#4 Son’s Health Scare
We, as a family, were living in Wake Forest, North Carolina at the time. This state was a beautiful place to live, which contained both beaches and mountains, lush forests and an abundance of flowering shrubs and trees in the springtime. The weather was exceptionally warm year round and rarely did it snow during the winter. We lived in beautiful North Carolina for seven years. I remember many family vacations camping at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and many girls beach getaways with my friends on the coast of North Carolina. Spring was one of the nicest and prettiest seasons of the year. The cooler fall was also wonderful, and I would often do my Christmas shopping while wearing summer clothes. The weather was so nice. The summer’s heat was a bit overbearing and an air-conditioned home was a must.
While we were living there, around twenty years ago, my oldest son, Jeremy, developed some type of rash. He was eleven years old at the time. Although he was vaccinated against the typical childhood viruses, it appeared that he had picked something up. As the rash progressed, I eventually became concerned and took him to see the children’s pediatrician.
After the doctor looked at Jeremy’s face, neck, arms and stomach, he made the diagnosis that my son had chicken pox and proceeded to write up a prescription for an anti-itch lotion.
I spoke up and said, “The spots on his legs look different from the ones on his upper body.”
Unfortunately, the doctor didn’t bother to look at Jeremy’s legs but continued to write out the anti-itch prescription. Although Jeremy had never complained about being itchy, I assumed the doctor knew what he was doing, took the prescription, went to a pharmacy to get the medication and drove home with my son.
A few days later, my husband and I hired a sitter for our four children and the two of us went to a restaurant for a date night. When we arrived home again, my husband drove the sitter home. I thought the kids were all in bed and sleeping but later, after my husband had returned, Jeremy came downstairs looking awful and quite sick.
Checking the spots on his body again, I noticed that the rash marks on his legs had turned into bruises. They had spread, joining together and had turned into bluish splotches. Feeling quite concerned, I checked out a book I had on hand, a childhood health encyclopedia. I researched rashes and discovered that the only time a rash would turn into bruise like spots was if there was a serious bacterial infection or a case of meningitis.
Feeling a little frantic, I called our health link line through our health insurance and explained the situation. After some discussion, the nurse I spoke with instructed me to take Jeremy to a certain hospital in Raleigh. She would call ahead to the urgent care so they would be prepared to receive him.
My husband and I decided that he would stay home with our other three sleeping children and I would drive Jeremy to emergency.
As I drove my son to the hospital, I remember feeling very alone and yet I knew I was not alone. I prayed as I drove and declared every healing scripture that came to mind. I spoke healing over my son and God’s promises that the fruit of my womb was blessed. I remember rebuking the spirit of death in Jesus Name, commanding it to get off of my son.
When we arrived at the hospital, I parked and walked Jeremy into the emergency area. I told them who we were and they immediately took Jeremy to the back and began to work with him. They wanted me to fill out paperwork before joining him. Although it was difficult to concentrate on paperwork, I did what they asked.
When I went to join Jeremy, he had been settled into a private emergency room, had been changed into a hospital gown and they had already hooked him up with a strong antibiotic drip bag. They began to run a battery of tests. They took blood work, wanted a urine sample, which he could not give them because he was too dehydrated, and they did a spinal tap to check for meningitis.
Although I did feel fear, I knew that to defeat whatever this was I needed to use my faith in God and stay focused. I continued to pray over my son and declared God’s promises of life and healing. Recalling all the scriptures regarding children, I spoke those out into the atmosphere of his room. I did all of this under my breath and remained calm and purposeful. I was in a battle with an enemy intent on bringing destruction to my family and remaining focused was imperative.
At one point, either the doctor or a nurse asked me if it would be all right for some interns and resident doctors to come and see my son’s rash. Although I didn’t really want a bunch of people in the room with us, I did give my okay. I found it difficult to say ‘no’ back then. A group wearing white lab coats entered shortly after that and inspected Jeremy’s bruised legs.
When they finally left the room, I suddenly felt overwhelmed at what this could mean. I considered that it was likely that very few of the interns or resident doctors had ever seen a case of possible advanced meningitis. I kept on praying and speaking scriptures, believing that God would hear my desperate, mother’s heart petitions and come through for my boy.
At one point, the doctor called me out of the room and to the center of the hallway, to a nurse’s station to speak with me.
The doctor looked concerned as he asked, “You do understand what we’re dealing with here, right?”
I said, “Yes.”
“Either your son has a very serious bacterial infection or he has meningitis. Do you understand this?”
I said, “Yes, I do.”
He nodded and let me go, but he did look confused and concerned for me. My calm exterior obviously confounded him. But I knew I had to hold onto my faith in a God who was with me and who cared about me and my son. I couldn’t give in to fear and become hysterical. Plus, I knew of a certain minister who had gone through a similar health scare with his granddaughter and she had pulled through with flying colors. That family had stood on God’s promises, prayed and believed for a miracle. I thought that if God did that for them, he could surely do it for me and my son.
When I went back to Jeremy’s room and sat down in a seat beside his bed, I continued to pray and speak whatever scriptures God dropped into my heart. I remember looking over at Jeremy’s shoes which were on the floor, tucked into a corner. Suddenly, I heard the Lord speak to me, or maybe it was an angel standing beside me who leaned in to give me a message.
I heard, “Those shoes are made for walking.”
Just like that, I knew Jeremy would walk out of that room and out of that hospital. I had received a word from God and I was suddenly confident that my son would be okay.
Gradually, the results from all the tests started coming in. The doctor entered the room to let me know that Jeremy’s blood work was normal and that his spinal tap fluid was normal. There was no indication of a bacterial infection and there was no meningitis. Jeremy received an all clear.
Shortly after that, they discharged Jeremy from the hospital and I took him home. He still was not feeling well, quite dehydrated and it took a while for him to recuperate. He struggled with some headaches for a few days but those dissipated too.
I knew the battle had been won, that God came through for us and that our son had been spared an early death. I am so thankful to God for sparing us sorrow upon sorrow so many years ago. Jeremy is now thirty-two years old, healthy and strong.
I am so grateful for God’s word and his promises. I am so thankful he heard all my desperate prayers and my declarations of faith, as weak and insignificant as they felt back then. God is faithful to his Word and he was faithful to me. Although I felt so very alone at the hospital as I battled in isolation for my son, God was with me the entire time. I was never alone. He still heals and he still answers prayers. And, I am so glad that he does!
*****
Once we get to Heaven and God shows us a reel of our life, we will discover how many times we were rescued, protected or redirected by supernatural means. What a divine privilege it is that, during our time on earth, God gives us snapshots into the supernatural realm, unusual happenings that announce that Heaven is present and involved in our lives.
For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways.
Psalm 91:11
If you would like to share a personal story of supernatural protection or angelic activity in your history, please reach out. Private message me on Facebook messenger and I will explain the details. I would love to share your testimony through my newsletter mailout and, if you are willing, on my blog as an encouragement to others. As it says in Hebrews 3:13, “Encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today’”.
