Teresa ( Tudy) Purcell:  

Life: It's been forever since I've been here & the update isn't exactly rosey because I found the thorns quite compelling to over come but I Did IT so I thank God for each day! Back in 2002, my 10 year job at Worldcom changed my life when they went bankrupt. I went back contracting on the road, trying to make up for loosing my retirement. I was okay until 2007. I thought that being a workaholic finally took it's toll & I wound up in the hospital. From 2007 to 2010, I had 16 major bypass surgeries from my aorta down to my knees, over & over & over again. No rhyme or reason for any of them other than I have a blood disorder that will clog up an entire artery or 2 or 3 over night. I am my Dr's favorite pain in the butt! And to top that, No one else on the planet has what I have, what ever it is. Nov. 2010, I lost my right leg due to this crazy condition. I remember yelling at the ambulance folks to stop at the church so I can vote on Nov 2nd! They didn't stop darn it! I got my 1st helicopter ride to Columbia and man was that a sardine can! I remember landing and telling them to get Rumi & that was it for me for a while. I don't remember any of that hospital stay. I came to in a rehab hospital a few blocks away sometime in Dec. & discovered that my leg was missing. It didn't surprise me because I knew they weren't going to be able to save it the next time. I got right with the program & learned how to navigate a wheel chair & a prosthetic leg, cook, clean the house & take care of myself. What was supposed to have taken 6 to 8 weeks only took me 2 1/2 weeks & I was ready to go home. Gotta admit, that first week alone was tough & scary but it only made me a stronger woman. Reality settled in & I let my country folk neighbors here in Safe, Mo know that I may need some help with the shopping & outside stuff on the farm. Loosing my independence of driving was my curse & asking others to help me was something totally foriegn to me. But I am so blessed to have all these awesome Christian folks in my life! Every new thing I learned to do on my own was praised by all. They actually got rid of the truck I couldn't get into & found me a car and used blocks of wood on the gas pedal so I can get my short left foot to it and now I'm driving! Yehaw! I've made the 200 mile round trip to the Dr and next, will make the 250 mile trip to KC when I can budget it in. Even without my leg, I'm almost back to my normal happy self. It takes me a little longer to do things than it used to but a slower pace has some rewards. I no longer take little things for granted and am greatful for each day that I wake up in my own bed with my dog Foxy and not in a hospital. Come Nov. 2nd, it will be a full 2 years of being hospital free! I don't know what my future holds as does anyone else. I do know that God doesn't put anything on my shoulders that I can't handle. That life's lesson has been fully lived, loved and honored. What ever path I walk, I know I will always hold my head proud because I know I have done my best in each situation because I never gave up on me. I've been single since the mid 90's and I don't see that changing any time soon. But that is okay, Kinda set in my own routine these days. But all these years of being alone has been a full education in itself. No Regrets. I lost my 2 greatest soul mates l...Expand for more