My 1000th Post - Dedicated to my Mother and her Testimony

Hello fine ATS members.

A little over a year ago, not long after the Japan quake, I joined ATS searching for answers, and to indulge myself in knowledge, in conspiracies, and to get my daily dose of excitement from fear-mongerers. Many hours I have spent on this board, which I did not think I would do, but there's something about this place.. it's definitely the people. Though we have our differences, I still love each and every one of you.

I hope that this thread will not turn into a thread full of insults, and I'm not looking for a debate. I simply wish to do two things -

1) Honor my Mother, whom passed away on October 3rd, 2011 - about 7 months ago.
2) Share her Testimony of the last year of her life, and how it impacted my family, and many others, so greatly.

I'll try to keep this short, but I'll have to begin over 7 years ago, in 2005. I had just turned 13 and school had began - a new school, a private school. It was 8th grade, and Thanksgiving was rolling around. I still remember my old house, which was the last year we were living there. I remember one particular night, in the living room, watching Lord of the Rings with my mother, who was 53 at the time. She was feeling really ill, and had left with my father to the hospital that night.

She waited in the ER room for several long, grueling hours, and her condition got worse. After she had finally been examined and a few days went by, the diagnosis came in - She had gone Septic.

If you don't know what that is; in short, your body basically turns to poison. She had already had it for several days before they caught it, and she was immediately rushed into critical care. Days went by, with Doctors giving her as many antibiotics as they can. Normally, you have a 50% chance of surviving this with antibiotics. One day, however, they had informed my family that she only had a 5% chance to live - and she was still hospitalized, and still on the IV and taking the medication.

A few nights after that, when they moved her to the "death ward", was the one of the most memorable nights of my life.

The doctors had informed my family that she would not last the night. We assumed as much, considering 6 people they brought in through that ward had left deceased. We went inside her room, all of my siblings (3 sisters, 2 brothers), my father, and many cousins, aunts, and uncles, and friends.

My mother could not speak, as she had tubes running down her throat, and was very weak, but was able to write with pen on paper, asking "something for pain" - my father asked the nurse, if there is anything she can do to relieve her pain.

The nurse told us that because my mother had no circulation, any pain relieving meds they tried to give her had failed. In addition, she was not on any antibiotics, no medication at all. Her vitals were extremely low, barely had a heart rate. She was likely not to make it past another hour. She was stone-cold to the touch, and looked like a skeleton with so much water lost.

So, as the nurse left, my family, being Christians, laid our hands on her and prayed, with my father leading us in prayer - all he asked for, was for her pain to be relieved.. and after the prayer, all of us who had our hands on her, felt this warmth come out of her hands, and into her body.

Instantly, her pain was gone. Her vitals came back up to normal, and the doctors came in to see what just happened - they couldn't explain it, especially since she was on no medication. They classified it, informally, as a miracle. Nothing less. A few weeks later, she was released.

Now, in 2008, she had come down with Leukemia, as her immune system was badly damaged by going Septic. She battled it only for a short while, going through Chemo, and in the midst of switching to.. alternative medicines.

In 2009, she went into remission. She had lost a lot of hair, but lots of damage to her immune system was done.

Flash forward, now, to 2011, around the same time the Japan quake happened - in March. The Leukemia had returned, and in brute force. Most people, when they get it again, don't make it long. She spoke to her Doctor, who had informed her and my father, that she should begin Chemo again, and she may have a month left to live.

She refused, and my dad agreed - if we only had her for a month left, we would rather have her here at home, then suffering through the poisonous Chemotherapy treatments again. Her Doctor laid it out for her - if she was not going to do Chemo, she may be lucky to live another week.

One week was all she was given, yet she lived for another 7 months after that diagnosis.

The first several months went fine - in fact, she was still able to see family, was looking healthy as ever, simply with prayer, natural medications, and pure willpower. Even for her 60th birthday, in July, two months before her passing, we had rented a bus to take her and our family to the casinos, as she loved to gamble. It was our last truly enjoyable memory with her. She was so happy that day..

