CCCAMPER@UMCVMB (01/17/90)
Last Monday I received a note from Jim telling me that he
was going in the operating room for angioplasty (?) the
following morning and should be in the OR from 8:20 to
8:40am and it seemed that 8:35am was a critical time. He
really didn't know why, but he felt that he should tell
me. So when I came to work on Tuesday I was ready to have
some peace and quiet and pray. However, before 8am one of
my CPU's IPL'd and many, many people kept coming into my
office for some reason.
I decided that Satan didn't want me to pray. There must be
power in it! So I asked God to not let it bother me and
I would just do the best that I could. Finally I simply
walked down the hall to the lounge for some privacy and
so I could be left alone with not distractions and pray.
I looked out the hall window and thought "Jeff City
is down that way" (where Jim was in the OR) Then in my mind
I saw the image of an angel in a flowing white robe rushing
to Jeff. City like Tootsie (MU med school's chopper)! Oh brother,
how corny can you get, I thought!!
I went into the lounge and started to pray. It was approaching
8:35am, the critical time. I started to pray for God's will
to be done, etc, all that accepting kind of thing. Then the
following rushed conversation took place with this "voice".
e=me , v=voice
v pray for a miracle
e i can't do that
v PRAY for a miracle
e well, that would be hard on my faith if it didn't happen
v PRAY for a *miracle*!
e well, it takes a lot of faith to do that
v PRAY FOR A *MIRACLE*!!!
e well, ok, i'll try
v you can move mountains if you believe, *you* believe!
e ok, then let them just not find any blockage, like happened to
George*.just a nerve or something. (my brother-in-law)
v Pray for a miracle!
e is this Jesus talking to me? (Christia had just been discussing
spirits!)
v YES
e (being *really* careful) *WHO* is this talking to me?
v JESUS!JESUS! (not rudely, but obviously timing was important!)
e OK! then i pray for a miracle for Jim Holstein like happened
for George Zufall, just a nerve or some small problem.
v it ok. keep praying! it'll mean so much to you when it happens,
it's a witness for you! this is for a witness. you'll be
so happy!
(and all this time this "corny" angel in my mind is standing
in an OR over the table and then finally reaching down and
touching the patient's chest when i asked definitely for
a miracle.)
For someone raised in the Lutheran Church this isn't exactly
common stuff. But it was *fun* and exciting. Jesus is my
best friend and He is so *friendly*, it was fun.
The following is the outcome: (quoted directly from Jim)
DIAGNOSIS
No blockage found at all!
1) mitrol valve prolapse: valve from upper left heart cavity
to lower pumping cavity doesn't shut completely and allows
back-leakage (in itself genetic and not life-threatening)
2) coronary artery spasm closure: a muscle spasm that causes
the heart to pinch a section of the front-left coronary
artery. The bottom of the heart then shouts "hey, what's
going on up there... not getting enough oxygen, help!"
hense, heart attack symptoms I was having.
RX
1) exercise and loose a few pounds (UGH!)
2) take 1 pill a day for the rest of my life
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Taking a pill sounds much better than open heart surgery,
especially at 41!
Thank you all for your prayers!
In His love and AMAZING GRACE!
Elizabeth