Testimonies of Faith

[Ricky G.H.]

Keeping Faith in times of sickness

The year was 1991; my wife and I had two children. Glenn was 15 years old and Danny was 13 years old. Glenn’s weight was up to 120 lbs. but then he started loosing weight. We didn’t think much about it at first but when he dropped 15 lbs. My wife and I began to worry and started trying to find medical advice. We carried him to our family doctor, but giving us no real help, he said that it was probably just a normal stage of growth that he was going through. My son continued to loose weight and started to get nauseas also. The doctors gave him prescriptions for nausea also they tried several medicines for his stomach, and none of them helped his problem. We started carrying him to every doctor that he had ever seen and some he had not, trying to find the answer. His weight kept dropping, and we knew that it was not normal for a teenager of his age. Every doctor that we took him to found no answer and the sad part was none of them referred him to anyone that could help him. We took him to the Medical University of South Carolina, to an Urologist and the only answer he could give us was that he could refer him to a general practitioner. We were so angry and frustrated because we could find no help for our son. Glenn’s weight kept dropping and it was down to 70 lbs. I started praying every chance that I got.

My sister Vicky called me and said she was talking to one of her church members about Glenn and found out that they had a similar problem with their son and had to carry him to Birmingham Alabama to get him help. I called the doctor that they used and made an appointment. I knew that we needed to carry as much information about my son’s case that we could gather so I collected all the test results and doctor records that I could get my hands on from the last 10 months, since his trauma started. My son’s weight was down to 66 lbs. by this time and he could not eat anything, but only drink a little at a time, so I bought him some ensure to drink. We started our trip to Birmingham Alabama, which was 400 miles and two states away. We only had an address and a Southeastern US map for directions. I was so upset at the time that I had forgotten to get specific directions, even which exit to take off of the interstate. I figured that I would ask directions when we got close to our destination. Glenn wanted to sit in the front passenger seat and recline back, so my wife sat in the rear seat. I remember how pale and thin he looked sitting there. I started praying to God, asking him to help us make it there and find my son help. After we passed through Atlanta I wanted to try and get my son to eat a little something, so at random, I took an exit. (To this day I do not remember the exit number off of the interstate). When we came to the end of the off ramp from the interstate to the stop sign, there on the right was a beautiful archway with angels on it leading to a nice shady stand of pine trees. We pulled into the shady area to eat. We all had the same feeling that we were being led by the hand of God on this journey. Glenn tried to eat something but only threw it back up. He was able to drink a little at a time. He was getting weaker and weaker by the hour. I started praying to God for help quietly to myself trying not to show my son how emotional and up set I was. I knew my wife was in the back seat doing the same thing. When we started getting into Birmingham I stated that I had no idea which exit we needed to take. My sick son whom could hardly hold his head up, said dad let me hold the map. After passing a few exits he said dad take the next one. I knew he had no idea which one to take either, but I followed his suggestion thinking at least I could ask directions. When we took the off ramp and came to the stop sign, we looked straight ahead and there was a large cross on the front of St. Vincent hospital. Directly across from the hospital was the doctor’s office that we needed to go to the next morning. I drove a short distance down the street from the hospital and found a motel where we spent the night. Now the whole time period from when he started loosing weight until this night, he never had a fever, I mean all the months about 10 totals, no fever. This night when we got settled in the motel and started getting ready for bed, he started running a fever. We wanted to try and control it and not carry him into the emergency room because we wanted to keep the appointment with the specialist the next morning. His temp went up to 105 degrees, and we started giving him Tylenol and wiping him down with a cold rag. My wife and I were able to keep it down to about 101 degrees by staying up all night, giving him Tylenol every 4 hours and wiping him down with a cold rag. The next morning we went to the doctors office, gave him all of the information we brought, told him of all the time and effort we had been through trying to get our son help. The doctor checked my son and looked over the information we had brought and in about 30 minutes talked to us. He asked, “no one has put this all together?” and of course we said no. “He said your son has chrons disease and needs to be hospitalized”. He put Glenn in St Vincent hospital and started feeding him intravenously. They ran test for about a week and determined that he needed surgery. After six hours in surgery the surgeon came and talked to my wife and I. He said it was the worst case he had ever seen and if we had not gotten him there when we did he would not have lived but a few more days. He said Glenn had lots of abscess on the inside of his abdomen and he had to literally take all of his intestines out which was inflamed and matted together. He had to remove four feet of his small intestines, plaster the inside of his abdomen where the abscesses were and had to surgically remove his intestines from his bladder where it had fused itself and was the reason why unknown bacteria (fecal waste) had been found in his urine. While Glenn was in surgery, my wife and I took turns going to the chapel and praying. We did not want to leave the waiting room unattended just incase the doctor came out of surgery to talk to us. While praying, I asked God to take me if he had to take someone, but please save my son.

