My Covid Journey — Road Trip — ICU

My oxygen level fell fast.

"We're taking you to ICU." 

 Making light of a serious situation, I responded,

 "Road Trip — ICU!"

Waving the Queen's wave all the way down the hall, I smiled and greeted my new team of caregivers.  

Intensive Care Unit.

 Not a good place for blood cancer patients who have 

  a high mortality rate when their covid-19 diagnosis warrants a trip to ICU.

Like a rock, I delivered the blow to my family. 

 Crushing. 

My husband pledged his undying (appropriate term) love to me.

 My children stayed strong for mom and dad.

Too numb for words.

 

My oldest broke the shock with her comfort and wisdom,

 "I'm glad you are going to ICU. 

They will know how to take care of you and make you better." 

She was right.

Keeping my eyes and thoughts on Jesus,

 I remembered His words on the cross, 

"My God, my God why have you forsaken me?" 

I didn't feel like Jesus felt.

God had not forsaken me. 

He was never closer. 

Total peace, 

calm, and

 excitement as

 I realized,

"Wow! I might see Jesus soon. 

Heaven, here I come!"

I thought of  Jesus.

Days before He died

He asked His disciples to pray with Him. 

They didn't pray. 

They fell asleep. 

My friends, however, continued to keep watch.

 Prayers poured in — all day and all night. 

A mighty army of prayers covered me. 

God never left me.

Thankful for each prayer,  

I slept in the knowledge that

if I died, it wasn't for lack of people praying for me.

Startled.

Bells woke me in the middle of the night.

I wondered,

Why are bells ringing?

Do bells ring when you go to Heaven?

Is that "my bell" announcing my arrival to the Heavenlies?

Startled again.

 A shrill Stop! whistle.

  I hear my husband's voice pleading,

"Please God don't take her from me."

Hallucination? or

Was I so near Heaven, 

I heard my husband communing with God and 

experiencing God's answer to prayer in real time?

Either way, 

the night was powerful and 

the beginning to my road trip to recovery.

How about you? 

Do you know for sure you will go to Heaven?

Are you excited to go to Heaven?

If not,

please read the New Testament, 

speak to a Bible-teaching minister, 

talk to me, 

ask a Christian friend,

 go to a Bible-teaching church,

give your heart and life to Jesus. 

"For God so loved the world that 

He gave his one and only Son, that 

whoever believes in Him 

shall not perish 

but have eternal life."

John 3:16