A Stranger's Gift of Healing

Last weekend I didn't write because we moved to our new house!! We didn't have internet, beds, or our sanity yet. :-) We have now organized every room in our house except for the garage! We are very happy in our new home, and lots of people in our new church congregation have been very helpful.

As I wrote in a previous post, I dislocated my femur bone from my entire knee joint on Christmas Eve. Every time I explain what happened to medical professionals, they assume I am saying that my kneecap was dislocated. No, it was my entire upper portion of my knee joint. I know this because it slips out often… but only slightly and only briefly. I also had 3 long, red lines across my knee for a few days where my skin was stretched to the side so severely. As I wrote in my previous post, I heard at least 5, very loud, pops and cracks deep within the joint of my knee.

Three days after my injury, our family visited The Beaver Bar where my children were being presented some free guitars. I was barely walking with a stiff stabilizer strapped to my knee. I had been to the emergency room, but I had not been to the orthopedic surgeon yet. I was positive I would be needing surgery because of the extent of the dislocation I knew I had endured… and because it felt completely destroyed inside of my knee.

As our family was leaving The Beaver Bar, a stranger approached me. He asked me what happened to my knee. I told him my story. He asked if he could pray with Abe and me right then and there.

I honestly thought it was a little odd that we would be praying in the parking lot surrounded by a bunch of motorcycles. However, I am never one to turn down a prayer, so I accepted.

After his prayer, he then said he had a gift; he was a healer. He didn't know why or how he had the gift. He just had this gift. I was skeptical, but I thanked him anyway for his kindness. After the prayer, he confidently stated:  "You aren't going to need surgery."

Even though surgery would completely incapacitate me while my husband would be traveling, I was so certain that I would need surgery that I immediately claimed this stranger was as fraudulent as I had originally assumed.

My husband had also prayed over me for my healing. He had lain his hands on my head and had given me a priesthood blessing of healing. We both assumed the healing would come by way of surgery.

Also throughout this time, I received multiple messages from friends telling me they were praying for me to heal. I was grateful and truly felt strengthened throughout our move because of those prayers.

I finally saw the orthopedic surgeon about a week later. He ordered an MRI.

I saw him a 2nd time after my MRI. After analyzing my MRI and my x-rays, my orthopedic surgeon found a fracture on the outside of my knee, which would confirm that my upper femur bone did dislocate as I described. From the MRI, my surgeon saw that there was one location on the meniscus that could have been a possible tear, but he felt like it would heal without surgery. After my 3rd visit, 2 weeks later, my surgeon admitted to being quite perplexed by the fact that for such an evidently extreme dislocation, I should have had several torn ligaments… but I was showing signs of improvement. I too was perplexed by the diagnosis because I had felt and heard a lot of things tearing!! Those tears would have definitely required surgery.

After my surgeon talked for a while about all the possible scenarios as to how I could have escaped surgery, I finally said, "Well, I know why they're not torn."

My sweet surgeon seemed interested in the fact that one of us would have an explanation. I simply replied, "It's a miracle."

My surgeon didn't say much after that. I don't think he knew how to respond. Could the answer really be that simple? Could the stranger at The Beaver Bar have really felt and known all along or was he just lucky in his guess? I don't think it was a lucky guess. Miracles aren't always obvious, but they are always orchestrated by divine intervention.

My knee still doesn't bend all the way, and I still can't walk without a huge limp and a brace to support it. However, I know that God is working in my heart and in my body and through HIS servants around me.

Although full movement and full healing will still take a very long time, I am thankful for my husband's priesthood blessing. I am thankful for the man at the bar who was not afraid to bless me, to pray with me, and to confidently tell me the impressions he received from the Spirit of God. I am also thankful for the many prayers from friends around the country on my behalf.

I testify that it is by divine intervention… a true miracle… that my knee is not requiring surgery at this time. I am learning to move slowly as I patiently wait for full healing to take place. But in the meantime… I am grateful to know that I have seen and felt God's hand.