Her Eyes were Fixed on the Prize

(From Left to Right) Dorothy, Paul, Gary, Mark, and Beth Trantham in Pakistan

To tell the story of my grandma is to tell the story of a woman whose eyes were fixed upon the prize, the end goal, Heaven. This is a woman who, after marrying her sweetheart, headed off with her new husband to a far off land to share the love of God with the Pakistani people. They would spend over a decade there. Although conditions were tough (unsanitary, being separated from children for a long time, and not having a support group), my grandparents were glad to have lived and loved in Pakistan. 

My grandmother would be the first to tell you of her imperfections, but I am allowed to brag as her granddaughter. This woman's eyes continued to be focused on Heaven as she went about her daily life. Whether it was lovingly raising her children into capable adults (all attended college), or being involved in different church outreaches when they returned to the United States, my grandma has always had a higher calling. 

As you will see in reading this blog, my grandma's faith has always been the "wind beneath her wings", so to speak. I hope that you all walk away from reading about her struggle and the way that she overcame in many ways with a new perspective on life. 

Sincerely, 

Julie Trantham

The New Normal

I will never forget the call 6 years ago. It was the day before Easter, and I was on my way to an Easter Egg Hunt with my cousins. "Grandma had a stroke", my mom told me over the phone, "we don't know how serious it is but you need to be praying." At thirteen, I was fortunate enough to not have a lot of experience with death. This stroke came as a shock to everyone in my family.

In the matter of minutes, my grandma's life changed completely--more accurately my grandma and my grandpa's life. Before the stroke, my grandma had some difficulty to get around but that was to be expected of someone in their eighties. In truth, the stroke was probably the hardest on my grandfather. My grandparents have been married for over 60 years. My grandma was his partner in many things throughout the years: they were missionaries in Pakistan, raised four kids together, and encouraged each other in their Christian faith. That all changed when the stroke impaired my grandma's motor abilities, speech, and vision.

Gone were the days of my grandma being able to do things for herself anymore. Much to her chagrin, my grandma had to become dependent on my grandpa to do the things she was used to doing for herself: bathing, fixing meals, cleaning, doing laundry, shopping for groceries, etc.

Here are my grandma's own words on the subject:

"I had to adjust to letting others do for me, when I would prefer to do it myself. People don't always do things the way I would do it, so I am learning to appreciate what others do and the way they do it. I am learning to bite my tongue and to remember that they are going out of their way to help me, so I need to appreciate and show my appreciation. They are not living in my shoes. They are not feeling what I feel. They can get up and move around and do what they want. I am more or less confined to a certain area, so I have to try to make the things work for me, keep things nearer to make them easier to access."

The stroke was hard for everyone, but my grandparent's resilience certainly contributed to my grandma's miraculous recovery. She had a good attitude and a strong faith throughout the whole ordeal.When I look at my grandfather's devotion to my grandma, it refreshes my belief in marriage. The way in which my grandparents were able to overcome the challenges brought on by the stroke, inspires me to live my life to the fullest each day that I have left here on this earth. My grandparents have truly accepted and made the most of the new normal.

Encountering the Beast Called "Stroke"

Photo Credit

The stroke was classified as a "light" stroke. Technically termed a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA), it "is an episode in which a person has stroke-like symptoms for less than 24 hours, usually less than one to two hours" according to the National Institute of Health. Since my grandma experienced a Transient Ischemic Attack, and TIA is an Ischemic stroke, it means that she may have experienced brain swelling, reduction of cerebral blood volume, and death of brain tissue due to lack of oxygen. Ischemic strokes occur when blood supply to part of the brain is suddenly interrupted. Fortunately for us, TIA is the lightest of the Ischemic strokes, and ischemia is temporary.

Here is a chart I made for my neurology class explaining the breakdown of a stroke

Here are a few facts about strokes:

•Ischemic - blockage of a blood vessel supplying the brain   

•Hemorrhagic- bleeding into or around the brain

•Third leading cause of death in the United States (heart disease and cancer #1 and 2)

•Costs $30 billion annually in health care

•A stroke strikes every minute in America

•Stroke is number one cause of adult disability

•about 700,000 strokes per year (500,000 new and 200,000 repeat)

•about 88% of strokes are ischemic and 12% are hemorrhagic

•Cell death in Ischemic strokes make recovery slower and harder than Hemorrhagic strokes

Notes from Dr. Insop Kim's Neurology class (CSD 310) 

Saddling the Beast called "Stroke" with the Gift of Family

Trantham Family Christmas 2010

I love my family. It is so rare in this day and age for one to live near most of their extended family. It is such a privilege to get together with my family over the holidays. This photo was taken this past Christmas, six years after the alarming incident with my grandma. She still struggles with the after effects of the stroke. The stroke left her seeing double--her eyes are no longer synchronized. She also has to cope with macular degeneration, and as a result of all of these she finds it very hard to read. But don't think that Dorothy Trantham lets this obstacle defeat her. Audio Bibles, taped sermons from her church, and music have become her constant companions. She has overcome that problem with class.

