A documented answer to prayer

WHEN PAIN IS SO BAD YOU CRY OUT IN THE NIGHT:
My good friend Mary Ann lives in Kansas. She was having migraines when I got in on the story……pounding migraines that completely immobilized her. She could do nothing but go to bed. This went on for almost two months. The migraines appeared like clockwork….every three days.

During this time she discovered that Excedrin Migraine helped, and helped a lot…..two tablets took away the pain in about 30 minutes and she could function again. But Excedrin is a mix of Tylenol and aspirin and caffeine, and the aspirin can tear up your stomach. Mary Ann found this out one bad night when she had a migraine and became physically sick and spewed up blood.

She was rushed to ER in Bartlesville where they did a CAT scan of her brain. They found no tumors pressing on the brain, which at least was good news. No more Excedrin, was the instruction, but this meant there was nothing to take away the intense pain of the migraines.

Later, Mary Ann had to be taken by her family to the Urgicenter clinic several times, where Toradol was administered, This is the standard treatment for migraines, but it can take hours to click in before it knocks you out eventually. The migraines kept coming every three days. The only exception was that Mary Ann got a cortisone shot from a neck specialist, and for four days she was pain free and rejoicing. But then the migraines came back…..one every three days.

During one migraine on Wednesday 9 December, fibromyalgia set in as well, and Mary Ann felt like she wanted to die. Her daughters rushed her to Urgicenter where she was treated between 8 and 9 pm CT (please note – this time is important). Even with the Toradol she was unable to sleep until 3 am. But here is a key part of the story: the Urgicenter doctor recommended a chiropractor — how often does that happen?? The doc related how the chiro had previously helped her own father when he had migraines.

SPECIAL SONG:
When this last incident took place I was in Albuquerque and I went to the Living Free service at my church on that same Wednesday night. Although I was unaware what Mary Ann was going through at the time I prayed for her when the band and singers filled the stage with glorious songs and choruses. Although this was an uplifting experience, I sensed there was something else to come. After the message the band returned and sang one more song called Always by Kristian Stanfill (You can click on the link to hear the song. After the song you need to go back to the link to the blog).

This had special meaning for me, because I had previously sent this song to Mary Ann and her daughter Staci when Staci was dealing with breast cancer. When the song played in the service, I lifted my hands in praise and tears flowed as I lifted up Mary Ann in prayer. In that moment I felt distinct reassurance that it would be alright with Mary Ann. The time was 7:30 pm MT which is 8:30 pm CT.

GOD-INTERVENTION?
How do we know when God intervenes? It’s often a subjective experience, and not amenable to objective proof. But time coincidence during specific prayer can be attributed to God with more certainty in my experience.

To illustrate, the song Always which gave me definite reassurance was sung at 8:30 pm CT time, when Mary Ann was at the doctor’s and when the doctor recommended the chiropractor. Yes the same day and the same hour. This was Part A of the answer to prayer.

Another coincidence: The next day, Thursday 10 December, Mary Ann called about seeing the chiro, but wasn’t able to get in until Friday morning. On that same Thursday 10 December, in the afternoon, I sent out an SOS text to friends in Albuquerque who know how to pray. Friends of Mary Ann’s in the Kansas area were praying hard also. I think these diligent prayers may well have contributed to what happened next.

When Friday arrived, Mary Ann walked in to see Dr Null the chiropractor. She had a neck ache as well as a headache. He immediately took X-rays of the neck, which she always thought was the source of the migraine, and adjusted the top spinal vertebra which was pressing on the spinal column nerve. Mary Ann felt immediate relief from both neck and head pains. This was Part B of the answer to prayer.

DISAPPOINTMENT BEFORE JOY:
But it didn’t last. The next migraine came on three days later! Another adjustment by Dr Null, the chiro, who explained: “We nudge it back in. But then it can pop out again. So we nudge it back in again. And gradually, the misplaced vertebra gets used to staying in.” This gave us all hope. Meanwhile when she slept Mary Ann started to wear her old neck brace, left over from a previous neck fusion, to help keep the vertebra in place.

In early January she went 9 days without a migraine, which finally broke the three-day cycle. By January 20 she had been migraine-free for 16 days, another record. This was Part C of the answer to prayer.

TAKEAWAYS:
• To a scientist this looks like a three-part answer from God. Especially because there was huge uncertainty about what triggers the migraines, and anxiety amongst all of us about whether we could find any kind of solution. The regular GPs were at a loss, despite the high-tech X-rays of Mary Ann’s neck at their disposal.

• An alternative treatment appears to have solved the problem. And this was truly an integrative approach: the GP recommending a chiropractor. Further, the chiro took and interpreted his own X-rays, and saw an irregularity that the GP’s and the medical specialists missed.

• Sincere thanks are due. To God first…..thank you, thank you, thank you God (for the three-part miracle). And also highly important….to all the folks who were praying hard for a solution to Mary Ann’s migraines….our heartfelt thanks.
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The above is from a blog that I posted in 2015. I happened on it this morning. It reassures my faith in God when I feel like I’m sinking beneath waves of trouble.
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PS: I write blogs about a curious mix of topics: Science and Energy, and Health and Hiking, and Inspiration and Hope. Something for everyone!
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The Gray Nomad ….. Ponder the use of prayer.
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But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
[Book of Matthew, chapter 6]