Three weeks later we were able to take my son home from the hospital. On the way back not knowing where we were we decided to stop and take a break to stretch our legs. So we took an exit off the interstate and when we came to the stop sign at the end of the off ramp there was the archway with the angels on it again. We could not help but to think that God led us to find help and he was with us to give us a safe journey back home. My son Glenn was able to start back to school after several more weeks of recovery. He gained his weight back and a good bit more because of the steroids that he had to take to control the chrons disease. For anyone who does not know, this disease is not curable. It is treatable but not curable. Glenn graduated high school in 1995, then he went to the University of South Carolina, graduated and was married in 2000, He is 35 years old now and has a 10 year old son. He worked several different jobs but eventually having to quit and go on disability because of the chrons disease flaring up time and time again. About six years ago he had to have surgery again, removing about 3 more feet of his small intestines. Then about 5 years ago he started having severe pain in his hips. He spent a year in a wheel chair, unable to walk because of the pain. The doctors said that both hip joints had deteriorated so bad that they were just bone on bone and that it was a result of taking so many steroids over the years. They wanted him to come in to talk about surgery. I went with him and the intern came in first, which he had not seen before and stated that he had no options but one because of his chrons disease and that his body would not accept the hip transplants. She said that the only option that he had was for them to cut the joints out and remain in a wheel chair the rest of his life. This was the Bone and Joint Center a branch of MUSC. We talked when she went out and I could not help but to get angry. When the regular doctor he had been seeing came in we tried to remain calm but when he started to hand us the same line I could not just sit there and accept that answer. My son is a very quite and passive guy, I knew if anyone was going to reject this solution it was going to be me. I knew that my face was getting red because it felt like it was on fire. I stood up, started pacing back and forth in the office and asking the doctor, “What kind of solution is that to his problem”?!! “You at least, have got to give him a chance!!” I tried to compose my self and started pleading with the doctor, please just try the first one and if his body rejects it, then you can remove it, but at least try to give him a chance. My son started talking to the doctor too asking for them to at least try it. They did the first surgery with no problems or rejections from his body and about six month later they did the second hip replacement. It has been four years now, and still no problems. He is walking fine and has been able keep his chrons in check by taking Humira, even though he does have flare ups they are not quite as bad and do not last as long as they did.

One of the worst things about this disease is that it is very hard to diagnose. Keep in mind though, that there are a lot of good gastroenterologist doctors out there today and more doctors are aware of this disease. I never heard of this disease before my son was diagnosed but you see commercials on TV about treatments every day now. If this story helps just one person find help and get diagnosed or find spiritual strength with any sickness it was worth my efforts in writing this. I give special thanks to my sister Vicky for her love, concern and help.

I think back on the hard time we had finding help and how hopeless things seemed, and then realizing that God was with us and helping us every step of the way. Oh what a magnificent and wonderful God we have. Thank you Lord for saving our son.

Sincerely

Ricky G. H.

[pattyangel]

Ricky G.H. What a miraculous testimony. Thank you sharing it with us.

God is sooooooo gooood and loving. He never leaves our sides and He just wants us to ask.

[littlesam]

My heart is sadden that your son had to go through all this and that as parents you had to also but i also know the power of prayer and the devine ( angels ) mercies he bestows on us...I hope he continues to lead a wonderful life and that Gods promises and his grace and above all his never ending love comforts and protects you all until the time on earth is done....Thanks for sharing such a wonderful testimony....

[learning all i can]

Oh me, the love and the heart break of a parent when our child is in need, pain, suffering or dying is more than most of us ccan even comprehend. I just don't know what to even say, except that God has chosen to use you and your families testimony to draw others near...Ricky G.H., I am so sorry for your families suffage and the pain that your son must face day in and day out. I know there are many families that would fall apart in this situation....You truely bring glory to our God all Mighty and I thank you.....and pray for your sons relief from pain and healing......God Love you...barb

[delta22]

Thank you for sharing Brother. May the Lords peace be with you and your family always.

