievable. I am learning to love a completely different life full of overflowing joy and purpose. I bend myself beyond my own capabilities, take risks, and embrace challenges. I seek to share my message to touch, motivate, and inspire others to climb their own personal mountains, and live a life of hope and purpose.
Inspiration: The Story Continues...
Many prayed for my recovery. Many prayed my legs would be healed. Many prayers were answered, but one was not. I did not get to keep my legs. When they were amputated, I did not curse God, not that day, or any other because I knew the story of Job. Though I cried in frustration through the anger, darkness and despair, I experienced many moments of hope and unexpected blessings, which always arrived with THE perfect timing. This kept me hanging on and looking with faith, hope and trust toward something better. During times of loneliness I asked why I had been spared, but God had a plan. All I had to do was surrender, trust, and follow. The hardest part was not knowing where I was going! I received so much encouragement from books, and from people who came into my life, who shared their stories of hope to encourage me and to help my eyes stay focused on the cross. I humbly hope to do the same. It is all I think about everyday, to have the opportunity touch others, because of what God has done through me.
