Chapter 5
MY HEALER
On Dec. 7, 1983 I underwent surgery for ovarian cancer. I had waited too long to seek medical help for abdominal pains which I had been experiencing for a few months. The cancer had grown to a mass about the size of a small football and it was attached to most of the internal organs. The Doctor who performed the surgery told me that I was very fortunate to have him as a surgeon because he was one of maybe three Doctors in this country who would have bothered to operate on me. He said most Doctors would have just sewn me back up and said "I'm sorry, there is nothing we can do for you".
What a coincidence that I would get him! No, I do not believe it was a coincidence at all. My Lord Jesus was in complete control. The Dr. had to cut the growth off everything and removed a small portion of the large intestine. When he told me the extent of the cancer after surgery, he said it was all through me including the lymph glands. (Years later I sent for a copy of my medical record and found that there were nodules on the liver, the pancreas and the duodenum.) He told me that they could probably keep me alive for a year with chemotherapy and radiation treatments. I was shocked! It is devastating to be told that you only have a year to live, if you're lucky.
To my husband's credit, he handled this like a trooper. He tried to keep me from hearing the worst of the diagnosis and was like a ministering angel as he watched over me in the hospital. I couldn't have asked for better care. As soon as I was able to go to the bathroom by myself I cried out to my almighty God. I waited until then because it was the only place where I had any privacy. I was in a ward with several other patients. As I cried out to God I felt that I was before His throne. I really believed He heard me. I told him that if this was His will and he was going to take me home, it was O.K. I was ready to go but I asked Him to consider the affect it would have on my Mom. Our Mother was a very special lady. She had eleven children and she loved each one of us with all her heart. I knew my death would be really difficult for her to deal with. Then I asked Him to please tell me if He was going to heal me. Many of my Christian friends had been telling me that the Lord had told them that I was going to be fine but I needed to hear it from him directly. This was much too serious to receive God's word second hand.
A few hours later I joined my husband in the waiting room. It was evening and there were only three of us there. I had my Bible with me and I chose one corner of the room for privacy. I opened my Bible and began praying: "Please Lord, speak to me through your word and tell me what you are going to do." I began turning the pages, just groups at a time. After just a few seconds I felt an impression to stop. When I stopped my eyes were drawn to one particular passage. It was II Kings 20:5. I reads, "I am the LORD the God of your Father, David. I have heard your prayer, and I have seen your tears. Surely I will heal you."