Daring Dreamer- Annette McSween

I think every person has an amazing story to tell. Every one of us faces challenges in life and we work through them one way or another. But some people work through them with such strength and grace, that they inspire those around them. They dare to live their dreams in the face of adversity, when all the messages around them tell them they can't have what they most desire. Those are the "Daring Dreamers" of the world. Annette MacSween is one of those people.

I was fortunate enough to meet Annette through a community organization called, Ladies Time Out. Every Monday morning I would see Annette cheerfully greeting all the group members and making their coffee. I would also see Annette at the hockey rink with her youngest son, who was the same age as my son. I was shocked when I realized that her son, Aiden, was her youngest of her four children. She looked too young and too calm to have four children. How could she look so cool in the midst of a hectic schedule of having four children in multiple activities? She had to manage the kids' schedule largely on her own, since her  husband was often away due to the nature of his demanding job. But whenever I would see Annette, she was always cheerful and lovely. She made it look easy. I thought she had a charmed life.

Annette would tell you that she does have a charmed life. In fact, she told me, she feels like the heroine of a fairytale. I think that is true and the analogy doesn't stop there. Like all fairytale heroines,  Annette had to face a huge challenge to get to her "happily ever after."

I had the privilege of learning Annette's story after she attended the Dream Your Dreams Women's Retreat we held last October at the Rimrock Resort in Banff, Canada. I followed up with many of the participants with coaching sessions to help them move toward realizing their dreams. During our first coaching session, it became clear to me that Annette has a great outlook on life. She truly embodies the philosophy "Don't sweat the small stuff - and it's all small stuff." (Richard Carlson) She told me herself, that she doesn't worry about things. She knows things will work out. I was curious how she came to that way of thinking. That is when she shared her story with me. She graciously agreed to let me share her story in my blog because I think many people will benefit from hearing it. I know that I did!

Annette was 23 years old, working as an x-ray technologist at the hospital in Fort McMurray.  Everything was looking great for this fun-loving, energetic girl. She had a job she liked. She had just started dating a new boyfriend. She felt great about her life and the direction it was going. The world was her oyster. Then one day at work, as she was greeting a patient, she found it hard to speak to him. She went to grab his file and she found it difficult to move her right hand. She needed to use her other hand to hold the file. When she took the patient to the x-ray room, she could only gesture her instructions to him because for some reason, the words wouldn't come out.

She decided to call her boyfriend, Mike, and tell him to meet her for lunch. When she called, she simply said "Come now." He thought their conversation was unusual, but being keen on his new relationship, he quickly appeared to take her to the hospital cafeteria. He noticed that Annette was having a difficult time communicating with him. He knew something was wrong. "Let's just go to the emergency ward and have them check you out," he suggested. Annette agreed and it's a good thing she did.

Annette, Mike and Annette's family were soon shocked to discover that Annette, the picture of health at the youthful age of 23, had just had a stroke. It was hard for any of them to fathom. Even more difficult to understand was the doctors prognosis. They told Annette, "you won't be able to drive a car again, you will not be able to go back to work, and you won't be able to have children." While Annette loved her freedom and her job, her greatest aspiration since childhood was to be a mother. In one short sentence, the doctor was taking away her  dream. What would it mean for her job? For her and Mike? For her whole life?

Fortunately for Annette, she had an ace in her back pocket. Annette grew up in a home where there was a strong belief that "all things are possible through God." When she was a young girl, her mother gave her a book called Her Kathy. In the book, Kathy faced insurmountable obstacles, but with God's help, she overcame them all. When Annette was lying in that hospital bed hearing the most devastating news imaginable from her doctor, she remembered Kathy. Kathy didn't take no for an answer. Kathy believed she could overcome the impossible. Kathy knew what she needed to do and she knew God would help her. Annette decided to do the same thing. She adopted Kathy's faith and strength. With His support, along with support from her parents, friends, Mike and her own sheer determination, Annette made the doctor's prognosis wrong on every count.

How did she do it? She had a vision of her life in which she was driving and working and being a mother. She worked hard to regain her health. She did everything the doctors told her she needed to do, but she did more than that. She believed, with every fibre of her being, that she would live the life she envisioned for herself. And she trusted that it would happen. She knew her mother, her family, the people from her church and all the people who loved her were praying for her. She knew God was on her side and that gave her the conviction to believe the impossible was possible for her.

Within 3 months of her stroke, Annette was able to drive. She was back at work within the year. The following year, 1995, Annette and Mike were married. Their relationship was just in its infancy when they had to deal with such a dramatic challenge. Many relationships would have ended there. But Mike was there for Annette and it only strengthened their bond. It made it very clear that they were partners for life. When it came time to consider if they should take the risk of trying to have children, the answer was clear. Even though going through childbirth could trigger another stroke for Annette and even though another stroke could be fatal, they didn't waiver in their faith that they would be parents. On September 7, 1996, they welcomed their first child, Andrew, into the world. During childbirth, Annette was monitored, but everything went well. They didn't stop there. They now have 4 children, who are 20-13 years old (Andrew, Matthew, Marcella and Aiden).  All of them are healthy, wonderful and successful, in large part to their amazing mother. Not only did she drive again, Annette drove 4 children to hockey, volleyball, ringette, cheerleading, lacrosse, gymnastics, basketball, badminton and pony riding for years. She has probably logged more miles than professional truck drivers.

As a mother of 4 amazing children and wife to a strong and loyal husband, Annette is living the life of her dreams. She has created a beautiful home and life for her family. Plus she is so much fun to be around. She is always smiling and laughing. It is obvious when you spend time with her, that she truly loves her life.

I think Annette MacSween definitely fills the description of being a Daring Dreamer! I feel so inspired by Annette and her story and I hope you do too!

When I think of Annette overcoming what she did, I wonder, what is possible for me if I believe it will come true? What is possible for you? What would you do if you knew you could not fail? Why not be a "Daring Dreamer" and live the life of your dreams.

I'd love to hear your comments on Annette's amazing story and what you'd like to do if you had Annette's conviction to believe that the impossible is possible. Please post any thoughts you have below. Every dream comes true by first "believing" it will!