News

Dear Friends in Christ,

Here’s my story:

You might not know that this past Monday I had a stroke. I was lying in bed about ready to get up and I remember looking at the clock. It was 6:15 AM. So I was going to roll out of bed and nothing was happening. I tried to sit up and next thing I knew I fell back down on my pillow. Kathy heard the commotion and quickly got out of bed and tried to help me. Once she realize something was wrong she called 911. Before you know it, the paramedics were here to help me. My whole right side of my body was numb. Like pins and needles. I was dizzy, nauseated, and all sweaty. The paramedics help me to the bathroom and the quickly put me on the gurney. They took me out the front door and into the ambulance. As I was in the ambulance, I prayed if it’s my time I’m ready to go through the pearly gates. But God had other plans He gave me this scripture:

Psalms 23: 4

Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

I had no fear! I was ready to go to heaven. Before I knew it I was at the hospital.  God has everything planned out. Once I got into the emergency room I was wheeled in and they start to come up with a plan to treat me. I was on stroke alert.  After they did a bunch of x-rays, scans and other tests, they told us I had a stroke. I’m not a candidate for a stroke, I don’t fit any of the criteria of being a stoke patient. But I did have a stroke, who knows why. As I was still in the emergency room, slowly I was regaining all my feelings back, in my right arm and right leg. They did some movement tests on me and everything they saw lead to take me off a stroke alert. They admitted me to the hospital and gave me a room and my nurse walks in; she’s my neighbor across the street! I told you God has everything plan out. By noon time I was able to move all my right side, not 100%.  They still needed to do more tests on me. While I was waiting Pastor Norm came to visit. The first scripture he read to me was Psalm 23. I told you God has everything planned out.  After all the tests they were going to do to me, the neurologist came and saw me in the late afternoon and told me his plan. They would keep me over night and if everything goes good they will send me home on Tuesday. Now, as I was in my room in the hospital they had me hooked up to a portable heart monitor. Try to sleep with this entire stuff hook up to you! I didn’t get any sleep they were in and out of my room almost every hour. Early morning they wanted to draw blood from me, and guest what she is the wife of my friend! Like I said before, God is in control! Later on Tuesday afternoon the neurologist came in and gave me the good news, I can go home!

Can you believe that I had a stroke at 6:15 AM Monday morning and by noon time I was getting all my movements back and talking to family on the phone and on Tuesday late afternoon I came home? How can that happen only with God in control that can happen?

I feel a little weak right now. I’m slowly getting stronger every hour of the day. I’m not use to taking a lot of medicines; keep me in your prayers!

God Bless

Mark