Week 366

Positive post Sunday, March 3, 2024…. Week 366.  Thanks to the grace of God, here I am BACK HOME for my regularly scheduled programming!  Well, considering what my family and I have just gone through, this PPS will certainly not be regular.  As covered by my loving daughters last week, I once again escaped death (see last week’s PPS 365).  Wow, not a dry eye here.   I’m so proud of my girls and grateful for their support these past few weeks.  What I’m most proud of is how they looked beyond this very serious challenge for our family and, through the grace of God, recognized and shared the good God brings from difficult situations!🙏

The next four paragraphs are my attempt to thank all those who have supported me over the past few weeks.  I am fully aware there are countless others, many of whom I have not even met.  Thank you all for “Standing By Me”.  This version of the song with vocals from around the world reminds me of how extensive my support has been: https://youtu.be/Us-TVg40ExM?si=IT37_MqUuUf1OwLv   I’m grateful to all.  Please also see my link to The Triangle of Life at the end.

The next four paragraphs are my attempt to thank all those who have supported me over the past few weeks.  I am fully aware there are countless others, many of whom I have not even met.  Thank you all for standing by me.  This version of the song, “Stand by Me”, with participation from around the world, is a musical example of how extensive my support has been: https://youtu.be/Us-TVg40ExM?si=IT37_MqUuUf1OwLv I’m grateful to all.  Please also see how I link The Triangle of Life to the trauma I have experienced in my life at the end.

Although, as they say, I’m not out of the woods yet, and still have a long road to recovery, I wanted to thank the many, many people who are the reason I am still here today.  As always, I start with my savior Jesus Christ without whom I would be irrelevant.  He has once again reminded me that my work here on earth is not done.  Although I look forward to, and I’m ready for, the day He calls me home, I agree that my work here is not done, and I look forward to getting back on track soon, serving others in His name.

Thank you to my amazing wife, Michele, who has been my rock throughout this challenge, and all challenges I have faced in my life.  She remained calm and reminded me that this was in God’s hands and that we would make it through, giving me courage and confidence in my weakest moments.  She was by my side all the way, and still is.  I am so blessed to have such a wonderful life-partner.  

Thank you to my family and extended family (you know who you are) and friends, you all jumped into action and generated one of the most powerful, extensive, and deepest prayer chains I have ever experienced, and I mean experienced.  I have never felt more prayed for in my life.  I literally felt the prayers.  I am absolutely overwhelmed and humbled by how quickly and extensively prayers and support were put into action.  I am also grateful for my colleagues at work for all their support and well wishes, especially allowing me time to heal.

Thank you to the ER team at Redlands Community Hospital, especially Brian who wasn’t even at work the day I was there but made sure I was taken care of.  If the RCH ER team had not found the problem, I would likely not be writing this today.  Thank you to Loma Linda University Medical Center, from the surgeons and their teams who saved my life to the doctors and nurses who maintained it.  From Respiratory to Physical Therapy to Nutrition and Housekeeping (more on this later). It literally took a village to get me back home.  Although I can’t begin to explain, or comprehend, all the amazing work at LLUMC, one thing was crystal clear, God is present throughout that worldclass hospital.  I prayed with a world-renowned doctor and nurses several times, and these were not simple, “I pray you get well” prayers.  They were thoughtful, deep, and spiritual prayers, focused on my situation.  It was extremely powerful, and along with Fr. Arinze’s visit and his prayers, I’m confident that the quality of my own prayers will improve significantly. 

Some might wonder how I can continue writing a PPS each week after all the trauma I have been through in my life, including most recently my second open heart surgery. I’m now known as a “redo” in the cardio thoracic world.  Not a title I aspired to achieve😊.  Hopefully, my daughter’s post from last week and everything shared above give some insight into the answer to that question.  The trauma I have experienced throughout my life has provided me a solid platform to share the good God brings from difficult situations.  These experiences have also reminded me of the song “I’m so blessed” by Cain (see Positive post Sunday, March 19, 2023…. Week 316).  I love the lyric, “Cause on my best day, I’m a child of God, On my worst day, I’m a child of God, Oh, every day is a good day”.  So, why not make the best of every day, especially those with challenges!

Let me end by sharing some learnings (from the patient’s viewpoint) from all the trauma I have experienced this far in my life.  Let me simplify it in a framework that should be very familiar to many of you, The Triangle of Life.

Faith- Some might lose faith through all these life-threatening experiences, wondering why God puts us through times like these. Life is too short to wonder.  I choose to remain focused on my goal here on earth, eternal life.  My Faith is stronger and deeper than ever, strengthened not weakened through these experiences.  It’s fitting that we are in Lent.  Any pain I have experienced, pales compared to what Jesus did on that cross for us, opening the gates of Heaven for all believers.  I dedicate my life to serving my family, friends, and our communities, bringing everyone I can closer to our Lord.

Family- All you have to do is read my daughters’ PPS last week.   They wrote about what we were experiencing and continue to experience through this challenge our family is going through.  Bottom line is this has brought ALL our family closer together, and for that I am grateful.

Fitness- Being physically, mentally and spiritually fit has unquestionably helped me recover quickly from all these experiences and get back to serving our Lord.  Speaking of our Lord, He visited me in the hospital on Wednesday and then again on Thursday.  He appeared through Michael in housekeeping. Standing tall with broom and dustpan in hand, Michael let Michele and me know he was there to clean our room.  Oh, he cleaned more than just our room those days!

Michael had a deep accent and shared that he had only been in the US for a year.  Moving from Jamaica with his wife and son.  While Michele and I were waiting for him to clean the room, which I’m not even sure he ever did, we began a conversation. We talked about our faith, Jesus and living a humble and healthy lifestyle.  Michael took fitness to a whole new level, the spiritual level.  Michele and I looked at each other and it was clear on our faces, Michael cleaned more than my room that day.  He cleansed our souls and strengthened our spiritual fitness.  What a powerful experience.

The normal discharge procedures came from the Discharge Nurse (meds, appointments, wound care etc.), but Michael from housekeeping gave us the mental, moral, and spiritual prescriptions we needed to transition to the next phase in our journey, going home.

All my positive posts are now available at www.positivepostsunday.com. 

How has your faith been strengthened during your most challenging times?

Where has Jesus (In my case through Michael from housekeeping) shown up during your life challenges? Did you recognize Him and listen and act?