Sharing

Share Your Victory

                 Lois Collier    ~~~  God Has Done Great Things

 In the spring of 1995 I was at my church participating in a teachers meeting. Shortly after the meeting began I experienced numbness in my lips and hands. Excruciating pain gripped my head. I thought I was having a migraine headache. My ears were ringing, and I felt like hot liquid was pouring all through my head and body. Suddenly, without warning I tumbled from my chair on to the floor. The pain in my head was unbearable. I could not move, speak or see, but I could hear. I heard people all around me praying and doing everything they could to help me. They thought I might be hyper-ventilating and a bag was placed over my head. I wanted so much to say "no, I am not hyper-ventilating." Being unable to move or speak, I could not tell them or even gesture. The pain in my head was swiftly increasing. A call was placed to 911 for an ambulance to transport me to a hospital. My pastor rode in the ambulance with me, praying all the way. Prayer warriors from near and far were called to pray.

 After I was admitted to the hospital, several people came in and out of my room. All sensed that death was there. No doubt about it I was critically ill. The Medical Staff who attended me were gravely concerned regarding my condition. It did not look good at all.

Three days after being admitted to the hospital I became comatose. An aneurysm had burst in the front of my brain. For three days I lingered in the coma. When I emerged from the comatose state my body chemistry became severely abnormal which meant that the necessary surgery could not be performed due to serious complications that might arise in many major organs of my body.

As I lay in the hospital, any sound, light or movement was more than I could bear. The slightest movement affected my head in an adverse way. Most of the time I was totally unaware of my surroundings. The pain was so intense I was barely conscious at times of where I was. The medical prognosis for me was not encouraging at all.

After ten days my Doctors felt I had stabilized enough to undergo the necessary surgery. Being unable to speak with me concerning my condition, the surgery and the projected outcome, the Doctors spoke with my family, telling them there was a possibility that I might not live and if I did survive I could emerge in a Persistent Vegetative State (PVS). I was then prepared for the surgery which would last several hours. As the surgery progressed all went well in the OR. I came through the surgery just fine but in the days that followed the surgery everything was still a blur.

After about fourteen days I began what was expected to be a long and tedious journey back to what might be considered a reasonable quality of life. No word from the Doctors gave any indication that I would ever be completely normal again. At this time I was conscious of my surroundings, I knew where I was but I was not mobile and still could not communicate. When it was time for my meals I struggled. I knew I needed to eat and the therapists were there to help me. The struggle was intense. I could put the food on a fork or spoon but I could not bring the food to my mouth. I began to lean toward the food trying to compensate for my lack of ability to bring it to my mouth. At times I leaned so far that my head almost fell into my plate. I could not sit up straight. When I was learning to walk again I could not walk without leaning forward. I was experiencing the same challenges as one who had suffered a stroke.

My speech was severely affected. I had to learn speak again. There was so much in my body that was no longer normal. More time passed and I began to see slight changes. Some improvement began manifesting each day. Still there was no word from the Doctors concerning whether I would ever improve enough to return to work. They said I may never work again.

People everywhere continued steadfast in prayer around the clock. The Word of God was spoken by all who were around me. My fellow church members were praying. My pastor was praying. Much prayer was sent to the Throne of God. In all of this I was not afraid. Fear had not settled on me. I continued to make progress. Daily improvement accelerated. Within eleven weeks from the onset I was pronounced well and able to return to work. My speech was normal, my gait was normal. It was as though nothing had ever happened. Today, twelve years later, I am perfectly well and happy and working every day. I suffer no ill effects from the trauma. I give praise and glory to God. He has done great things. I thank everyone who prayed and stood on the Word of God without ceasing during this dark time in my life. Faith in God's Word and Prayer works!!!!

Lois Collier 

September 2007