Go Chrystal It's Your Birthday!!! (Yay me)

So 33 years ago, September 20, Henry and Annie Chapman, gave birth to one of the world's most gorgeous babies....ME!!:-) Seriously, today's my birthday and just like a kid, I'm excited!! If you know me, you know that I absolutely love love love celebrating!! This year is a little different than most for me, this year I am happier than I've been in a long time to see this day arrive. June 16th of this year, I became ill with a fever, earache, strep throat. I figured hey I'm a mom of quite of few little people, there is NO WAY that I have time to slow down, I'll just go get checked out, take the meds prescribed and I'd be just fine. WRONG ANSWER!! Fast forward a couple weeks later, I've lost hearing in that ear and my ear is completely swollen shut! Days later, a develop a crazy pain in my head that can best be described as feeling like someone was stabbing my brain! A couple days after that, my vision starts to blur and I'm seeing double. Now I can't drive because my left eye has completely crossed! An ER visit while on vacation in which no one could tell me what was wrong, followed up with more antibiotics and ear drops! My first ENT visit, it's noted that I still have the infection but it has gone behind my eardrum and I have lost hearing in that ear. The doctor and nurse notice my eyes but say nothing. I tell them that I haven't always been cross eyed but that this has happened since I've been sick for the past month. They are CONCERNED! I'm scheduled to meet with a optometrist immediately. At the optometrist, I can tell something is really wrong because of the strange silence. I've had a stroke in my stroke in my eye and she can't understand why. As I go to check out, she stops me and tells me that she recommends I get an MRI. What the What? An MRI?? I tell her that it would not be possible for me, I don't have that type of money. She sits me down and tells me she's already called the ENT doc and they strongly suggest I get it done. They search around for a cheaper place, one that could work with me with the payments. At the MRI, I went in, got it done, and left with the image on a disc. I went into work the next day (thanks Rhu for being my chauffeur on many many days)and I was called by the ENT to come in. I couldn't I had to work, was my logic but I'd be there on the day that was already scheduled for my appointment. Okay the nurse said, see you then. I get a call a few minutes later from her and I need to come in IMMEDIATELY! Okay, a little nervousness is starting to set in. She tells me I need to begin my "treatment" ASAP. Huh? What? TREATMENT? Treatment for what? I get picked up from work and head straight there. Found on my MRI...is a mass growing in my brain!! I'm asked several questions so that they could verify that I wasn't experiencing any brain trauma. The doc is amazed that I could walk, talk and just function. I was NOT suppose to be able to do that in my condition O_o I'm admitted to the hospital to begin treatment, if that doesn't work, I'd have to have surgery on my brain. My husband and four of my children were with me for a couple of hours before visiting time was over, before they left the ENT doc was able to come in and speak with all of us. It was at this time that he made us aware that if I had not come in when I did, I wouldn't have lived. He had even spoken to the head of ENT at the Medical University about my case because it was so extremely rare! Hey I guess I'm just unique like that :-) I'm hooked up to iv's and given a ridiculous amount of antibiotics and steroids to fight off the infection. And while I'm alone in that hospital room, I have a little time to think and put things in perspective.... It's been 2 months and I'm still here, loving life way more than I've ever before, refusing to stress out about things I have no control over and the things that I do. So all in all, I thank God for sparing my life, because there are so many things that I haven't done or seen..but most of all I want to be here for the loves of my life, my children! Today I'm proudly singing, dancing, and shouting at the top of my lungs, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!