"The Blessings continue..."

Last Wednesday evening, after an Architecture Continuing Education lecture in West Palm Beach, I had a "calling" to stop by a friend's charismatic church 7 PM service...

After the sermon was finished, another friend asked if I'd like to go up to the front of the church for prayers...in a few words I related that I had been diagnosed with four in my right and three in my left, blood clots in my lungs...He responded that you were a "ticking time bomb, weren't you ? Are you aware of the James 5: 14-16 verse from the Bible?"

"Is anyone among you sick?  Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well"

He gathered the congregation in a circle around me, anointed my forehead with oil, and then together they all prayed...Amen...I thanked them and left...

The following afternoon, I returned for another CAT Scan , two weeks after my original diagnosis.   I left an went back for another walk on the beach, and from a deck above the ocean, I noticed a fifteen-foot wide what i thought was a dark current, extending as far as I could see in the north and south directions...It was another amazing natural phenomenon, a two day "run of mullet bait fish, tarp, and sharks!  That evening, I received an entry onto my "patient portal" from my doctor...

"Lung CTA-resolved pulmonary embolus, no clots"...All seven lung clots were gone!   The following day, my doctor e-mailed that my exercise and travel could resume...after fourteen days...in lieu of the earlier expressed four months!!!

Sunday, I was relating this story to one of my usher friends at our Catholic church...He said that he had a story to relate...His Atheist sister had been diagnosed with an inoperable terminal brain tumor, and he brought her to a healing mass...the Pastor invited the congregation into a circle around her, anointed her, and prayed together...

The following day, he took her to the hospital for a brain scan...the tumor was gone!!!   She converted to Christianity, and related her story for the next seven years of her life, until she passed of another illness...

Thank you for the prayers and blessings...

"Blessings..."

It was another beautiful "balmy" Palm Beach County, South Florida, night, and I just returned from Jupiter Beach, while having a wonderful phone conversation with my sister describing her son's 21st birthday "special" gourmet dinner celebration...

In reverse order...

I floated in the warm pool water of our beachfront timeshare resort, as the crescent moon appeared thru the unusual cloud formations in the distance.  My floating was assisted with Styrofoam "noodles" to keep my feet elevated (per doctor's orders...), as I stared thru the coconut palm tree at the large American flag billowed over the resort in the tropical breeze...

I listened to the conversation of a couple visiting from western Pennsylvania (I chimed in that I was lived after birth and after grad school graduation with my grandparents in eastern Pennsylvania!), with a few of their children and grandchildren ...they had four by birth and had adopted seven foster children, and still managed to retire early!

Before the swim, I had taken a walk along the beach...the resistance of the sand felt great on my legs, while the cardio filled my lungs with salt-infused oxygen, while the waves lapped onto the beach...A couple called out..."look to the northeast...an Atlas 5 rocket (partially manufactured locally, and the first destined to take samples from an asteroid) launch is occurring in one minute". I looked up an watched it thru the clouds, and walked over to hear the broadcast on her I-Phone and thank her.  "It's a nice evening for a walk.  I'm glad that after seeing the doctor this afternoon, that he gave me a go-ahead for walking for exercise.  Eight days ago I had been hospitalized with DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) in the left leg, and Pulmonary Embolisms in each lung (with 4 in the right and 3 in the lower left).  It had been a real surprise,because earlier the same day I had weight-lifted heavily, did a 1.5 mile swim, and did 45 minutes on a cardio elliptical machine, with no shortness of breath.  I had taken my Mother to see our doctor and had him check my swollen sore leg.  He said I had Phlebitis and should immediately go the hospital for an Ultrasound of the leg, and while at it, a CAT scan of the lungs.  After the tests, I was met with a wheelchair, and taken to the Emergency wing to be checked-in!   Had I not gone to the doctor, my condition could have been fatal!"

The woman listened, and mentioned that he older sister had died of lung cancer this morning...she continued that the beach is very therapeutic, and that they come to it  nearly every day at sunrise and sunset, 6 months in Jupiter, and 6 months near Hickum Air Base in Honolulu ( mentioned I had toured the islands with a grad school roommate who is the Hawaii  Air-Force bases architect)!  

While walking, I had a phone conversation with my 84 year old Mother for whom I had a new bed delivered the day before, and finally had a comfortable sleep after many sleepless years...and who was reciting the "current events" of the day...

When the doctor had entered for this afternoon's follow-up checkup, I told him that I was confused...I really had been surprised by my recent diagnosis, didn't know what caused it, or what my prognosis is, or what I should be doing, not doing, and for how long!  My 6 hours of Internet research on DVT, P.E., and my prescribed blood thinner drug, Xeralto, the night before had presented 180 degrees different opinions on everything, and with some , the prognosis was as bad as probable death in 12 months!  My doctor sat patiently, as I went thru each question, and when I paused, he said..."I haven't lost a P.E.diagnosed patient ever!"  He examined me, and said the lungs already sound better...the left leg veins are permanently damaged...and explained what had occurred, what I need to do for the next 4 to 6 months, and beyond, and that the treatment and its results will be taken step by step...

During the time at the beach, and as I write this, I've reflected on God's blessings...