I was a 20-year-old college student with ongoing pelvic pain. I had been treated with ABX for months then DX from ovarian blood clots after a laparscopy. I was treated with Heparin for a few days. I had a sharp pain the third or fourth evening after having a hard stool. Confused that night, I crawled over the bed rails with a swollen abdomen. I didn't feel well. I refused breakfast. The doctor came in that Saturday morning to check my swollen, bruised abdomen and said it was just gas and to get up and move.

I waited for my mom to visit and help me take a shower. She wasn't supposed to come that morning though. She was to come in the afternoon. Instead, she got there that morning, I think around 10ish. I didn't feel well, but was supposed to get up. She and I walked down the hall to the shower room. I set my shampoo on the bench in the shower, turned around, laid my head on her shoulder and passed out. She pulled the emergency cord as she and I hit the floor.

The next thing I remember is looking down from above the ceiling. Mom was against the wall with her arms wrapped tight around her. People were everywhere. There was a crash cart and I was lying on the floor in the hallway. They had cut off my nightgown.  It was really quiet. The next thing I saw was the face of a man leaning over me holding a huge syringe with yellow liquid in it. He told me I was going to be okay and to stay here. Then I was on a stretcher and going to surgery. I received five units of blood and a huge abdominal scar.

My mom was supposed to attend a children’s school carnival that morning. However, my boyfriend asked her to find out my ring size, so she came early that day. The day of surgery, or the next day, an old missionary friend was in town and visited me. This is my other gift from God, my life and a blessing.