What Really Matters.

By Topah Spoonhunter
(Click here to see this video on YouTube.)

It all started in the summer of 2003.  I was getting ready to start my third year of college when I developed flu like symptoms.  My condition quickly worsen and I was admitted into the hospital.  The doctors were not sure what was making me sick.  They started testing for various illnesses but they already had an idea of what it might be.

I was lying in the hospital bed with my family around me, when the doctors told us they thought it was Hantavirus.  Hantavirus is a disease that can cause severe damage to the respiratory system and has a death rate of 36%.

My mom, being a register nurse, knew the potential of the virus and began to cry.  I could feel the sadness in my family as they hugged me and told me it was going to be okay.

It's strange how something like this could put things into perspective.  I went from feeling sick to looking at my own mortality. I always told myself that I was never afraid of death.

But at that moment I understood that death wasn't just about a person leaving but also about the people they leave behind. I felt my heart drop, I realized how much I cared for my family and also how much they cared for me.

The test results confirmed that I did have Hantavirus.  Luckily, I was able to make a full recovery but the experience did have one lasting effect.  That is, I will never forget how important my family is and that they will always be there.

To watch the Video, go to https://www.youtube.com/edit?video_id=28rKyYdJlkA&video_referrer=watch  
This digital story was produced in a Digital Storytelling Workshop. October 2014, Bishop Paiute Reservation, CA. Toiyabe Tribal Indian Health Project, Indian Health Service California Area.

Topah Spoonhunter is an artist and designer from Big Pine, CA. Although much of his work has been focused around his brand, Two Dogs And A Bear, he has also done work for other groups, organizations and businesses. His work has covered everything from logo design to hand painted signs. Topah is always looking for a new challenge and is constantly pushing to improve as an artist. He believes that art and design can, and should, be used to make the world the world a better place. Topah is an enrolled member of the Northern Arapaho Tribe and currently the Tribal Assistant Administrator for the Bishop Pauite Tribe.