Penny on The Steve Harvey Show
Steve: As a mom, your worst nightmare has got to be– what would happen to your family if you weren’t around? Well, my next guests say that after near death experiences, they literally saw the light. But they were brought back– thanks in part to the love they have for their children. Please welcome Penny and Stephanie. Now, these ladies have some truly remarkable stories, so let’s start with Penny.
Steve: Your story is you suddenly fell ill– what happened?
Penny: I was on vacation with my family 5 years ago, and I felt unbearable pain in my stomach and was starting to lose consciousness. So my husband took me to the local medical center, and I had a 104.5 fever. Within 24 hours I was on life support, and they induced a coma. It was literally life over limb because they gave me a shot to take the blood flow away from my extremities, and into my main organs which were shutting down.
Steve: How long were you in the coma?
Penny: Over 3 months. I woke up and I had black hands and feet from the lack of blood. These are prosthetic fingers, I’m wearing a prosthetic leg, and a prosthetic foot.
Steve: Wow. Really? Those are prosthetics?
Penny: These are prosthetics. Most people that even know me forget. Like Humpty-Dumpty. They put me back together again.
Steve: Wow. What was the cause of this?
Penny: It’s called Toxic Shock Syndrome. I had a rare bacteria called Strep A, and it went into my bloodstream somehow, the doctors aren’t sure how I contracted it. It’s most often fatal.
I was having visions in the comas, and some of them were beautiful. Like I was following this wonderful man that was just so spiritual, and beautiful and I felt so great in his presence. Then at some point I remember walking towards a beautiful gate, there was beautiful music playing, and a cloudless sky. Then at another point my soul was kind of wandering, wondering where I belonged, and I wound up in a dark place somewhere. At some point a stranger came in and asked who Penny Fisher was, and when I responded, that’s when I came back to life. When I woke up I saw that my hands and feet had died, and were black. So the next thing I had to look forward to after making that initial recovery, was to then go back to the hospital for the amputations of my feet and fingers.
Steve: How did being a mom help you get through this?
Penny: Well when I realized that I had two small kids, I came back–It was a direct result of remembering them. They’re the reason I get up every day, to make their lives as normal as possible, and great and joyous, and we laugh all the time and I’m still leading a great life.
Like I said, I’m like Humpty Dumpty, I mean most women have a hard enough time getting out of the house, but I have to put on five fingers, a foot, and a leg just to get out of the house.. then the makeup and the hair.
Steve: So everybody’s who complaining about getting ready for work, next time, shut your mouth. But your attitude- your attitude is amazing. That’s that human spirit. That unstoppable, unbreakable, unshakable you.
Penny: I want to say if you’re gonna live, you might as well really live, otherwise just lay back down and don’t do it. You gotta have the fun out of life, right? Being here with you is fun!
Steve: That’s good, that’s why we’ve got you here!
Writen by Penny Fisher
Penny Fisher has not only survived an unbelievable trauma, but also she has thrived. She is working on her memoir, and is available as a motivational speaker and mentor. To contact her, email: [email protected].