Siouxland Magazine - Volume 1 Issue 4

Siouxland Magazine | Inspire /28
Jason and Sam pictured with their children.
Surviving Life, One Minute at a Time: Chapter 2
By Samantha Geurts
In 2010, Jason and I found out I was pregnant.
I was much more excited than Jason was, because this
would put me back to seeing happiness and life with
adding family instead of saying good-bye to them. My
pregnancy was amazing. We decided not to find out the
gender, since we were just happy for the chance to be
parents, even with the constant fear of more trauma. I
would fear this pregnancy would end the same way. On
several occasions my fears got the best of me. I wouldn’t
eat at restaurants because I feared the food would make
me sick and hurt the baby. I stopped running because
I read that high heart rate could hurt the baby. I read
everything and followed all the recommendations from
the doctors and other mothers I knew. I wanted the best
for this baby, but now I realize that happiness and tragedy
don’t discriminate.
Since my mom’s death, my dad had really stepped up
into the role of both parents. Even though us kids were
all grown, he gave great advice about marriage and
whatever else was troubling me for that day. He was
extremely excited to be a grandpa. We surprised him
on his birthday with a cake that read, “Happy birthday,
Grandpa!” Dad and I talked every day, just as I did with
Mom and Nikki. I remember, I was talking to Dad just
before I left work for lunch. He asked me if Jason and
I wanted to go to the street dance in town, because he
has tickets. Being pregnant and tired most of the time, I
turned them down. I wanted to head to lunch and told
dad I would call him from the car. I called him back five
minutes later, and he asked the same question about the
Sharing the news that they are expecting with her dad.
street dance tickets. I didn’t think too much about it at the
time, but it got me talking to my sister about Dad’s recent
behavior. Dad had started dating for the first time since
Mom died, so we thought his behavior had to do with his
future. Maybe Dad was going to sell the house and move,
and he was nervous about how we would react. I really
wish this was the case.
I was 20 weeks pregnant and sleeping in when I got a
phone call from Dad. He told us he was visiting his
girlfriend for the weekend but he ended up in the ER
and was admitted. He hadn’t been feeling well and had a
horrible headache. They found a brain tumor.