A Miracle for My Sister

Thank you--everyone who has prayed for my sweet sister Clytie's recovery . . . tonight, as I write to you, it is with a thankful heart.

Clytie had a stroke at 5 a.m. Friday morning. She was taken by ambulance to the hospital--it took me an hour to get there from where I live. Her right side was paralyzed and she could barely speak. To write of this, just . . . well, as I type here I am weeping . . . I have lost a brother and came close just now to losing my beloved sister, my friend.

I stood by her side. They had done everything they could do--it was a waiting game. She would get better, worse, then better, then worse—that last time was the most frightening, I was rubbing her numb foot when suddenly I realized she wasn’t feeling the pressure of my fingers.

I walked over to her bedside and looked at her right hand and it was starting to curl. I felt so scared for her. I took her hand into my own. The nurses did some tests, and she could not lift her leg or her arm, and her speech was blurred. So I walked to the head of the bed and I put my hand on her hair. She had closed her eyes, and was so still.

I was praying over her when I had such a compulsion--I felt I was to put my other hand on Sissy's head and pray for her healing. I felt a little foolish—but I obeyed. But then, as I prayed, my hands got hot—like an oven. It was the strangest thing--I could feel the heat actually radiating down from my palms. My prayer was that healing would pour down through her body like warm oil. In my mind’s eye, I saw the connections that were hurt, reconnecting and sparking. I don’t know how long I stood there praying. But as soon as I was done, Clytie opened her eyes and said as clear as a bell, “Aren’t you getting bored standing there with nothing to do?” I said, “of course not, I’ve been praying for you.”

A couple minutes later Clytie lifted her right hand—the one that she couldn’t move before and was looking at her fingers and hand with astonishment. She started wiggling her fingers. She curled her toes. The numbness began to recede from her limbs.

Just after that, I left for my parent's house to bring her twins to see her. By the time we returned the numbness was completely gone. Clytie could lift both her right leg and arm easily, she could speak clearly, the numbness was gone.

Clytie has steadily improved since then—Tonight she ate dinner, she sat up in the chair and she’s been walking the halls—if all goes well she’s going home tomorrow afternoon. I’m just so amazed, and moved. Clot busting drugs and the prayers of a loving sister. I am convinced a miracle happened.

All the doctors and nurses are just agog. The physical therapist says Clytie is a “rock star!” (grin) They are astonished she’s completely recovered, given that just yesterday her entire right side was totally and utterly paralyzed. One nurse told me a full recovery like hers is exceedingly rare. The doctor hardly knew what to say, except that sometimes things happen they can't explain.

Please pray for my precious sister's continued healing and growing strength—the CAT scan shows she did have a stroke—the doctor says it is an area the size of a Lima bean, with a kind of vulnerable halo around it. She says she doesn’t feel anything is different than it was, but she’s still a little weak and tires easily.

I am so thankful for your good thoughts and prayers for my precious little sister. I promised Clytie I would upload a picture--which was taken this morning--and she sends her grateful love and thanks to each and every one of you.

Sometimes we wonder if God cares about us as we live our lives here on earth. He does--He cares. He's watching over us and loves us! All Glory to God for the things He has done!