Portfolio > In a Heartbeat 2014

Everything happened so quickly, a heart attack, a stroke, paralysis, open heart surgery and I was left with indelible memories and scars. I awoke from surgery after 11 hours with an 8 1/2" scar in the center of my chest, a 4 1/2" scar on my right chest, 3 holes in my abdomen for drainage, a hole in my right neck for drainage, tubes everywhere. Dark purple bruises appeared all over my torso and arms by the next day. My sister commented that the 8 1/2" scar was peaked and looked like a bird's beak on my chest. All of this took quite awhile for me to comprehend and the indelible marks "remind me every day. I think of them as my badges of courage and survival."