A big problem fro I am a 21st century miracle. My story begins on May 5, 2009 when I experienced what my family doctor diagnosed as an optical migraine. When this would happen, I would only see one half of a person’s face. When I watched TV, I would only see half of a person’s face or be able to read the words scrolling across the bottom one word at a time. However, when I told my doctor about this, he decided to have further tests done. On May 6, 2009 I had an ultra sound done of the carotid arteries.

The results indicated that I should have further testing done. On May 22, 2009 I had an MRI, MRA, and CATSCAN done. The results of the tests indicated I needed to see a cardiologist.

On July 7, 2009 I saw my cardiologist. After reading the reports he said I needed to have a nuclear stress test and echocardiogram. On July 23, 2009 I had the tests. The results indicated I needed to have a catheterization done. On August 3, 2009 that was completed. The results indicated I needed to have a quadruple bypass surgery. The results: 100% blockage in a main artery; 95% blockage at the top on both sides where the arteries loop to the left and right; There was also 85% blockage further down in the right artery and 75% blockage even further down. . I would need to have quadruple by-pass surgery. On August 4, 2009 at 6:00am I had this surgery. I woke up on Wednesday at 6:00pm in ICU. (I had been unconscious for 36 hours.)

The surgery itself was a difficult one because of the calcification of the arteries and blood vessels caused by diabetes. I was kept alive by machines for 12 hours in a very cold environment. During the surgery I had to have blood transfusions because of the amount of bleeding. When I came from the OR to ICU I was immediately wrapped in heated blankets to warm up my body due to the fear of hypothermia setting in because of the prolonged exposure to the cold.

In ICU I had poles on both sides of me with IVs going into my neck and wrists. I had a breathing tube in my throat and four tubes coming from my abdomen for draining the blood from my chest cavity. I was also catheterized for the elimination of urine. This is how my family first saw me. I believe it was harder on them than on me because I don’t remember much of this. (Again, I had been unconscious for 36 hours.)

The surgeon came in and talked to my wife after the surgery. He said that he did not know how blood had been getting to my heart. He said in my condition I should have been dead several years ago. He said that I had had heart disease for many years. (This had gone undetected because all of my EKGs were normal, and I had felt no symptoms.) He said that he wasn’t a very religious person, but the only reason I was still alive was because of — Him (meaning God) while he pointed to heaven. (I had been supernaturally kept alive according to him.) He told Nancy that I would be in significant pain and that I would probably be in ICU 8 to 10 days. He told her I would be another 10 days in the cardiac step-down unit, and I would probably be another 10 days in a cardiac rehab  unit. However, instead of 30 days, I was home in 8 days.

I would often have visitors – doctors and nurses — from the hospital because the word around the hospital was that I was “The Miracle Man.” They just wanted to stop by and see me.

I did not experience significant pain. When I was asked what my pain was on a scale of 1 to 10, I would tell them 2, and it only went up to 4 when I was being moved. At the astonishment of the surgeon, doctors, and nurses, breathing tube, abdomen tubes, and IVs were coming out of me at a speedy rate. I was out of ICU in 4 days and home in 8. On the 7th day I was walking up and down a hall and walking up and down 2 flights of stairs. The physical therapists said that I didn’t need them anymore, and they were signing off on me. I went home the next afternoon.

For those of you who may experience challenges or know family or friends that are going through difficult times, God is still the source of miracles – and I say this from personal experience and with confidence. There is HOPE.

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