She was a strong fighter. Over the course of these 7 months, she battled an ample amount of diseases, from her already existing Fibromalygia, Candia, Sclerosis (that she developed from a weak immune system because of going Septic), to many other diseases that arose in the last few months of her life, including going Septic again - yet she kicked all of their asses, and walked out of the hospital the days after she checked in. Even had 104 degree fevers at some points, but was right as rain a few days later.

The last month of her life here on Earth had come. A week before she had gone, we had set up a hospital bed in our living room, yet she refused to go to sleep. She would sit at the edge of the bed and insist on staying awake. It got pretty bad. She developed water retention in her legs, and even after trying to get her to lay down and fall asleep, she only would for a few minutes, and wake back up again.

It got to the point where she would scream, and be in tears, and us in tears. I finally couldn't take it anymore - I went outside, dropped to my knees in tears, and prayed.

God, please. Help her. Please help her get some rest, ease her pain, and let her be at peace.

Three things I asked; that she goes to sleep, that her pain would be relieved, and that she would be at peace.

Not even an hour from that prayer, she finally went to sleep. She slept for three days, like a baby.
My first prayer had been answered.

The morning of October 3rd came around, and I was watching her sleep, to make sure she was okay, when my aunt came in and took over. I went to bed, but only for a few hours, when I got a knock on my door - my brother, pointing to her room. She was bleeding from the nose, and mouth. We rushed her to the hospital, and all of my family had been there.

We waited patiently, most of us feeling.. peaceful. Like everything was going to be alright. The doctor had come out, and pulled my dad inside. Moments later he came out, in tears, "Her heart stopped."

I didn't hear him at first, but saw the look on my sisters' faces. I broke down. Apparently, the doctor was going to try and revive her.. but, odds are it wouldn't happen. Well, we didn't need those odds.

The doctor came out, and told us she was back - for maybe 15 min. She was unconscious, and he told us she wouldn't be able to hear us. We got to go in, and say goodbye. We gathered in, and one by one we said goodbye..

My father was the first and last to approach her side. He kissed her forehead, as tubes were coming out of her mouth to pump out the blood. I remember her heart rate vaguely - it was 118/64, or something like that.

We were all in tears, but I heard him distinctly, as I was right next to him..

"Marcia, it's okay. Don't worry anymore. Go home to Heaven, to see your mother and father. I love you. It's okay, go home.."

Immediately as he said this, I noticed her heart rate drop in half, and he continued, "Don't cry." Her eyes filled up with tears - they said she wouldn't be able to hear us, but we believe she did, and that tear was her saying goodbye.

She had flatlined. The doctor had come in, checked her pulse, and stated calmly, "Time of death - 10:05" and just like that, it was over.

I hope by sharing this with you all, it impacts you in some way. I only wish to honor her memory, and try to get others to learn not to take things for granted, because when it's too late, I don't want people to be left with regrets.

Also, I know this is probably not in the best of forums, but I chose it because of the, well, simply put, miraculous workings of God in her life. They stretch back even farther, and there are other, finer details to her testimony, which perhaps I will share if you are interested, but for now I suspect this has gone on longer than I had anticipated, so it will have to wait until tomorrow. Mods, if it is in the wrong forums, please move it.

Goodnight, fine ATS members, and God bless.

Amen! Awesome testimony, God is good!!! One thing that resonated with me is the "heat". That's a tell-tale sign of the miracle working hand of God, that "heat". He healed instantly my back as well as my addiction, instantly I was freed and never had another desire for the drug again in my life. Christ issoo good, I loved reading her story. Glory to God. Also congrats on 1K.

Touched! Cried!
Praise be to Jesus Christ!

I hope all is well with you!

reply to post by NOTurTypical


As my father said before, God didn't need that "heat" to heal her. He simply could have made her well, but as it is, God never really does something without leaving behind evidence. I think the reason we felt that heat, was for someone in that room. Could have been all of us. It was for someone to realize what just happened, and who God is.

That's the theory, anyways.

