Keeping Faith

In my blog post Immense Love, I shared about how I ended up in Bad Aibling Germany accompanying my friend who is critically ill. Today's post is related to this experience and the importance of keeping faith.

I am still in Bad Aibling where my friend is still receiving treatments. She is still alive in spite of all the negative prognosis by the doctors back in Aberdeen Scotland. When she was admitted to the hospital there on 9 Feb, the doctors gave her and the family a poor prognosis. They said there was nothing they could do for her condition and that they should consider sending her to a hospice to wait out the rest of her days. They said that she only had days left. Sure, we all knew her condition is critical and understand that the doctors were passing a clinical judgement. It is the manner in which they cold heartedly pass the comments to her and her family. The silver lining was that some of the nurses were so very kind and did their best to be of help.

Thank goodness that my friend had done research previous to the worsening of her condition and so, we were in the know and had information that there is hope. There is expertise available in Germany! That started a flurry of planning and coordination with St Georg Klinik that she has chosen and after looking at her case, they accepted it. Brilliant! Of course the doctors at the Aberdeen hospital kept saying that she will not survive the flight. For us, we will take that chance cos' staying in Aberdeen provided no options.

Then we learn that the company providing us with the medical evacuation decided not to take us. Most likely on the recommendation of the not so nice doctor at the Aberdeen hospital. Not only was he cold and unhelpful, he even tried to prevent us from making the flight by providing his opinion.

Thank goodness that we had other options and we found a company in Germany who was very helpful and within hours of making the connection, we had a jet arriving from Germany with doctor and medic on board to help us make the trip.

On Mon 13 Feb, I was at the private airstrip with my friend's daughter awaiting the arrival of the jet and its team. As it was a medical jet, there was limited seats available and my friend's family had decided that I was the best person to be with her for the flight so that I could do healing for her en route to the hospital. It was an arduous journey for her in her frail condition. When the team arrived, their personalities and energy was such a huge contrast to the negativity that we have experienced so far. They were professionals and yet so very kind!

So we arrived at St Georg Klinik and indeed, such a vast difference. The medical team here has the expertise matched with warmth, care and kindness. They believe in possibilities as well and immediately started a series of treatments for her. The people in this town of Bad Aibling are friendly too, they smile at you and exchange greetings with you on the streets. Very conducive environment for healing to take place.

The doctors in Aberdeen said nothing more could be done for my friend, that she only had days left and that she would not survive the flight. Well, miracle 1 happened and we made the flight. Miracle 2 happened last week with a brilliant surgeon that we met and he resolved the issue that the doctors in Aberdeen said could not be done. It could be done because this surgeon believe in possibilities and made the extra effort to think beyond the box!

Its 13 days since we arrived and the medical team here have been doing a complementary blend of therapies and treatments for her. She has survived beyond the 'death sentence' that was pronounced on her.

It's not the first time I have had the pleasure of witnessing and being part of the experience of people overcoming the 'death sentences' that some docs are so quick to give. And I know there will be many more of such experiences. With a conducive environment and a caring medical team with expertise, it is so much easier for me to do healing for my friend as well.

As long as we have life's breath, there is always hope.

Having a medical diagnosis of what's wrong is useful cos' then we can move on with needed treatments. Never allow the diagnosis to stop you from exploring possibilities for healing. And if your doctor is not caring or encouraging, it would be more useful to find one who is.

In all professions, we will have people who believe in possibilities and who have the expertise matched by a caring heart. May we be blessed to encounter them. And may this group grow in increasing numbers.