Originally Posted by
Der Gebirgsjager
I'm going to participate in this thread to keep a promise. The promise was made to God, that I would always tell this story of how he helped me, and subsequently my wife, if asked. I guess this thread is a request to tell that story, one that I could easily ignore. No one likes to be ridiculed or criticized for their beliefs. But I have to keep my word.
I was an extremely healthy person most of my life. When I arrived at age 67 I awoke one morning with pains in my left shoulder. I thought that it was probably the result of sleeping on it, as I prefer to sleep with my arm out and a pillow between my head and shoulder. Over the next few days it didn't go away and I just slept on the right side. Then the pain progressed to my neck, first at the base and then went upward. Then I developed marble sized lumps on the back of my head and neck which were probably infected lymph nodes. Then the pain progressed over to the right shoulder, so that I wasn't able to sleep on either side or on my back. I started sleeping sitting up. I consulted the local M.D. who took some blood samples and who told me, "You have an unknown internal infection. Something is killing all of your white blood corpuscles as soon as your body produces them, and you're losing." He referred me to an oncologist. I saw the oncologist every few days and he'd have 5 to 7 vials of blood taken. The news was always the same, "I don't know what's wrong with you, but you don't have"...a long list of maladies. They gave me every test they could think of, various scans and trips through tunnels, etc. I asked them for antibiotics, anything that might help. The answer was always the same, "We don't know what's wrong with you, so we can't treat you." They did nothing for me except draw blood time after time. I grew weaker by the day, and the night finally came when I went to bed, about 6:00 p.m. actually, and I knew that I was going to die. Before I got into bed I said, to God, "Sir, I know you're busy, and I know that I prayed about this to you before, but I wanted to remind you how bad off I am, and just say respectfully that if you're going to help me it should be tonight because I don't think I'll be around in the morning." I passed out, went to sleep, became unconscious, knew nothing. Then, at about 1:00 a.m. I felt cold. I woke up and found that I was dripping wet. It was like I had just climbed out of a swimming pool. My underwear was soaked, the sheets were soaked. All I could do was towel off, put on some dry underwear, and go back to bed sleeping on a towel. When I woke up again, about 8:00 a.m., I was soaked again. I still had the lumps on the neck and pains all over, but over the next two months things began to improve. About six months later I was pretty well able to get around and lift and move things, etc. At that point, one morning, July 10, 2010 to be exact, I heard my wife in the bathroom. I called and asked, "Are you getting up?" and she replied, "I think so." Then I heard a "Thump". I called out, "Are you all right?" No answer. I went to the bathroom and found the door closed. I had to push it open carefully, and found that she was lying on the floor with her head against the door. I was able to get one arm in and gently push it to one side so that I could gradually get it fully opened. She was unconscious making little moaning noises and obviously close to death. I phoned for the paramedics. They arrived in good time and went to work on her, and soon the ambulance arrived. They transported her to the regional medical center located about 35 miles away, and when she was wheeled into the emergency room she began to have a massive heart attack. That was because she had suffered a brain aneurysm and her cranial cavity was being flooded with blood and her life functions were beginning to shut down. If you don't know what an aneurysm is, it is when the wall of a blood vessel weakens and begins to swell out like a balloon filled with blood. When it bursts you have what is called a hemorrhagic stroke. When next I saw her she was in intensive care with one nurse doing nothing but care for her. Every opening in her body had a tube coming out of it and there were lots of wires attached to her and various machines. It was just like on TV or in the movies, blip, blip, blip, except for her brain which showed no activity at all. The doctor that was in charge of the Intensive Care Unit for that day was a elderly lady who happened to be a Neurosurgeon. She told me that for all intents and purposes my wife was dead, being kept alive only by the machines, and that if they were unplugged she would die. She wanted me to go home and think about what I wanted to do. I pretty much knew the answer because my wife and I had talked about it several times in the past, that we did not want to be kept alive artificially. Our Minister showed up and he, I, and my daughter prayed beside my wife. The minister prayed aloud and paced about a bit while doing it. He asked that if he was willing that God heal and restore my wife, but of course that His will be done in the matter. I went home to make the hard decision. I knew what it would be, but getting up the resolve to say, "Pull the plugs" is very, very hard when you truly love the person. I went back the next morning and told the Neurosurgeon that I'd made up my mind. She said, "Well, I'd be reluctant to withdraw life support now. During the night we saw her move her foot twice." As a result she was take by helicopter to Portland, OR, Oregon Health and Science University Hospital, a truly amazing place. She was in their Intensive Care Unit for over two weeks, and then in Critical Care for another two weeks. I visited her about every third day and watched her begin to slowly "come back". After she left Intensive Care I walked into her room one day and asked, "Do you remember who I am? Who am I?" She replied, "You're my husband." I sat down in an arm chair. She said, "Who is that sitting on the sofa?" There was no one (visible) there. I asked, "Where is he exactly?" She pointed at the sofa about three steps away. I went over to the sofa and sat on the end and asked, "Do you still see him?" "Yes." I moved over a cushion toward the center. "Do you still see him?" "Yes." I moved to the center. "Do you still see him?" "No, he's gone now." "What did he look like?" "He was shiny. I couldn't see him clearly." After being in OHSU for a month she transferred to a nursing home for another six weeks, then I took her home. Thankfully I had good insurance as her bills totaled about one million dollars, and I paid about six thousand. Thirty days after her stroke the neurosurgeon who had been her doctor in Portland wanted a follow up visit. He said to her, "I'm so glad to see you sitting there across the desk from me. 50% of the people that suffer your kind of stroke die before they get to the hospital. The other 50% die in the hospital." It's been six years now since her stroke and all she takes is an aspirin tablet as a blood thinner in the morning and a small blood pressure tablet before bed. Every time I, or a doctor takes her blood pressure is is in the neighborhood of 117/62. I have no doubt that she will outlive me. Many folks have said, and I believe that God permitted me to live in order to be her caregiver, as he sees and knows all things and knew what was going to happen to her. I know that God hears prayers. I do believe that he can heal those who request healing or have it requested in their behalf. I've lived it and seen it twice.
I guess that's the end of my story, but I wanted to make a comment to all who will read it. This Castboolits Forum of ours is unique in that although it's primary purpose is for the discussion and sharing of knowledge of our great hobby, it also seems to be a vehicle for the advancement and discussion of Christian beliefs. There are those who believe, and those who contend, question, and scoff. It is fascinating to see those of the latter persuasion and viewpoint keep returning to the threads that discuss Christian beliefs to express their doubt and negativity, almost like a moth drawn to the flame. There is something that keeps pulling them back. After all, no one makes them visit these threads and argue or comment--they just can't seem to help it. If there is something I don't like, find distasteful, or don't believe, I don't participate. Whether they want to believe it or not, and recognize it or not, something is pulling them. They're searching, looking, but can't see the forest for the trees. May God bless you all, my friends, and grant you good health.
Once again, I kept my promise. Thank you Father God for what you did for me first, and then my wife.