God bless

Originally posted by Lionhearte
reply to post by NOTurTypical

 

As my father said before, God didn't need that "heat" to heal her. He simply could have made her well, but as it is, God never really does something without leaving behind evidence. I think the reason we felt that heat, was for someone in that room. Could have been all of us. It was for someone to realize what just happened, and who God is.

That's the theory, anyways.

God bless

That "heat" is the anointing. I feel it in my arm when I'm really on fire teaching the Word of God. And many people when being healed talk about the heat when God is healing their affliction. It's common when He heals. But yes you are also correct that He doesn't have to, when my back was healed immediately and I watched my right leg grow about an inch right in front of me I didn't feel any heat, but the people who laid hands on me might have, I don't know.

I appreciate you taking the time to share this testiomy! I love reading things like this that show family having a faith and drawn together. Thank you.

reply to post by Lionhearte


This must have been very hard for you to rehash for all of us, so I commend you on a job well done!!

You will see your mother again, don't worry.

God is real and great, but most people won't see your story as such and blow it off as coincedence...

I am just glad everyone who posted so far are believers of god and I hope nothing negative comes from this beautiful and compassionate synopsis of your mother!

Thanks for sharing!

reply to post by NOTurTypical


That's incredible, I don't see how anyone can explain that any other way than a miracle. Praise God.

And thank you all for your wonderful posts! I truly wasn't expecting such responses. I would like to share one other detail regarding the week before my mother passed - she was having deep hallucinations (at least, that's what people would call them, medically speaking) - but I believe she really did see something.

After she had another 104 degree fever, her and my dad were returning from the hospital about 20 minutes away from our home. We had a mattress set up in the back of my dad's van, so that she can lay down in and make the trip there more bearable. My dad was getting her in the back, but she stopped him and said she needed to go with this lady. She pointed and my dad looked, but saw nothing. She said again, I need to go with her and the little boy.

Confused, my dad just brushed it off, but she suddenly knocked his arm and pointed to the front seat. He didn't understand it at the time, but asked her if she wanted to sit in the front. She said yes.

Mind you, that my parents traveled a lot. They drove anywhere they could, and now we're kind of convinced she knew she was going to die (well, she had told my sisters that she was..), and wanted to be in the front seat with my dad, like she had done for the past 40 years (together for 4 years, married for 36) with him.

We believe she saw a Helper, or someone. Perhaps her mother, come to comfort her. She had 2 previous miscarriages before me (I was a "mistake", I came 9 years after my mother's tubes were tied - she wasn't supposed to have kids at all actually, doc's told her it was slim at best. Yet she had 6 kids, my 3 sisters, and 2 brothers, then 2 miscarriages, and I came 9 years after my brother and her tubes were tied). Anyways, she saw two young boys in her hospital room playing with toys one day as well, perhaps her two miscarried kids?

It all could be a total coincidence and a pure hallucination, but there were other strange things we noticed after she had passed.

For one, my uncle's birthday came up (my mom's brother), and as he was at home up north in San Francisco, he was cleaning his dishes and noticed a card fall out of his cupboards. It was a birthday card from my mom, sent one year ago. He never received it, until then. One, none of us know how the hell that card would have gotten there, and two, after one whole year, he finds it now? I don't think that was a coincidence.

The funeral itself was truly beautiful - after releasing the doves, the dove handler told us that the birds usually fly around once or twice and fly back home. Well, we watched the doves for about 20 minutes. The dove handler (being a Christian as well, I believe) was amazed, as the birds had never done that before - and the lead bird (the one my dad released to signify my mom) lead the rest, and flew right over our heads a few times, while all the rest followed. It was incredible.

Another thing we noticed, was a blanket my brother bought my mom a year before, for this cancer walk they went on. On it, there was a date. 10-3-10. My mother passed on 10-3-11, a year after. My dad believes it was a sign from God, as the actual cancer walk was on 10-17-10, not the 3rd. There's no known reason why it was on there, just speculation.

