It was a cold day in February of 2015. The dark, dreary, cold type of day that is not uncommon in the Eastern United states during February. My 55-year-old neighbor, who was also a prayer partner with me, was in the throes of cancer treatment. She had been diagnosed with breast cancer in the later months of 2014 and had been undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Her physical wellbeing, coupled with the time of year had left her home bound much of the time.
She had gained about 70 pounds due the treatments she was taking, her breathing was labored and difficult on top of the asthma, and of course, she was using her “cuddle caps” as her hair had all disappeared. She spoke to me limitedly and I always reminded her that if she needed anything I would be there.
On this particular night in February, right after dinner, she texted and asked if I would come over and pray with her. Of course, I immediately went and spent the next couple of hours with my friend. We talked about life, family, and her current situation, read the Bible, and prayed. I was very happy to be in her presence although she never left her oversized chair and had difficulty breathing just sitting there. My typical, vivacious, neighbor was certainly struggling to even maintain as she was wrapped in an oversize sweatshirt.
When the time came for me to depart, I looked at my friend and asked if I could pray with her before going. She welcomed the idea, but said, “I cannot get out of the chair”. I told her, no worries; I will just kneel her beside you and pray. I got onto my knees next to the chair and went to place my hand on her arm. She winced, and said that is just one more thing. I said “what?” She had opted to take the chemotherapy treatments through intravenous infusion, without a port, and had chemo leak into her tissue causing a deep grade chemo burn. She carefully pulled up her sleeve to allow me to see her arm. From her wrist to her elbow was a red, swollen, ugly wound. She said it was very painful and she was scheduled have skin grafts the very next day. I felt this pit in my stomach as I looked on and began to pray.
First and foremost, I have learned that it is always appropriate to give God thanks and Praise. Often times we do not understand situations “as God ways are higher than our ways, His thoughts are higher than our thoughts’. As we prayed, we mentioned many things we had been discussing and then in the final thoughts I spoke with God about Gideon. I merely prayed about the fact that Gideon had asked for a sign and I personally thought that so could we. I asked God if he would heal my friends arm. I prayed about the fact that she had so much already on her plate…did she really need a chemo burn too? Really?! I knew God can do all things and I just asked that he would heal her arm! Saying, we have been faithful and our evening has been spent with you….can you show us something? Of course at the end of the prayer my friend was laughing. She said, “Only you would pray that type of pray”. I just smiled and said I was not sure of the right way or wrong way to pray…I just put it out there. I left her with a kiss and a hug and went on back to my house.
The next morning is when the real surprise came. I was up at 6:00 AM getting ready for work and checked my email. There was a message from her and I knew that she would be saying thanks for coming to visit. However, I was not prepared for the words I read next. “MY ARM IS HEALED”…I immediately started crying and fell on my knees. I was thanking God and asking for forgiveness all at the same time. I realized that I had spoken to God in a very condescending way and yet He had given absolute blessings. I went to see her and her arm was now just a faint pink where the ugly chemo burn had been. She kept her doctor appointment that morning and astonished many doctors and nurses with this story. God touched many lives that day through the miracle of healing a chemo burn. I learned that very day that God hears all…the good…the bad….and the condescending.
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