Lucille didn't know it then, but she was suffering an aneurysm. It happened May 10 of this year. It was terrifying not only for Lucille, but also for John who didn't know what to do.
John asked Lucille if she wanted to lie down and she pointed to the recliner. She vomited, and John called 911 for help.
In a matter of minutes, help arrived and they loaded her in an ambulance and took her to the Owatonna Hospital. From there, she was transferred to Rochester.
Doctors determined Lucille was suffering from an aneurysm. Her head was filling with blood and the intense pressure was squeezing her brain.
The doctors were serious about her condition and talked frankly with the family. There were two things they could do, one involved drilling a hole in her head, which would release the fluid build-up, which may or may not work. The odds of success were not good, only 7 to 10%. They could choose option two, which meant they could do nothing and within three days she could succumb.
Tough decisions, but John and Lucille decided to go the route of faith, prayer, love and concern with a strong family behind them, thinking about what was happening and would be ahead of them.
As John told about the horrifying experience, he wiped tears from his eyes and gave credit to all his family and good neighbors, who also felt their concern and promised to pray. Lucille never opened her eyes for two days after her terrible attack.
Three long, hard days went by, and the doctors informed the family there was nothing more they could do there and felt she should be moved back to Owatonna to a hospice program and let nature take its course. They had planned to move her that Sunday when Lucille’s doctor saw something he couldn't believe.
The doctor came into Lucille’s room and found her sitting up and able to talk and answer questions. He was truly amazed and said what had happened to Lucille was a miracle.
John gives credit to his family and their neighbors, Barbara Mrotz, Scott Neidermeier and the Johnson brothers, neighbors who prayed, loved and showed their concern for this couple and believed in God’s goodness.
Lucille’s health improved and moved back to Owatonna where she would begin weeks of recovery and therapy. Lucille did encounter one more problem: she couldn't eat for a month.
It wasn't a matter of not being able to eat, she just didn't care to eat. Everyone tried everything they could think of to encourage her to eat.
They prepared the foods they knew she liked, but she just pushed them away. She would take fluids but no food. You can live a month without food but only a week without fluids.
Gradually, Lucille did a complete turnaround. Once again, she started eating, slowly, and gained some strength. The medical staff started Lucille on therapy, but she couldn't do much.
They had to use a lift to get her out of bed, and gradually she started walking again. Lucille then suffered a small setback when she fell one day trying to get out of bed on her own. She had to go back to the hospital and was taken to the Cedar View Care Center.
Lucille was able to start undergoing therapy late in May, and it continued every day in June and July, sometimes twice a day. John drove from their home in Ellendale to be there for Lucille’s recovery.
Lucille made terrific progress. She had to learn to walk and talk all over again.
She admits she still has problems remembering some of all that happened back in May, but even so, she does so well.
Once Lucille was back on her feet again, so to speak, she and John later moved into one of the apartments at Park Place, which adjoins the care center. Lucille is again able to do many of the things she loves to do.
She is cooking and baking and is kind enough to make and share goodies with her friends at Park Place. And if that isn't enough, she has been busy making quilts for her four children, Theresa (Pete) VonRuden, who live in Algona, Iowa; Marcie (Jim) Clark of Mankato; Susan (John) Knapack, of St. Cloud; and Mike (Connie) who live north east of Owatonna, as well as her 10 grandchildren. She is also trying to complete quilts for her 14 great grandchildren.
John and Lucille have lived a full, productive life. They both believe in God and His mercies, and have been rewarded for their faith.
Aneurysm is a word that neither John or Lucille will ever forget. But in the worst of times they never forgot their faith in God.
