I write to your show in hopes of you being able to help show appreciation for my sister Deanna Lee Edwards. She is truly the strongest woman I know. Yes she is strong in all the traditional ways in which an African American woman can be strong, but her story is one of those others need to hear to be encouraged. In the spring of 2008 my then 21 year old sister learned that she was pregnant with her first child. She was scared, yet excited to take this next venture in life. At that time she was a full time college student in her junior year at Moore College of Art & Design in Philadelphia. She worked two jobs to help support herself through college. Always the optimist she was overjoyed with the new challenges motherhood would bring. Our family rallied around her in anticipation for the arrival of my nephew. In the early morning hours of September 8, 2008 everything changed. She woke in the middle of the night with a severe headache. Due to her pregnancy there were limitations to the medications she could take. The headache grew in intensity with light sensitivity, temporary blindness and she soon collapsed into convulsions. I notified our parents and drove her to the hospital praying the entire way. Once there it was learned that she had a brain aneurysm that ruptured causing a bleed in her brain. She would need immediate brain surgery to clip the aneurysm and stop the bleeding. At this time she was 6 months pregnant with her son. The surgery was 5 hours yet felt like an eternity. Our entire family was at the hospital praying and keeping watch. Her chance of survival was 50%. Her unborn child's even less. This was by far the scariest day for all of us. Thankfully and with the grace if God she came through the surgery successfully. The doctors were cautious however. They explained that there were many different dangers that now existed and that she may never fully recover. The baby was also in very real danger. There was a huge risk that he would be born very prematurely due to his mother's trauma. In the days following her surgery, she experienced another setback. Due to the nature of her surgery she experience a series of strokes while in the Intensive Care Unit. These strokes were so debilitating that she lay in a coma for 4 days. It was agonizing, yet she prevailed. She emerged from the coma and began her miraculous recovery. She had to relearn all of her motor skills and speaking skills. As a once healthy young woman you can imagine the frustration that came along with relearning fundamental skills, especially while carrying an unborn child. She underwent months of occupational and physical therapy to regain function. Countless doctor visits and sessions leaving her more tired and frustrated. Through it all she still carried her son. Her strength amazed me then and continues to amaze me now. She delivered a healthy baby boy on December 29, 2008, Ryanlee Edwards-Mosley.
Though she still continues to battle the effects of her brain surgery, she is constantly overcoming. Her memory is permanently damaged and she will suffer from epilepsy for the rest of her life. Her son has been diagnosed with ADHD as a result of the medications administered to her during her brain surgery and subsequent life saving treatment while in utero. She is unable to hold a traditional job due to constant headaches and her son's behavioral issues associated with his diagnosis. But she still holds on. She smiles. She shines. She helps me in every way. My sister should be celebrated because she has endured so much and yet continues to push forward. She would like to return to school and finish her degree, but is unable to get the money to pay for classes. Her passions are her son and art and she would like to get a handle on both of their healths so that she can better provide for him.
I wanted to share her story because she is my personal inspiration.
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