CaraBear

I had a request from Seeker to tell the story about the friend who saved my life. I call her my CaraBear and after my husband , she is my dearest friend in the world. I met CaraBear in Jan. 1983, but really got to know her better during the annual walk-a-thon for the Christian school we attended in OKC. A twenty mile trek around Lake Overhausler (sp?) I have asthma and completeing this trek was a big deal for me. She sprained her ankle on the walk.

It did not take much for us to become fast friends! She is extremly funny and incredibly smart!
She recently was sought out and asked to interview fro a job on Wall Street! She is not just my friend- I condiser her my sister. I love her dearly! Now for the story!

As I said before, I have Asthma, and have had it since I was 3. While living in OKC it was the worst it has ever been in my life, then or now. Thanks to modern medicen, I found my"miracle drug" in 1999 and with Singulair, it is like I do not have Asthma! My life was changed with that medicen and I never cease to be thankful for it! But back in those days I was in the ER at least 3 times a week and in a 3 year period was hospitalized 15 times.

CaraBear is a hard worker and at that time she worked at a childrens convalescent center in OKC. She usually worked a late shift because she could not go to work until after classes at the college we attended after HS. One day after she had already went to work I found out that a mutual friend in the college, that we had also went to HS with, had had been kicked out of the college for breaking the 6 inch rule with her fiancee while home on spring break. I think they kissed or something, I don't know exactly. (I was later her maid of honor in her wedding and as far as I know they are still happily married)

Anyway I was very upset! I looked up to this girl and didn't understand how this could be happening. I knew CaraBear would be upset too, so my Mom and I went to her work and waited for her to get done and had her come to our house and spend the night. She was no longer living in the dorm and had her own apartment. She would not have been able to come if she still lived in the dorm. She came over and in the night I had one of my bad attacks, and the three of us took off to Tinker AFB to the ER.

Now I had been in the ER and admitted to this hospital so much that they had "threatened" to put my name on one of the rooms. Everyone knew me. But on this particular night there was a new set of medics and nurses that did not know me. They were even trying to implement some new rules that did not go over well with my Mom! Ever see an angry Mama bear? They were trying to tell her that I was a big girl and she should wait in the waiting area. Needless to say she went with me and CaraBear had to wait. Nothing went well. They did most of the usual things, except for one. Usually if I had to have three shots of a certian drug they would say"three strikes and your out", and admit me and send me upstairs. This time they only gave me two and then gave me a longer acting version of the drug and discharged me. My Mom asked me if I felt clear and I said, " not really but I'll just do another breathing treatment when I get home". I wanted to get out of there because it was a frustrating visit.

We went home and I did another treatment and we all went to bed. The next thing I know I wake to this pain in my wrists. I open my eyes and someone is poking me with a needle, every 5 minutes, checking my blood gases. I was in the ER in a hospital about 2 miles from my home. There was no time to go to Tinker!
They were planning on intubating me but I came around. (This was the last time I was hospitalized before leaving OKC.)

About an hour or so after we had gotten to bed CaraBear was awakened because something heavy was lying across her body. It was me and she discovered I was having a seizure from lack of oxygen. I had attempted another treatment , my nebulizer machine was on. She immediately did the necessary lifesaving procedures and called 911. She saved my life! If she had not been there that night I would not be here today. No one would have found me until morning. After that I was" glad "Kat got kicked out of school. CaraBear would have just went home as usual.

It was one of those forever bonding experiences and I will love her always! She has been with me for most of the major events in my life. My wedding, the birth of my children, when I was diagnosed with a pitutary tumor and could not function, to name a few. There is never a dull moment at my house!

I Love you CaraBear!