I witnessed a miracle!

I know, I know all about the HIPPA laws, patient privacy act and all that, but I have to shout it from the roof tops. My best and dearest friend of 45 years, Sheila, who lives outside Boston, had brain surgery last week.

Her mental and physical condition had been rapidly declining; her speech was slurred and her short term memory was nearly non-existent. She fell frequently, and although her husband wanted her at home, one of her doctors was pushing for a skilled nursing facility.

Twenty plus years ago she was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. She finally went into remission, but as a result she lost most of her short term memory. She began having seizures, so they put her on restricted fluids, and that broke my heart. As the years went by she got progressivley worse, and I didn't think she'd be with us much longer, as this summer she took to her bed and became weak.

A brain surgeon suggested at her annual appointment that her balance may improve if they put a shunt into her brain to divert fluid to her stomach. BUT, chances for improvement were 50/50. Prognosis was uncertain; success in days, months or perhaps up to five years, or not at all. There were no guarantees that she would even survive the surgery. She said she wanted it.

I worry-prayed all day of the scheduled surgery. Then I received an email from her husband: doctor called out on emergency. Surgery cancelled and rescheduled. Another week of pray, beg, worry.

A week after her surgery, I telephoned. Her voice was vibrant; she was alert, made sense. She told me about her new great-grandson, and we did something we haven't done in years, we laughed and laughed together.

It is a miracle. I am so relieved. I have been sending her a card or letter a week for years and years, talking about old times, because her long term memory is intact, I usually wrote about our days as neighbors in Alaska when our husbands were soldiers.

Her mobility is still impaired, she stumbles, but is getting stronger. Best of all, she came out of anesthesia sooner than expected and she began talking coherently, and she hasn't stopped since. I am so relieved, thankful and happy.  Praise God and the surgeons.