Of course, I should share one last thing with you all - since her passing, most of my family, excluding my father, have seen my mother in a dream. I was the first.

I dreamed I was back at my old home, in my parents' room. A friend, who also recently lost her mother, was laying on the bed, and I put a towel on her head, as she looked sick. I realized where I was, and saw the old blanket my mom had - and felt.. sick. I went to the bathroom, right next to their room, and headed for the toilet.. everything went black.

Then suddenly, bright light enveloped me. I can still see her now - she was young, like I had never seen her before. She looked like she was in her 20s, young, beautiful - yet I could barely see her face, as the light was too strong. She wore a white robe, and she spoke - "Tell your dad I love him, and I love you, and the whole family. Take care of each other; love each other."

And it ended. I was in complete awe. I woke up and told my dad, and my sister - and apparently, unbeknownst to us, my sister had a dream a week before - in her dream, she got a phone call, and it said "mom" - but she thought it was my dad calling. She answered, and my mom began "I need to tell him.." and my sister, getting scared, hung up.

Well, I imagine she then came to me, because that's how she started off, "Tell your dad.."

Anyways, there's a bit more details, but I'm running out of room. if any of you would like to share some testimonies, I'd love to hear them!

God Bless.

reply to post by Lionhearte


Thanks for sharing.

reply to post by Lionhearte


Well, not much i can say. Glad she's at peace and she's gone home. No need for sorrow even though you will miss her sometimes. The important thing is, she's gone home . It's not about how you die, it's about how you lived.

I told my wife if i get bad enough where i iam going she had better not resuscitate me or i will be pissed. I have a bad heart and only 32, complications from being a premature birth. I made my peace when i jumped off the fence from being agnostic to christian.

Originally posted by lonewolf19792000
reply to post by Lionhearte

 

Well, not much i can say. Glad she's at peace and she's gone home. No need for sorrow even though you will miss her sometimes. The important thing is, she's gone home

. It's not about how you die, it's about how you lived.

I told my wife if i get bad enough where i iam going she had better not resuscitate me or i will be pissed. I have a bad heart and only 32, complications from being a premature birth. I made my peace when i jumped off the fence from being agnostic to christian.

Exactly, I gave a DNR order on myself. (Do NOT Resuscitate) And told mother that I want a celebration, a party, like BBQ and games for the kids, I DO NOT want any "funeral" service or a somber atmosphere. People better be celebrating down here, cuz I'll be dancing on streets of God with my King up there.

reply to post by NOTurTypical


That's the way to go

My dad told us if/when he ever kicks the bucket, to just throw his body over the fence

Originally posted by Lionhearte
reply to post by NOTurTypical

 

That's the way to go

My dad told us if/when he ever kicks the bucket, to just throw his body over the fence

LOL, I meant *gold* up there... should proof-textd that. But seriously, I've already had this convo with the family, told them they better throw a massive party.

reply to post by NOTurTypical


Amen man. Have you ever read Flight to Heaven? This pilot, who was in a plane crash with his two co-pilots, fell 70 feet to his death, and went to Heaven. He describes it in minute detail. The colors, the sounds, the smells, the light, the glory.. it's incredible. He even saw Jesus, yet will refuse to describe what he looks like.

reply to post by Lionhearte


Yeah, I have it right here next to me on my bookshelf. Captain Dale Black.

I do want to read the one called "90 minutes in heaven" or something like that. I've heard the man's testimony when he's been interviewed, but you always know the book carries a lot more description.

reply to post by NOTurTypical


That's the one, yea.

I had never heard of 90 minutes in Heaven, though I have heard of 23 minutes in Hell, which is.. interesting.

Originally posted by Lionhearte
reply to post by NOTurTypical

 

That's the one, yea.

I had never heard of 90 minutes in Heaven, though I have heard of 23 minutes in Hell, which is.. interesting.

Listen to the man's testimony on Youtube. I specifically saw it on an episode of Praise the Lord, let me see if I can locate it. I think the dude's name is "Piper" or something to that effect... Okay, found it.