Keeping Faith Through Long Illnesses

Since December, my husband has had a serious illness. His bladder stopped functioning and he was admitted to the hospital with acute renal failure. I found myself in constant prayer. I wasn't ready to lose my husband.

Worse, I had retired from my full-time job and only afterward learned that my husband was not eligible to enter into Medicare Part B. What were we to do? I turned the burdens to God and He lifted us up. The VA accepted my husband under hardship due to the drastic change in our income since we would only have our social security to live on.

It took months of getting through all the necessary steps with various doctors to finally get my husband scheduled for surgery. The week prior to the scheduled surgery, we had to get clearance from his lung specialist and his heart doctor. The surgeon planned to operate by using a spinal block, and the specialists finally gave their approval. On March 29, my husband had surgery.

We learned on April 6, that the surgery was successful! Praise God!

Finally, after nearly four months of having to live with a catheter, my husband is healed. God is so gracious! He knew the outcome, and we just had to trust in Him, be faithful, and patient. He answered our prayers.

Our Pastor has been with us throughout this entire ordeal, visiting, calling and coming to the hospital to pray with us. On Tuesday, when I contacted him with the wonderful news, he shared these words of wisdom, which made us laugh. He said, "Praise God from whom all blessings flow."

Thank God for humor and for His abiding love.

Carol Ann Erhardt
http://www.carolannerhardt.com/