Valerie Young's Homegoing Service
Don protégé
Valerie Yvonne Young was a mother of four, a wife of thirty-three years, and a teacher for thirty years. On Tuesday, October 31, 2017 she passed away after battling through three strokes and respiratory failure, a journey that lasted nearly three and a half months. With a medical background that repeatedly defied science, and a history that constantly beat the odds, this is a story of a woman that many may find hard to believe.
On June 16, 2017, the day before Father's Day, Valerie suffered three-strokes back-to-back-to-back. Valerie remained in a coma for seven days. Upon having a family conference with her team of doctors we immediately were informed that the situation was much worse. Valerie had not only suffered three strokes, but she had been suffering from pneumonia for four months (something she had self-diagnosed as bronchitis), and she also had a dangerous blood-clot in her heart. Doctors ensured us that there was a high percentage that when our mother woke from her coma that she would never be the same, that she would not be able to speak or communicate, and that she would not remember who we were. It is also important to note that three weeks before the incident Valerie was laid off from her day job as a PreSchool Teacher at Young Leaders, leaving her without insurance.
Seven days after being in a coma, our mom finally woke up. After waking up she underwent several surguries and procedures, some of which were a tracheostomy (as a result of her pneumonia), and a heart-cap. During her time in the ICU she also experienced respiratory failure, congestive heart failure, swelling in the brain, paralysis on her left side, and slight blindness in her left eye.
Weeks later after gaining all the medical attention that Houston Methodist Hospital could provide, she was transfered to Saint Catherine's Methodist Hospital, to a department that specialized in stroke victims rehabilitation. There she made significant progress towards her recovery. She recognized her family, and found ways to communicate by shaking her head yes and no (though she was still unable to speak and write), she showed impressive cognitive function and communication skills. With time, she was weaned off her feeding tube and began to eat real food, she learned to move her mouth in a way where people were able to read her lips, and began to work on her writing. She even was able to stand for several seconds with a walker. One night, the family recieved a phone call from the rehabilitation center notifying us that our mom had pulled her trach out after expericing a panic attack, and went into cardiac arrest. Upon her eldest daughter arriving to the emegency room doctors explanied that Valerie had coded, and they were currently trying to revive her. On three occassions Valerie's heart had stopped beating. The third time, they finally brought her back, and were able to stabalized and intubate her. After being in a coma for only 24 hours our mom had woken up, and again was able to remember family and communicate. After a few days of showing impressive progress, she was sent back to her rehabilitation center.
After several weeks of living in the rehabilitation center, she was sent to live with her eldest daughter to recieve home-care sevices. Once, living at home she continued to make unbelievable progress, and doctors even rediagnosed her from having paralysis on her left side, to having weakness on her left side. However, she still faced serval unfortuate set-backs, such as, cellulitis in her left arm and urine feppicemia. Through she experience set backs, she overcame them, and was discharged home once again, but this time she was placed on hospice care.
Then, on Monday, October 16 our mom went into cardiac arrest while at home, and immediately experienced respiratory failure. When EMT's arrived they immediatly began trying to revive her. Upon annoucing that they would call time of death in three seconds they got a pulse. Our mother was rushed to Pearland Medical Center where she was placed on a ventilator. Doctors informed the family that only five percent of Valerie's brain was active, and that if she was taken off the ventilator she would pass in a span of five minutes.
On Saturday, October 28, our mother Valerie was taken off the ventilator. As family surrounded Valerie's bedside anticipating her passing, doctor's took Valerie off the ventilator, and after five minutes, she continued to breath. For three and a half days Valerie breathed on her own, once again defying science, beating the odds, and shocking doctors. It was on Tuesday, October 31st, that Valerie stopped breathing, and lost her fight against an insurmountable medical battle.
