Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion. Psalm 103:4-5 NIV
“Hello, Mrs. Hosfeld your husband’s chance to survive is fifty-fifty. Come to the ICU as fast as you can,” the surgeon called me early in the morning of February 2001.
I ran not feeling my feet hitting the ground to the TRAX station. I boarded on the train and the shuttle bus like a lightning to the University of Utah Hospital.
“Mrs. Hosfeld your husband is delirious with high fever. He might not make it,” both surgeons looked at me with teary eyes.
“I’ll claim his healing from God the Great Physician as the Healer!”
A year after our wedding vow, “To be your faithful wife in sickness and in health, and to cherish you till death do us part.” My husband started getting weaker. One day he fell down like a melting candle in front of the apartment complex.
“Honey, what’s going on? Are you not feeling well?”
“Yes, I struggle with my balance and could hardly hear my heartbeat.”
The heart specialist said, “Your echo cardiogram showed that your aortic valve was constricted. You need surgery.”
We went home in silence, lost and worried.
I had no relatives in Utah, USA, but God provided Michelle and Polly from Southeast Christian Church who stood beside me.
Polly, a nurse who worked at the hospital where my husband had surgery took a day off to accompany me during my husband’s seven-hour ordeal.
Michelle and I prayed together at the hospital chapel for hours for my delirious husband’s healing with expectation by faith in Jesus Christ.
When we came back to the Intensive Care Unit the two surgeons with exhausted face said, “Mrs. Hosfeld your husband’s fever subsides but we have to watch him closely.”
I stayed beside my husband most of the time at the ICU for ten days.
Three years after the surgery, the surgeon rewired his chest.
One day during our breakfast my husband said, “Lilian several doctors are curious about my heart murmur.”
His echo cardiogram showed blockage. The surgeon removed it and placed two stents in his heart. After eight weeks of healing the surgeon fixed his leaking pulmonary valve using “Melody Valve.”
I am grateful for the non-invasive procedure (not cutting his chest) of fixing his pulmonary valve, more praying friends and better perspective about his heart care.
His surgeries made us closer to God and deepened our commitment to each other.
We face his heart issue now like rolling with the punches……adjust and accept while cooperating with the specialist as we hang on to God for healing and strength.
As God met me and my husband in our challenges the same God is wiling to meet you in your challenging moments for His glory and honor.
God bless you and your loved ones. Feel free to contact me so I can pray with you.
Lilian Hosfeld 