[EagleEye]

Thanks for the post and for a marvelous testimony Ricky GH...

I can only hope others will be also led to share of God's hand in their lives...because each testimony IMO is a beacon of hope to those in need...

in that regard I offer the following:

years ago while I was a corporate pilot I received a desparate call from my sister that her husband was in an "irreversible coma" and would NOT last the night. It was late on a friday evening and I was scheduled to fly some executives to Detroit within the hour. All I had to offer her was my very sincere prayer that God would intervene. (at the time her husband because of his long-standing illness for which there was no known treatment or cure was bitter and had no faith in God)....we prayed for God's help and I left for the airport....upon arrival the senior exec approached me with, "...You're the pilot correct ?...I don't know why I'm doing this but can we change our flight plan to go to Pittsburgh (our home town) instead of Detroit ? There's a site there I would like to visit."....My response was I'll have the new plan ready in about 5 minutes.

I called my sister and told her to meet me at the airport in an hour. After arrival we raced to the hospital where her husband lay in the coma. Machines were handling ALL of his life functions. The Drs said, he's going fast. You have 5 minutes to go say your goodbyes. When I entered the ICU I began to pray sincerely for God to touch his body and raise him up. (My sister would have been left a single mom with 2 small children) Suddenly alarms began to sound as one by one the machines sustaining my brother-in-law clicked off and his systems took over miraculously...as the staff rushed in to attend him and usher me out post-haste, he opened his eyes and squeezed my hand....

that was Friday night...monday morning he was released from the hospital....six months later he came to visit, gave his heart to the Lord and was baptized.......

while he has since passed on....he lived years beyond his given life expectancy and was prepared to meet God and my sister and the children were also prepared...

our God is indeed an awesome God.

[bamagirl]

Wonderful testimonies Ricky and EagleEye... He is awesome and always on time!! Ricky my husband and mother in law both have Crohn's.. my husband has only been hospitalized once and it wasn't very severe then, 12 yrs ago. He found out he had it after he eat a bowl of frosted flakes one morning and couldn't eat again for 2 days, by then he was dehydrated and very sick.... my mom in law has had it for years and had the surgeries to have intestines removed after her bowels backed up.... It is an awful disease and my heart aches for all your son has suffered... God bless all.

BTW Ricky, my mom had to stay at St. Vincent's for several days once, it is a wonderful hospital.. she was very well cared for there.

[Ricky G.H.]

bamagirl, Thank you, Yes St Vincent's is a very good hospital,I pray that God will continue to bless you and help your family with this disease. Thank you again bamagirl for reminding me how to spell crohn's, I should know with all we have gone through. But I have that problem miss spelling words some times.

That was a wonderful testimonie EagleEye, thank you for sharing. Our God is a Awesome God. Thank you all, I pray God will bless you all, pattyangel, littleman, learning all i can, delta22, EagleEye, and bamagirl. I will be praying also that others will give their testimonies on this Forum Post.. It is a good way to share Gods love with each other. As Christains we need to spread Gods word to others that do not believe, and you all know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ should be the main topic. Again thank you and God bless.

Ricky G,H.

[Ricky G.H.]

My 82 year old mother is in the last stages of Alsheimers. In December of last year she was in the ICU. She had a blood infection and we did not think she was going make it through. I am sure that prayers from family, friends and local churches helped her. We have her home now with four of us children and Hospice taking care of her. Please pray and ask your church to pray for Frances Bailey. I know that her life as all of ours are in the hands of God and his wil be done. Thank you so much.

Ricky

[bamagirl]

Praying for your mom Ricky.

[Ricky G.H.]

Thank you bamagirl.

[Ricky G.H.]

Come on Christian members and visitors, Testimonies are important, to show others how God is working in your life. You know that God is still on the Throne. Amen

In these times, it is good for us to show our faith, and by giving your testimone you are telling others that God is real and he does Love them, and that Jesus his son is the way.

[Ricky G.H.]

I once was lost but now I"m found. Glory be to God, and his son the Lord Jesus Christ