As the family comes together for preparation to lay Valerie to rest, we once again encounter unpropicious and inequitable roadblocks. Today the family was notified that Valerie's Life Insurance Policy will not be released until after sixty days after her death. This unfortunately is because Valerie's Life Insurance Policy is through the School District of Philadelphia's Retirement Plan oppose to a Life Insurance Company, and this is their policy. Even with the family coming together and scrapping up every single cent that we can afford, we still find ourselves falling short with some of the funds that we need for her service and burial. With mental and emotional exhaustion, and heavy hearts, we find ourselves in a situation where we must ask for financial assistance from our friends to associates, and even from strangers. We humbly ask for help during this difficult time so that we may lay our mother, and our father may lay his wife, to rest.
The last thing we want is for our mother to be sent to a city morgue, but unfortnately, this is the cold and unyeilding reailty that we may have to face. Appreciation and gratefulness are two inadequate words that do not express the thankfulness that we have towards anymore who is able to find it in there hearts to give. We ask that you honor Valerie's story by sharing it with as many as you can. Once again we THANK YOU.
To learn more about Valerie Young and her life journey please continue on to a short accolade below.
Valerie Young was born in Camden, New Jersey on May 7, 1960. She was the oldest of four, having two sisters and one brother. She attended Glassboro State for her undergrad, and obtained a Bachelors in Communcations. She continued to pursue higher education by obtaining two master degrees in Education from Cheyney University, and Grand Canyon University. Valerie taught for twenty-five year's in the School of Phildelphia, 2 Years in the Houston ISD, and in a variety of Private and Charter Schools. In 1985 she married Solomon Young, and remained married to him until the time of her passing. With him she is survived by four daughters, Deborah Adele Young, Bethany Ann Young, Trinity Annette Young, and Morriah Aleese Young. Valerie is remembered as a independent do-it-youself kind of woman, a caring teacher, a loving mother, a faithful wife, a woman of God, and above all a powerful and resilent warrior. Though our hearts are broken, our spirits remain hopeful that she is no longer suffering, but is resting faithfully in God's presence, and looking down on everyone she loves.
<3 May heaven welcome you with open arms, Mrs. Young, Mommy, Sweetness. <3
Sunrise May 7, 1960 - Sunset October 31, 2017
On June 16, 2017, the day before Father's Day, Valerie suffered three-strokes back-to-back-to-back. Valerie remained in a coma for seven days. Upon having a family conference with her team of doctors we immediately were informed that the situation was much worse. Valerie had not only suffered three strokes, but she had been suffering from pneumonia for four months (something she had self-diagnosed as bronchitis), and she also had a dangerous blood-clot in her heart. Doctors ensured us that there was a high percentage that when our mother woke from her coma that she would never be the same, that she would not be able to speak or communicate, and that she would not remember who we were. It is also important to note that three weeks before the incident Valerie was laid off from her day job as a PreSchool Teacher at Young Leaders, leaving her without insurance.
Seven days after being in a coma, our mom finally woke up. After waking up she underwent several surguries and procedures, some of which were a tracheostomy (as a result of her pneumonia), and a heart-cap. During her time in the ICU she also experienced respiratory failure, congestive heart failure, swelling in the brain, paralysis on her left side, and slight blindness in her left eye.
Weeks later after gaining all the medical attention that Houston Methodist Hospital could provide, she was transfered to Saint Catherine's Methodist Hospital, to a department that specialized in stroke victims rehabilitation. There she made significant progress towards her recovery. She recognized her family, and found ways to communicate by shaking her head yes and no (though she was still unable to speak and write), she showed impressive cognitive function and communication skills. With time, she was weaned off her feeding tube and began to eat real food, she learned to move her mouth in a way where people were able to read her lips, and began to work on her writing. She even was able to stand for several seconds with a walker. One night, the family recieved a phone call from the rehabilitation center notifying us that our mom had pulled her trach out after expericing a panic attack, and went into cardiac arrest. Upon her eldest daughter arriving to the emegency room doctors explanied that Valerie had coded, and they were currently trying to revive her. On three occassions Valerie's heart had stopped beating. The third time, they finally brought her back, and were able to stabalized and intubate her. After being in a coma for only 24 hours our mom had woken up, and again was able to remember family and communicate. After a few days of showing impressive progress, she was sent back to her rehabilitation center.
