Handmade gifts for a great cause
Peco's Story
On October 31, 2019, life as we knew it changed forever. In the early morning, I woke to the news that my mom was in the hospital and that she had suffered a stroke. We were unaware of the severity until the doctors explained her stroke had caused a "massive and destructive bleed." I jumped into the first cab I found and rushed to the airport to catch a flight to Miami, FL - wearing my work clothes and carrying a small bag with a few things I had thrown in.
Then the agonizing wait began, as my mom laid unconscious and hooked to a ventilator. Doctors came in twice a day and warned me of the grim outcome - showing me comparison of her swollen brain with normal ones. There was no earthly hope, all doctors concurred. “She will probably never get off the ventilator, she may never wake up.” IF my mom woke up, she would probably be paralyzed, never speak, and never be the same. Among many nights we thought would be the last, my family and I gathered around her and prayed - believing in a miraculous God but accepting His will nonetheless. After a month and a half and one more surgery, my mom opened her eyes on December 10th.
Yet, our journey was just beginning. With the support of nurses, respiratory therapists and two wonderful occupational and physical therapists, my mom was able to transfer to an acute rehab center. There we received the tools to cope with her new normal. They explained that her bleed had severely affected her memory and attention. She was often disoriented and confused. The months that followed were the most difficult and emotionally draining as we tackled life at home on our own. Yet through it all, my mom’s childlike faith, strength and resilience are the fuel that keep me and my family going. My mom is a miracle- the improvement we’ve seen in her mobility, attention and memory despite the doctor’s best judgments prove that.
Now, we tackle this new challenge together. To qualify for her medical insurance my mom needs to generate a minimum amount of income this year. Therefore, I am thrilled to announce the launch of my mom’s online shop: Peco’s Designs. It has been my mom’s dream to be an entrepreneur and it is my greatest honor to help her achieve that dream with this second chance God has given us. Explore the site to order your choice of holiday ornaments, jewelry, cupcakes, and more! All items are handmade by my mother (with some help from me!) and can be personalized for an additional fee of $5.00 USD.
This dream would be impossible without the support of our family and friends that have left everything to support us every step of the way. I will never be able to fully express what your actions have meant to us.
-Antonella