*SEE COMMENT FOR UPDATE*

Original Post:

My 4 mo daughter and I flew from DFW to Phoenix to visit my father. He bought our ticket so we could visit him before my maternity leave is up. Unfortunately upon my arrival at the airport and trying to locate my father via phone, I realized he was not himself. he texted he wasn’t feeling well and needed me to drive. I texted back that I needed help with my luggage, but where was he? Decided to just call. His speech was slow and he said he was feeling funny. (He had texted me the night prior as I was packing stating he was not feeling well but then said he took his pills and was feeling better, perhaps he spoke too soon... not to worry or feel bad.) I told him to open his car door (he was in parking garage) and shout for help. He stated he could not feel or move his body. I told him to try and throw his body on the horn or sound his alarm but he could not and the call kept disconnecting. I kept calling back and each time his speech was getting worse and worse, to the point where he was completely incoherent. I asked what was around him and got “C1” out of him. I flagged airport staff and told them my father was having a medical emergency in C1 parking garage and needed assistance. EMS found him 50 feet from his car in a stairwell (because the last text he got from me was “I need help with luggage” 😭😭😭). When I saw him he was slumped over and could not move his body, I hugged him and he could not hug back. My heart broke.

They said most likely it was low blood sugar since he is diabetic, suggested I get my luggage and come back. So I did, and upon returning, they had his car pulled up for me as EMA rushed him to the hospital because there “was more going on”. They loaded the car, installed the car seat, and opened the gate to let me out to find the hospital. We arrived at ER and found my dad, who was now bleeding from his mouth. I asked the nurse what was going on, knowing he had history of a mini stroke in August. She confirmed he had a stroke. They had delivered the blood clot buster medicine and that was why he was bleeding so much. My heart sank. She said I 100% saved his life by getting him help when they arrived. 😢 I thank the Lord that I landed when I did. I can’t let myself think what other turn of events could have been if my flight had been delayed or anything else. God was watching over my daddy.

He was moved to ICU and I could not go in due to my infant daughter. Thankfully he has a cousin locally and was able to come watch her so I could go in and out. He was very tired. The L side of his body was affected, as was his speech. This all happened Weds 5/8. On 5/9 he was moved to Progressive care and had significantly regained L side function. Face no longer droopy. Recommended speech, physical and occupational therapy. Insurance approved his move to rehab yesterday 5/10 where he is currently. I was told it was an ischemic stroke, affected back R part of brain. My dad has high BP, diabetes and high cholesterol. He moved to AZ 2 years ago from TX and has not found a primary care doctor to monitor him. When he had his mini stroke in August he was told the medication dosage he was taking was too low and they bumped it up. But he still didn’t find a doctor here in AZ.

My dad is an accountant and loves his work, loves his family and I know he was really looking forward to visiting with his granddaughter and I. He keeps saying “it wasn’t supposed to be like this” but I keep telling him God had me here at the right time to get him help. My family has been praying, and he is significantly improving... the doctor said the person next door also had the same thing and is fully paralyzed. The fact he regained control of his L arm and leg, face no longer droopy, was able to stand and walk 100 feet unassisted, and can now sign his name when he could not write before is all a miracle. The doctor said so and that he has a lot of hope as long as lifestyle changes are made.

Please pray for my father to continue his recovery. I believe anything is possible with God and that He is healing my father. I also believe this is a final wake up call for my dad, as he previously tended to take his health conditions very lightly. He told his aunt “I almost wasn’t here anymore”. I pray that he will continue with a doctor in regards to his diabetes and blood pressure and starts exercising again and watching his diet. I don’t think my dad has ever really understood what diabetes is and how important diet is. I pray he obtains a doctor that he clicks with and that can explain it in a manner my father can understand. I know if he understood it he wouldn’t do things that would harm his health, like eating out and working long hours without snacks, not checking his blood sugar, etc. It has been very emotionally draining to arrive this way, but I am thankful my dad is still here and I can be here instead of in another state getting a phone call.

Please pray for my father, Phillip. I thank you in advance for taking the time to pray for him and also thank you for taking the time to read all this. It’s been a lot to take in but I have faith in our Lord, and I know He is already moving in our life right now. Thank you God for giving my daddy a second chance, and please provide the right physicians for care when he is released and strength for my dad to make necessary lifestyle changes to prevent this from ever happening again. He just had two grand babies, my 4 mo daughter and my brother’s 6 mo son. I believe they will be his motivation for the necessary changes. He loves them so much and loves us so much. My dad has the biggest heart, he always gives with no expectation of getting anything back. He’s the kindest man I have ever known and have been extremely blessed to have a wonderful relationship with him, he’s always been closer than a best friend. I love my daddy. I pray he continues to heal and maintains his health.

I am also in a position where I could relocate to AZ, I always worry about him being so far. I have extended maternity leave until June, our lease is up next Weds, and my husband and I did not find another location to move into (part of the reason for this trip, to visit family while my husband gets things settled back home, a new place for us to come back to).... but I feel as if the Lord is calling me to relocate to be near my dad. I have lived in TX for 10 years for my husband, who has always lived there. I have always asked if we could move out West as all my family is in CA, NV and AZ.

Our car broke down Valentines and we have not replaced it. The only large items we have to move is a TV and a dining room table. We were going to dump all other furniture (we don’t have much and it’s not in condition that we want to keep) and start over in a new apt anyway... so it would make for an “easy move” out of state. We also had a goal for me to be a stay at home mom by 2020. So, I don’t feel I have much left back in TX... both my jobs would understand if I called and told them my father had a stroke and that I need to be close to him, that I cannot return from my maternity leave.

I feel the Lord is calling me, and for the first time my husband sounds 100% ready to move if needed (before I think there was hesitation, he’s lived there his whole life, all his family is there). But he told me if we need to help my dad, he has always helped us and that he would be willing to find a new job here (he’s in warehousing) and move. My dad has said in the past we could move in until we could find our own place. His lease is up in fall and he was supposed to roommate with a buddy , but he kept telling me if we wanted to move to let him know so he could tell his buddy he couldn’t room after all.

Please keep this in prayer as well... My fathers recovery, and my family’s potential relocation to AZ.

Thank you again if you took the time to read all this. God bless. 🙏🏽

My dad Phillip getting out of ICU and able to see his granddaughter 💕

Still a smile on his face in the midst of his situation.