After several weeks of living in the rehabilitation center, she was sent to live with her eldest daughter to recieve home-care sevices. Once, living at home she continued to make unbelievable progress, and doctors even rediagnosed her from having paralysis on her left side, to having weakness on her left side. However, she still faced serval unfortuate set-backs, such as, cellulitis in her left arm and urine feppicemia. Through she experience set backs, she overcame them, and was discharged home once again, but this time she was placed on hospice care.
Then, on Monday, October 16 our mom went into cardiac arrest while at home, and immediately experienced respiratory failure. When EMT's arrived they immediatly began trying to revive her. Upon annoucing that they would call time of death in three seconds they got a pulse. Our mother was rushed to Pearland Medical Center where she was placed on a ventilator. Doctors informed the family that only five percent of Valerie's brain was active, and that if she was taken off the ventilator she would pass in a span of five minutes.
On Saturday, October 28, our mother Valerie was taken off the ventilator. As family surrounded Valerie's bedside anticipating her passing, doctor's took Valerie off the ventilator, and after five minutes, she continued to breath. For three and a half days Valerie breathed on her own, once again defying science, beating the odds, and shocking doctors. It was on Tuesday, October 31st, that Valerie stopped breathing, and lost her fight against an insurmountable medical battle.
As the family comes together for preparation to lay Valerie to rest, we once again encounter unpropicious and inequitable roadblocks. Today the family was notified that Valerie's Life Insurance Policy will not be released until after sixty days after her death. This unfortunately is because Valerie's Life Insurance Policy is through the School District of Philadelphia's Retirement Plan oppose to a Life Insurance Company, and this is their policy. Even with the family coming together and scrapping up every single cent that we can afford, we still find ourselves falling short with some of the funds that we need for her service and burial. With mental and emotional exhaustion, and heavy hearts, we find ourselves in a situation where we must ask for financial assistance from our friends to associates, and even from strangers. We humbly ask for help during this difficult time so that we may lay our mother, and our father may lay his wife, to rest.
The last thing we want is for our mother to be sent to a city morgue, but unfortnately, this is the cold and unyeilding reailty that we may have to face. Appreciation and gratefulness are two inadequate words that do not express the thankfulness that we have towards anymore who is able to find it in there hearts to give. We ask that you honor Valerie's story by sharing it with as many as you can. Once again we THANK YOU.
To learn more about Valerie Young and her life journey please continue on to a short accolade below.
Valerie Young was born in Camden, New Jersey on May 7, 1960. She was the oldest of four, having two sisters and one brother. She attended Glassboro State for her undergrad, and obtained a Bachelors in Communcations. She continued to pursue higher education by obtaining two master degrees in Education from Cheyney University, and Grand Canyon University. Valerie taught for twenty-five year's in the School of Phildelphia, 2 Years in the Houston ISD, and in a variety of Private and Charter Schools. In 1985 she married Solomon Young, and remained married to him until the time of her passing. With him she is survived by four daughters, Deborah Adele Young, Bethany Ann Young, Trinity Annette Young, and Morriah Aleese Young. Valerie is remembered as a independent do-it-youself kind of woman, a caring teacher, a loving mother, a faithful wife, a woman of God, and above all a powerful and resilent warrior. Though our hearts are broken, our spirits remain hopeful that she is no longer suffering, but is resting faithfully in God's presence, and looking down on everyone she loves.
<3 May heaven welcome you with open arms, Mrs. Young, Mommy, Sweetness. <3
Sunrise May 7, 1960 - Sunset October 31, 2017
Organisateur et bénéficiaire
Morriah Young
Organisateur
Houston, TX
Deborah Young
Bénéficiaire
