“I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today. I know that He is living, whatever men may say. I see His band of mercy. I hear His voice of cheer. And just the time I need Him, He’s always near! He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today. He walks with me and He talks with me along life’s narrow way. He lives, He lives, salvation to impart. You ask me how I know He lives. He lives within my heart!”
On March 20, I went up our stairs as usual only to find before I reached the top, I was totally exhausted and out of breath – unusual! I dropped into my recliner for about 15 minutes, felt revived and continued a long day. I had a committee meeting in Edna, a class to teach in Port Lavaca, and many other stops along the way. I felt everything was going along about as normal, except I was tired. When a nice State Trooper stopped me on Highway 185 for going too fast, she asked me if I was going right home. I replied that I had two stops to make in Seadrift and then I was headed in for the evening. She told me to get home safely because, “Sir, you appear to be very tired.”
On the morning of March 21, I was going to Port Lavaca to do some counseling. When I got to my pickup, I noticed the trash was not to my liking. I began moving it around to make it easier for the trash men to collect that morning. Again, I felt this extreme exhaustion and felt I needed to get into the Chapel to sit down and rest a few minutes. According to Dennis, our next door neighbor, it appeared I was trying to pick up a trash can lid from the ground when I lost my balance. In an attempt to keep from falling, I ran bent over at the waist and ran into the brick wall with my head leading the way. (There is still hair in the brick from the impact.)
Dennis ran to my side and called 911 because he saw I bleeding from my head. I tried to get up, but he would not allow it. When the local ambulance arrived, I was checked over, for which I am very grateful. It was that crew (especially Nathan) who noted that my oxygen level was extremely low. I thanked them for coming, but asked Pastor James to take me to the Victoria VA Clinic.
When I arrived at the Clinic, they tried to clean up the blood the best they could and insisted that I go to DeTar Hospital because of the additional diagnostic tools they had there. When I had X-rays done, the verdict was “C-1 is cracked, and C-2 is broken. We must send you to a trauma unit. Do you want to go to Houston or San Antonio?” I truly wanted a third option – just go home and everything will be okay, but I chose Houston, but there were no beds there. I had to ride the ambulance to San Antonio’s BAMC.
Pastor Joane’s brother, John, had been sick and hospitalized and their sister, Linda had come from the Woodlands to be of assistance. Joane left for the Woodlands to take her sister home shortly after I got out of my recliner on Monday. She made the trip to Woodlands to Victoria just shy of three hours. (But, I am sure she did not speed) and raced to my bedside on Tuesday. When she arrived, I told her, “I have broken my fool neck!”
It was a long, rough ride to Brook Army Medical Center facing backwards. To pass the time, I talked with a very attentive EMT, who is about to take her test to become a “flight nurse”. I even tried to get them to go by Smiley so I could check on a job I have going there, but they went another pathway. When we arrived at the Center, ten staff met us at the open door. Each one was asking the same questions, but later I realized they were making sure no one missed anything.
I went through several tests in the Emergency Room before being rolled to Room #2 of the Trauma Intensive Care Unit. On Wednesday, I spent about six hours in different tests – I am sure when the billing begins coming, I will realize what each one was. I was told that Wednesday night would not be a sleep night, for more tests were scheduled. Later I learned that the information they were seeking had already been gained – so I got to sleep in two hour shifts, when I would be awakened “just to make sure you are still alive”! (They knew how to joke, just as I.)
Thursday, I had only two tests. One was to check the blood clot on my lungs (which we found out was why I was losing oxygen and fell in the first place) and the other was called, “the walk of life”. I was hooked up to all kinds of instruments with a Physical Therapist on one side and a nurse on the other and one nurse walking behind me. The goal was to see if I could go home without oxygen assistance. I passed!
The releasing physician told me, “Reverend, breaking your neck has probably saved your life.” I asked how and he told me that had I not broken my neck and found myself in their Trauma Unit, I would have thought I was free and clear. He explained that since I regained my strength on Monday and probably have on Tuesday, had I not fallen, I would have continued and whatever caused the blood clot would have formed another that probably would have caused a major heart attack or a major stroke. I heard and understood what the Doctor was saying, “I am a truly blessed man!”
I did not like the large collar, but wore it faithfully. On Tuesday, April 4, I want back to BAMC for a follow up with the Trauma Team. They told me the blood clot would naturally dissolve over the next few months – “take it easy and do not fall again!” Then they sent me for more X-rays.
On Wednesday, April 5, I met with the Trauma Team’s Orthopedic specialist, The doctor asked if I had seen my broken neck and since I had not, he drew us a picture (which I had him sign, date, and number – it could be valuable some day!). He told us to take this very seriously because this kind of break was very hard to heal. The head of the department would be coming in to see us in about 10 minutes to discuss one of three options: 1. Wear this collar for an extended length of time, but this was not a good option because it allowed my neck too much movement. 2. The Halo – did we know anything about it, not first hand and I truly do not want to know that much about it; and 3. Surgery, which is not a great option for me.
When he left, Joane and I had some small talk but agreed that we did not like any of those options! Then the same doctor reentered and asked if he could examine my neck. He said he had not initially read the latest CT Scan that was done before he spoke with us earlier. I stood and he removed my collar and found the exact spots of my neck pain. Afterwards he said, “I do not know how to tell you this, but this is the fastest healing bone in history. Your neck is not broken – you are free to go!”
Well, Pastor Joane was crying, I was crying, and the doctor did not know just what to do, but stand there and receive our hugs! We are sure he had to change his smock because he left the room wearing Pastor Joane’s make-up!
I write this for one purpose – He Lives! I am not healed because of who I am or what I have done! The Lord in His sovereignty chose to heal these neck bones for reasons only He knows. But, I believe He knew I would share with you this experience to try to help us understand He is alive and active in our lives today! “You ask me how I know He lives. He lives within my heart!”
