I remember flying to Hawaii weeks after the stroke from Guam, I needed to have open heart surgery, I had a hole in my heart the size of a half dollar (no one new and I had 2 children). I did have the surgery on July 29th which is my birthday.

Two weeks later my mom said let’s go down to the pool. I cried told her I can’t. Being the Lieutenant that she was, she said “What if someone told you, so what if you are handicap”. I was angry, when she had said that but (Tough love is not pretty).

So, she walked me out close the door behind her and said OK I’ll meet you downstairs. They lived maybe 12 stories high! She took the elevator; I had to take the stairs. All the while my mom was in the pool area crying, saying to herself “come on Tammy, you can do it”. (Tough love is not so tough now). 😊

Believe me I was livid, by the time I got down there, it took me an hour. She jumped in the pool, said come in. I was scared but I did. I started crying with kids playing in the pool next to me, because everything worked. My right arm, worked, I could open my hand, I could walk.

Every time I fall my mom has been there. Bless my dad, he had passed away August 9th, 2025.

We all went to eat at Denny’s in Hawaii; it took me about 45 minutes to get there it took my dad like a minute. My mom told me take your time, no one is rushing you, when you are tired take a break. So, we are eating and, unbeknown to myself the food and drink were coming out of the right side of my mouth. My politely told me and she said just wipe your mouth, I started to cry.

In Guam I went shopping at a grocery store, had them change where they placed the pushing cart, because there was nowhere anyone could walk, especially a person with disabilities.

In Hawaii, a security guard put a note on my vehicle, I shouldn’t use the Placard, Of course I screamed at him.

In Vegas, I think I posted it on the social media. I came out to find a delivery truck parked right in front of my car. I was parked in the Handicap space; my placard was there.

HELLO, I still have SEX🤣😂

(I was 41 years old)

I went to the OBGYN, told her my stomach is getting bigger. She did all the test on myself so she referred me to a specialist. Never once I'd think I was pregnant. So, I went in, the Doctor looked at me and said what was I here for? I told her, she flipped the screen to me and said you are having a baby and it look like I was at least 4 to 5 months. I started crying, I mean really crying. I was thinking, I don’t know if I can Handle that, I had a stroke, besides my age. (We had gotten a Divorced previously, but he called me back 😂) I called the father of my older kids. I asked if he was sitting down, he said he was. I told him, He told me wait I need to sit down. I told him again. But my son is 12 years old, stands at 6’1”. I need stay fit just in case🥊🥊😁

I have always pushed academics on him, now he plays sports. He is also in the GATE program for school; he got into the Magnet program. He went to college for a week when he was in 4th grade. He is a good kid, lazy😁 but good kid.

Yes , I was worried, when I was pregnant, but he came out just fine.

Wrote a letter to Guam PDN News Paper, to form a Stroke Survivors Support Group.

July 4th 1998