Miracles Still Happen

Matthew 28:20:
20teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, (A)I am with you always,

even to (B)the end of the age."

I am looking down from my window, at 30,000 feet above in the sky, I couldn’t believe where I am. I am on my way to Orlando, Florida and in a few hours in Port Canaveral, where I am going to join my ship and see my friends. Meet new ones and finally see my boyfriend. It’s amazing that not less than 24 hours ago, I almost lost one of the things I hold dear, my life.

Friday July 13, 2007 6am, I woke up with a terrible pain in my legs. I had been suffering from muscle cramps for the past 2 days. I wanted to stay home and rest so I would be fine for my trip the following day. Unfortunately, I had to go. I have to have my blood work done.

On my way to the lab, I had this uneasy feeling around my legs. I felt restless that I needed to shift positions to be comfortable. I just kept on praying that I will be well. The laboratory is located on the third floor of the building, and I had to take 4 plights of stairs to get there. Normally, it’s no big deal, but it’s especially different that day. I couldn’t bring my self higher with just one step. Still, I tried t get there. Each step was an agonizing feat. Each step is a cry of help, of prayer. I was 5’1” and 95 lbs at the time, but I never felt heavier in my life. The part of my body that kept me going were my arms, I had been pulling my body’s weight with all of my might.

When I got there, I signed the log book. I could not hold the pen. Every time I tried to write, it just slides through my grip. That’s when it hit me. I had hypokalemia, again. (For reference please check: http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/common/standard/transform.jsp?requestURI=/healthatoz/Atoz/ency/hypokalemia.jsp) Two months ago May 15, 2007, I was taken to the hospital for the same thing.

So I sent, a message to my mom, asking her to pray for me. I am 5 hours away from home, all on my own, in a big city. Right that moment, she started a prayer chain with all of our relatives and friends all over the country.

2Pm, I was hungry so I made my way to the nearest food chain to grab something to eat. Thing is, I just threw them out. So I skipped lunch, waited for the results and went back to my agency. While my torment keeps getting worse, I waited for the personnel to arrange my documents. While they’re at it, I frequented the ladies room, not to freshen up but to throw up.

This thing made me weaker and weaker by the minute, that I finally had doubts of leaving. I have heard from a few people that hypokalemia, is a killer. Can be treated, but if neglected, a threat. They finally finished my papers at around 6 in the evening. So when I got out, I hailed a taxi.
“Where to ma’am?”
“The nearest hospital you can find.”

In less than 5 minutes I just heard him calling out to the security guard to get a wheelchair. That time, I couldn’t stand, couldn’t even held my head up. It was really bad. Good thing I was able to talk still, so I was able to give them my medical history which is really important, and everything else they needed to know. Right that moment, they attached a heart monitor on me. They were all in a panic, I knew it was bad, but not that bad. On my previous attack, my potassium level was 2.5 mMol. They told me I almost had a cardiac arrest. They told me my heart and lungs were failing already. That was when I got scared.

They gave me medications to help me and told me that they will be introducing medications through IV. I declined, told them I had to leave in 5-6 hours coz I needed to get to the airport for my flight to Florida. They said no, but I wouldn’t hear it.

My mom used to tell me I was stubborn, I admit I am. I had been praying for God’s will in this situation, but this time I am running purely on faith. Somehow I knew that I will be on that plane at 6am. They kept me on constant monitor until the blood work result came in. This time it was 2.0 mMol. My doctor kept on protesting and the nurses kept on talking me out of it, but I never changed my mind. Especially when somebody had me sign the waiver.

I kept on taking the medications they gave me. 11pm when my cousin arrived to pick me up. She too refused to take me to the airport, but I kept on reassuring her that I will be fine. Of course she wouldn’t believe me, after I throw up a couple of times before we left the hospital.

1Am. I was sitting in the airport waiting for immigration to open and check my passport, when I again frequented the Ladies room. That’s when doubts kicked in. What if, I’m not supposed to go? What if, this is God’s way of telling me NOT to go, and I’m just being stubborn? Those ‘what if’s’ had me thinking. I opened my phone and looked up for the agency’s emergency number. Had been staring at it, praying. “God, what do you want me to do? I need help. I need answers, please guide me.”

I’m still too weak to carry my bags around, but when the immigration booth opened, I joined the line, had my passport and visa checked. Then finally, went inside to check in. That is when the real miracle started to take place.

I was in the economy line, it was an amazingly long line. So no matter how hard it was, I needed to stand and wait. When I got there, the attendant asked me about my reservation.

“Ma’am, you’re in business class, didn’t you know that?” He reminded me.
“Oh! I’m sorry, must’ve slipped my mind, but thank you.” It was the answer I had been waiting for. To me it was God’s way of saying, “My child, I upgraded your ticket, what more were you looking for?” Well some people can just easily say that, I just missed it, but I could swear that it was economy.

My agency was the one who bought the ticket for me. They paid for it, so for sure; they wouldn’t pay for a business class trip from Manila to Hong Kong for just a mere crew as I was. Not in Cathay Pacific. I was dumbfounded with the way God worked that very instant. So after checking in, I grabbed my ticket, and off I went.

I was on the top level of the airport, and to get to where my gate was, I needed to go down one level. 5Am, no elevators, not even escalators. I had to take the stairs with my carry on luggage that weighed too much for me considering my situation. That’s when an angel came in the picture to help. He disguised as middle-aged guy, also a seafarer like me, and we had the same flight. So even if, it took me forever to reach the bottom of the stairs, he carried my luggage for me. Talk about a good Samaritan.

He sat beside and me and asked me how I was feeling, since he noticed I looked bent out of shape. I told him my predicament.

“Don’t worry, I’ll carry your bags for you ‘till we reach the plane, and I’ll even have it stowed away for you.” He said smiling. He was a nice man, with a kind heart. True to His word, he took my bag to the plane, had it put away, and made sure I was perfectly fine and made arrangements with the flight attendant about my health concerns before he left for the economy class seats.

The flight attendant was amazing, she made sure I was okay. I asked for fruits instead of bread, pastries or heavy meals. I kept on dozing off every now and then, and every time I woke up, a fresh set of fruit plate stared up at me.

Two hours had passed and our plane touched down in Hong Kong International Airport. Before I knew it, my Good Samaritan friend is already back and told me he’d take care of my bags for me. He never went ahead, but instead waited for me, and together we left the plane. That’s when I noticed, the prayers of my family back home had been working on my health. I felt wonderful. No cramps, I never threw up, and most of all I didn’t feel weak in any part of my body. When I was dozing off in the plane God had worked in my health. Normalized my blood chemistry. Took out all the pain and weakness that almost stopped me from leaving the country.

The Good Samaritan, once again asked me if I was okay, and when he was sure that I was, bid farewell and headed to his next flight to Germany. Once again, I was alone but this time feeling all well and ready to go. I sent a message to my mom, told her that I was fine and that her prayers were answered. I reassured her that God has been with me all throughout my journey and that she has nothing to worry about.

I bought a few souvenirs from Hong Kong. Checked in, and when to my gate.

Now looking down from my window 30,000 ft above, looking back at God’s miracles. I didn’t care if I will be spending the next 15 hours of my flight squeezing in the economy class. God already put me in the business class when I needed it most. I never asked for it, but He did it anyway, to comfort me. He sent me His angels to take care of me when I needed comfort and a hand. He healed my broken body when I was at rest.

Now 30,000 ft above in the sky, I knew that His hand is holding this plane and guiding the pilot to bring me to safety, to a familiar place, to the friends I call family.