In the beginning God created my parents Kard and Nunchan Suphavong who then created me. My parents were the best parents in the world! Sadly both have passed and now living within the pearly gates. I grew up in a loving home with 2 older brothers and an older sister. I'm the baby and the most spoiled. Even though I was spoiled my parents encouraged me to be independent and know that I have them to fall back on.
Before I go on, let me give you a glimpse of my past. I was born in Laos in 1975, right around the Vietnam War. I was still a baby but heard a lot of stories growing up. My family lost everything. We stayed in a refugee camp and thought all hope was lost. Then one day, a family from Bloomington, MN sponsored my whole family to come to America. I remember dad said all we had was 10 dollars and the clothes on our backs. We first settled in Nashville, TN then my dad got a job offer with the Minneapolis Public Schools. We moved to the LinLakes neighborhood in South Minneapolis then my mom won the lottery and used the money for the a down payment on a house in Richfield, MN. I grew up in Richfield and went to all the schools there. I remember my parents would always tell me to never forget where we came from and to always help those less fortunate. My parents were always helping people and refugees from Laos. Just seeing the selflessness of my parents made my heart bigger.
So, now let's get back to where I left off...spoiled rotten, independent chick. This is what started my quest to do my own thing and to help others. On September 1st 2007 Jade Logistics was incorporated with the help of my awesome parents who gave me seed money to start. My dad was my first helper. Business was tough during that time. Recession. I worked 24/7 and lived at my little 500 square foot office. It took until 2008 to finally make a profit and set the foundation for Jade and give back to the community. Today, Jade is going on 13 years September 1, 2020. The Jade Team are the best of the best. I love them all...Father Matt, LaRae, Clint, Heidi, Kande, Michael, Suzy, Nikki, Rene, Casey, Delphine, Zoe (CowDog), our late Bandit.
So now on to the juicy stuff of why I'm here on Caring Bridge. It all started about 6-8 months ago. On a super rainy night, I was just lounging on the couch then all of a sudden my right leg started having a seizure. It lasted for like a minute but felt like an hour. Once the seizure rode it's course, my leg went numb. I tried to get up but fell. It took a good 20 minutes for my leg to come back from the dead. I thought nothing of it until it happened again! This time I was driving back from Church in Cokato. I felt the sensation and had to pull over. My right leg started spazzing. There's nothing I can do but let it ride it's course. I finally went to see my doc who referred me to a foot doctor. They did an MRI scan on my back and legs and found a herniated disc so then had a cortisone shot in my lower back. That didn't work. My leg was still spazzing. So my foot doc referred me to a neurologist who ordered an MRI scan of my brain on April 9th. That's when my whole life changed. I had a brain tumor and must, must go to the emergency room now. After 20 minutes of arguing with my doctor about why I should wait so I don't take up precious space from Covid patients, I went to Ridges ER. The doctors at Ridges, the Neurologist and Neurosurgeon from Southdale said that I may have to have emergency surgery to remove the tumor that night. I protested but this time because of Boo. I had to make sure he was okay before I do anything. Luckily the best sister in the world was able to take care of him. Then I was whisked in an van-balance. First time ever being in one. Once at Southdale another MRI scan was done. During the whole time (which was an hour) in the MRI machine I cried. I cried for my cat. Who will take care of him when I'm not around. It's just me and him. I cried for my Jade team. I cried for my family and friends. I cried thought I was going through this all alone. After the MRI I was brought back to my corner office like room. It was pretty cool actually. I had to spend the night and got drips of anti-seizure meds and other meds. Everyone at Southdale treated me so well. My surgery was set for Tues April 14th, 2020. I was discharged On Good Friday. Then my best friend, mentor and dad-like, Kurt, looked up the credentials of the neurosurgeon and did not like what he saw so he said I'm taking you to Mayo. Kurt picked me up Saturday April 11th and off we went. I was at Mayo ER for 2-3 hours and met with many doctors. According to the Mayo doctors, my surgery is needed but not immediate. The tumor is the size of a golf ball and right on top of my head where the seam of the brain is. They said it's been growing there for years and finally now affecting my leg. So, they want to assemble a team of the best of the best like plastic surgeons, neurosurgeons to put me back together like Humpty Dumpty ( no, they didn't say that, I like Humpty and wanted to reference him). So my operation is set for May 11, 2020 at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.
Welp, found out I have gallstones!! What the heck! I don’t remember eating any rocks n pebbles. They just going down the list of my innards. At this rate I’m going to be hollow inside. I’ll look in the bright side, I’ll have more room to store food.
Or, maybe according to my own conspiracy theory, they want to harvest my organs?! They wouldn’t like cuz my innards r super salty like Dead Sea. I loooooove salt. I put it on everything…soups, salads, watermelon, ice cream cake…ok, that’s taking it too far.
I’ll bring a hidden camera to the follow up cuz u never know.
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