Another struggle my grandma has had to cope with that is common to TIA victims is numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body (National Institute of Heath). While my grandma's stroke was "light" and did not leave her paralyzed, she has experienced weakness on the left side of her body. She says that her body has learned to compensate for the weaker left half. This lack of strength has made it difficult to get around. My family bought her a walker. My dad has installed grab bars, an elevated toilet, and a shower bench in the bathroom to assist my grandma. In addition to these safety precautions, my grandpa has been very faithful to be present to help as well.

Although my grandma's motor functions have improved through through the years, she typically does not leave the house unless it is for a family get together. She recently had a very serious incident with her kidneys that led to her receiving physical and occupational therapy. The physical therapists would have her ride a stationary bicycle while working the arms and legs. She says that this was extremely helpful. She also did a dexterity exercise involving placing pegs into their appropriate holes while standing up. As a result of this recent therapy, her strength has improved enough for her to go to church regularly again! My grandma's faith is her whole world, so this recent progress has improved her quality of life.

We count each year that we've had together since the stroke as a gift from God. Near death experiences help people understand the brevity of life. The reality sets in that we are not guaranteed another breath. More than anything else, my grandma's faith has seen her through the valleys of life.

Here are a few pictures of the modifications we have made around her house.

My grandma uses a shower chair to bathe more easily

Since she can't read very easily, my parents bought my grandma an audio Bible that she listens to daily

Grab bars in the shower make it easier to get in and out of the tub

My grandma uses an elevated toilet seat to make it easier to stand

My grandma's walker helps her get around without help from others

Motorized recliner to stand up without difficulty

Recognizing the Beast

Photo Credit

It is important to be able to recognize the symptoms of a stroke, so that you can call 9-1-1 as soon as the stroke symptoms begin to occur.

Men and women alike experience common symptoms such as: 

• Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg -- especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause

However, according to the National Stroke Association women have certain distinctive stroke symptoms: 

• sudden hiccups
• sudden nausea
• sudden general weakness
• sudden chest pain
• sudden shortness of breath
• sudden palpitations

The National Stroke Association also recommends that you take the following steps if you believe that someone is experiencing a stroke:

F—FACE: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?

A—ARMS: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

S—SPEECH: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange?

T—TIME: If you observe any of these signs, call 9-1-1 immediately.

Snapshots of her life

Blanket made for my grandma

Shelving unit next to recliner for convenience

My grandma's belief in the loving God in the Bible has seen her through the hard times

My cousins and I on at my birthday party

Dorothy Trantham's Message to the world

Since my grandma is not able to leave the house often, she writes a lot of letters--to her kids, grandkids, friends, and other relatives. I learned to look forward to her letters when I was at college my freshman year. With each new letter, I got to know my grandma better, and I began to rely on her words of wisdom. One letter she wrote to me in November of 2009 will always make me tear up. The letter spoke of her passion for living, but her excitement for going to Heaven to be with Jesus. Having come so close to losing her in the past, it meant the world to read these words:

 "A dear one said to me recently - 'I envy you - you are close to entering heaven.' And they were correct. It can't be too much longer - but I thought afterward that this one has time yet to invest in the Lord's work and service and to see many answers to prayer and the Lord's working in their own life - and in the lives of those for whom they pray!!! It is a great life to be a child of GOD'S!!!" 

Even as I visited her today, she had an incredible confidence in God's good plan for her life. When I asked her to describe how her perspective had changed, she said: "Honestly, I think God has allowed me to live as long as I have to experience hardship. My life has not been hard compared to the hardship that a lot of people have experienced." This is coming from a woman who traveled to the other side of the world to live in poverty and unsanitary conditions to share the God whom she adores. She continues, "Through hardships, God is revealing our lacks, needs, and his ability to provide for an entire person if we are willing to grow and become stronger, better people." You can't help but admire someone who can say all this of a God who has allowed her to go through a traumatic stroke. Instead, she says "Although I would not have chosen to have a stroke, I am glad that God allowed me to go through it. It made me more confident that God will see me through whatever is ahead." If the stroke has done anything to the perspective of my grandma, it has strengthened her faith in God. 

She also wanted to share this verse with us: 

Jeremiah 33:3

New International Version (NIV)

³ ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’

To my grandmother, it was "great and unsearchable" that she would be able to recover so well from the stroke. In fact, she hadn't been able to go to church basically at all in the past 6 years. However, due to therapy from a recent episode with her kidneys, she has been strong enough to go to church consistently!

Works Cited

"FCA: Stroke." Stroke. Family Caregiver Alliance. Web. 15 June 2011. <http://www.caregiver.org/caregiver/jsp/content_node.jsp?nodeid=578>.

"Improve Acute Stroke Processes." The Golden Hour of Stroke Treatment. Web. 14 June 2011. <http://www.activase.com/stroke/stroke_bestpractices.jsp>.

Staff, Mayo Clinic. "Stroke: Symptoms - MayoClinic.com." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic Staff. Web. 15 June 2011. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stroke/DS00150/DSECTION=symptoms>.

"Stroke Information Page." National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Web. 15 June 2011. <http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/stroke/stroke.htm>.

"Transient Ischemic Attack: MedlinePlus." National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Web. 16 June 2011. <http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/transientischemicattack.html>.
Women and Stroke. National Stroke Association. Web. 15 June 2011. <http://www.stroke.org/site/PageServer?pagename=WOMSYMP>.