Theresa Gattuso was a healthy, athletic, vibrant 14-year-old when her life was turned upside-down during Easter weekend in 1986
"A Whisper from Within: My Life, My Terms,"was written by Theresa Gattuso of Swedesboro. (Jessica Beym | For NJ.com)Theresa Gattuso was a healthy, athletic, vibrant 14-year-old when her life was turned upside-down during Easter weekend in 1986. One moment she was able to live life to the fullest. The next moment she had forfeited all ability to live independently.
But 29 years later, Theresa, who grew up on a farm in Swedesboro, is married, has a daughter, and has written a book - "A Whisper From Within" - which definitively chronicles her long journey back from near-death.
She writes, "Whatever tomorrow brings, I am never letting go and won't be shaken from my strength (perseverance, motivation, and determination) that was imbedded inside me. I will always keep pushing forward with God's help and hold on tight within my heart's power of my learning lessons, the healing of my soul, my life experiences, God's incredible love, and His amazing words that are 'A Whisper from Within.'"
Theresa and her identical twin sister Joann were spending the Easter holiday with their sister Linda in Salisbury, Md. One morning Theresa decided to accompany Linda to her YMCA workplace.
The next thing she clearly recalls is waking up in a Salisbury hospital after being in a coma for two months.
Before that, she remembers something "weird" engulfing her body. The pain quickly left but an uneasy feeling remained. She knew something was terribly wrong.
"Everything around me became blurry and fuzzy. I felt lost, as though my head had separated from the rest of me. I felt like I wasn't in my body, that I wasn't myself anymore. Then I had a splitting headache; the pain was excruciating."'
Nonetheless, she shot some hoops and swam a bit. Theresa recalls running in for a layup but couldn't recall if the ball went in. Instead, she found herself in her sister's office throwing up blood and complaining of the headache.
Linda took her to Peninsula Regional Medical Center, where doctors at first thought she had a bleeding ulcer or may be on drugs because several other patients had similar symptoms.
A conversation with her sister left Theresa confused. She wanted Joann - they were inseparable - and couldn't understand why she wasn't in the hospital with her.
"Linda and the doctors kept asking me what was wrong, but I was slipping in and out of consciousness. Linda had called mother to meet us at the hospital, but when she got there i was unconscious. My mom tried to wake me, and when I could not, she ran to see the doctors.
"That's when they realized I had fallen into a deep coma. It wasn't until hours later that they finally realized I had an aneurysm....and the aneurysm had burst."
The next thing Theresa recalls is awakening from her deep sleep and slowly becoming aware of her surroundings.
"I was in a dark room with harsh bright lights in the hallway that were streaming into my room through the open door. I did not know where I was.
"I thought to myself, 'Am I dead? I must be dead. Where's mommy? Where is everybody? How did I get here?'"
Theresa's book is a riveting account of her return from her deep sleep, her difficult struggles to overcome her illness, her love for her family, her marriage to the amazing Joe O'Connor, and the birth of her precious Samantha.
There are poignant chapters on learning to drive, returning to the workplace, learning to eat again, dealing with the deaths of her parents. A chapter is devoted to the frightening perils of being handicapped; another is not wanting to be treated "differently."
She laughs and she cries. She is determined to live her life the way she wishes, even if it's from a wheelchair. Her emotions run the full gamut, and she doesn't hold back in her book.
With the help of her editor, she writes beautifully although she had no prior experience.
An example:
"I remember my brother Jimmy singing to me. One of the songs was 'The Impossible Dream.' I remembered the lyrics and sang them to myself over and over again. At the time, Jimmy did not know that his singing re-ignited the life force in my spirit and reawakened my mind. It gave me the courage and strength to come out of my coma and feel alive again."
On the final page of her book, Theresa brings us up to date. The news is not altogether great.
"As I was ending this book about my life, a new chapter is starting. I found out that I have breast cancer, (so) the next battle and hurdle in my life is beginning. As I push through my next obstacle, I will use all my strength and courage to overcome (cancer). Holding onto God Almighty in my heart, and knowing that I'm not alone, I will defeat this."
Theresa Gattuso O'Connor is one tough fighter. Bet on her in any conflict.
Bob Shryock may be reached at bshryock@njadvancemedia.com. Follow South Jersey Times on Twitter @TheSJTimes. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.
