Unexpected Miracle…

By candycoatedreality™

Today I met a miracle. Yes, indeed a walking, talking miracle. My day started off like any other day. Well, except for the fact I was fasting (nothing to eat or drink) because this morning was our annual health screening at the office. Sleepily, I drudged into work. I am not me without my coffee each morning. To say I was tired was a great understatement.

With my completed health form in hand, I waited in line. Then, it was my turn. Shirley, my phlebotomist, smiled and took my health form. First she collected my height and weight. Upon seeing my weight appear on the digital scale, I exclaimed, “Yiiipppeee!!” She giggled and said most people do not react that way to their weight reading. Yeah, I guess I’m a lil different. With my weight and height written on my health form, I was ushered into a different room for my blood draw. Shirley followed.

When I sat down and rolled up my sleeve for the needle, she whispered, “I wanted to be with you, so I moved rooms!!” Awe, so nice of her to say.  We chatted while she was getting everything ready. Shirley mentioned it was her first day back to work. I assumed perhaps she had been on vacation, so I asked where she had been. “Oh, I was in the hospital; I was in a coma for four days. Yeah, I had at least four grand mal seizures in my brain… maybe more. No one knows for sure because I was alone when it happened. My boyfriend found me on the floor of my home; I was lying in a pool of blood. He had been trying to find me for three hours. Thankfully he did or I would be dead for sure.”

Ummmm, W-O-W!! Are you serious?  This response was not at all what I expected to hear. She looked like the poster image of great health. There were no visible signs of any brain damage or speech impediment. Of course I was curious, so I probed some more. Shirley continued, “Gosh, you never expect to become epileptic at age 47. My family thought I was gone. It was rough. I have no recollection of September or August and the rest is a little fuzzy too. Really I don’t remember the last six months. Each morning I do child memory games to try to help get my short-term memory to work again. Tomorrow I won’t remember today.” Oh what a MIRACLE she even survived!!  She agreed.

As Shirley was finishing and applying my bandage, I muttered something about making a mad dash to Starbucks because after fasting this morning I needed my coffee and some food. She let out a desperate sigh, “Oh, I would LOVE some coffee!!” Okay then. I will buy you something. What do you want?  Shirley shrugged my comment off thinking I was kidding. I was insistent. She asked if I was serious and I’m pretty sure the look on my face indicated that I was indeed going to get her coffee. Finally she said, “I would LOVE a Mocha Latte without the whip cream.” Shirley had tears in her eyes as I left.

She seemed surprised when I returned with her Mocha-no-whip. “You’re back?! Oh my. Coffee. Thank you. Thank you so much!!! You have made my day. What is your name? Thank you, Renae. Have a blessed day!” The least I could do was buy her a cup of espresso. Shirley had started her first day back on the job at 6:30am, standing on her feet all day, and by the time of my appointment it was 9am. She still had a full day of blood draws ahead of her. I remember when I had abdomen surgery… I was exhausted on my first day back to work!! Keep in mind, I work a desk job and my surgery in no way included my brain and a coma, so I’m pretty sure her road to recovery was a bit more complex than mine. If caffeine would help get her through the day, then I would get it.

For the record, Shirley was the best phlebotomist I’ve met in years. Due to my porcelain skin, I often develop large purple-ish, blue bruises as a result of any and all blood work, but not this time. Not even a mark. I can’t even make out where the needle went into my skin. WOW! Shirley has some skills. I’m happy she didn’t lose her gift after all was said and done. And I’m convinced with time she will regain her short-term memory.

Life moves so fast it can often be a blurry mess. I certainly wasn’t expecting to run into a miracle, but I’m glad I did. This chance encounter caused me to slow down, hit pause for a bit, and reflect. In my mind, God showed Himself to me today. I was witness to His work, firsthand. Shirley was assigned to the first room, yet decided to follow me into the second room. She felt comfortable to tell me, a complete stranger, her miraculous story.

It warmed my heart to do a little something nice for her. Even if she won’t remember me or the mocha tomorrow, I know I will never forget the day I met an unexpected miracle.

© Renae Rossman and Candy Coated Reality™

34 thoughts on “Unexpected Miracle…”

  1. Wow, thanks for sharing this story! It’s stories like this that make me hopeful that someday random acts of kindness will spread everywhere. That it’ll be the norm to reach out to strangers and make genuine connections. Keep it up. Thank you.

  3. Reblogged this on I am Super Istar and commented:
    Renae, your story moved me. You are the miracle in Shirley’s Life. I am sure she enjoyed the coffee treat, and though she won’t remember you, I will and anyone who get to read this. Thank you for sharing your wonderful story, to coffee and miracles! ♥

    • Thanks, Lindsay!!

      Unfortunately I’m thinking I may never see Shirley again (she was simply visiting our office for the day), but I know for me… I will always treasure meeting her!!

  11. What a fabulous story! Amazing the way things work out. And Starbucks as a random act of kindness- what an angel you are.

    It’s a pleasure to have found your blog. 🙂

  14. Thanks, tsvandersam!! Gosh, I remember how excited I was when a kind stranger pre-paid for my coffee one day… I had no idea until I arrived at the Starbucks drive thru window to pay and she told me the man in front of me paid for it already and said to have a nice day!! WOW… I need to be sure to do random acts of kindness for complete strangers more often!!

  15. I love this sentence “Life moves so fast it can often be a blurry mess.”.. we should appreciate every single day and make memories..

    • Vania, thank you!! It seems like life does get a little blurred from time-to-time, right? You’re soooo right… we need to stop, take a moment and appreciate all that life has and will bestow upon us!! Thanks so much for your comment 😉 xo!!

  17. This is a beautiful essay, and a lovely story to read. Im sure she will remember you, because she said to you, she wanted to be alone with you, so she aranged that room for you to be alone in! What a story, how amazing. Im happy for her, she got found in time, and that she is on her way to recovery, and hope she wont have any negative stuff left because of that. Gosh, amazing indeed. And you’re very sweet to treat her. It’s not that common that people are nice, and kind, not in My area, outside I mean. So I think it’s pretty special that you did, and that she will remember you, even more than you think 😀
    have a good one 😀 Smooch Marjon

  19. It’s a really nice thing you did, but it’s just so easy to make somebody’s day, you just need to remember to make the effort. I was in hospital the other day and my step-dad brought a tin of biscuits and wandered through the ward, giving some to all the old ladies and chatting with them. I need to remember to be more like that!

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