If someone had told me when I first began my career as a critical care nurse that “miracles happen”, my science-based training would have made me doubt their legitimacy. Don’t get me wrong, I have always had an open mind to possibilities, (but not so open that my brains fall out) coupled with healthy respect for fact.
Mike F. introduced me to my first miracle. It was in the early eighties and he was a thirty-something, critically ill patient. Married to Debbie, with two young children, he had endstage cardiomyopathy. This is a disease process where the heart becomes enlarged and weak. Very little could be done for him (with the exception of a heart transplant). Anti-rejection drugs were non-existent at that time and transplants were rarely attempted.
On this particular night, Mike was dying. His cardiologist arrived, examined him, spoke with his family, then simply noted in Mike’s chart…“Death is imminent.”
I encouraged his family to be with him as I was certain this would be Mike’s last night. Mike’s parents, in-laws, siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins came to the hospital and then the prayer vigil began. I had never before seen anything like it. Holding hands, encircling Mike’s bed, the family prayed quietly throughout the night. When I would enter his dimly lit room to administer care, the reverence and peace inside was nearly palpable. Family members would relieve one another during the vigil but the prayer circle remained unbroken until daybreak. It was with a heavy heart that I left the hospital that morning.
A few days later, I returned for my scheduled shift. Miraculously, Mike’s condition had improved. My colleagues had reported that the prayer vigil had lasted until the following evening when the cardiologist revisited Mike and noted “ a miracle happened” in his chart.
It was a year later when I was at the mall and immediately recognized Debbie (Mike’s wife) walking hand in hand with a tall red-headed man. I approached her somewhat cautiously as I suspected Mike had died and that she was now in a new relationship. You could have blown me over with a feather when the man, grinning broadly, extended out his arms for a hug and said “What am I?” It was Mike! He looked so good that I truly didn’t recognize him.
It was a thrill seeing them both again and learning that Mike’s cardiomyopathy had completely reversed. His heart was healthy again. Scientifically impossible. That being said , I feel confident to say …”miracles happen”.
Mike F. introduced me to my first miracle. It was in the early eighties and he was a thirty-something, critically ill patient. Married to Debbie, with two young children, he had endstage cardiomyopathy. This is a disease process where the heart becomes enlarged and weak. Very little could be done for him (with the exception of a heart transplant). Anti-rejection drugs were non-existent at that time and transplants were rarely attempted.
On this particular night, Mike was dying. His cardiologist arrived, examined him, spoke with his family, then simply noted in Mike’s chart…“Death is imminent.”
I encouraged his family to be with him as I was certain this would be Mike’s last night. Mike’s parents, in-laws, siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins came to the hospital and then the prayer vigil began. I had never before seen anything like it. Holding hands, encircling Mike’s bed, the family prayed quietly throughout the night. When I would enter his dimly lit room to administer care, the reverence and peace inside was nearly palpable. Family members would relieve one another during the vigil but the prayer circle remained unbroken until daybreak. It was with a heavy heart that I left the hospital that morning.
A few days later, I returned for my scheduled shift. Miraculously, Mike’s condition had improved. My colleagues had reported that the prayer vigil had lasted until the following evening when the cardiologist revisited Mike and noted “ a miracle happened” in his chart.
It was a year later when I was at the mall and immediately recognized Debbie (Mike’s wife) walking hand in hand with a tall red-headed man. I approached her somewhat cautiously as I suspected Mike had died and that she was now in a new relationship. You could have blown me over with a feather when the man, grinning broadly, extended out his arms for a hug and said “What am I?” It was Mike! He looked so good that I truly didn’t recognize him.
It was a thrill seeing them both again and learning that Mike’s cardiomyopathy had completely reversed. His heart was healthy again. Scientifically impossible. That being said , I feel confident to say …”miracles happen”.
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Thanks so much for sharing this story. I too am of a scientific bend, but to the deepest depth of my soul I hope and pray that miracles truly do happen.
Happy New Year!
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