09-Mar-2011 (Wed): Carpal Tunnel Pain, Torn Tendon & Popped Eardrum

A couple of weeks ago at lunchtime I was visiting my father-in-law (Bob) in the nursing home [NHC]. I went to the nurse's station to get him a Tums. He commonly wants one after lunch. I had brought him some spicy chicken he loves and so he figured he get one before experiencing any heartburn. One of the nurses that commonly takes care of Bob was there (his name is Vern) and I noticed as he was getting Bob's Tums, he had a wrap around his wrist. So I asked him what happened. He began to tell me he picked up something and heard a snap and pain shot up his arm from his wrist. He went to the doctor and the doctor told him he tore a tendon in his wrist and it would probably have to be fixed surgically. Turns out, years ago he had popped a tendon in his arm completely in two! He had surgery on that one and healed very quickly, which he attributed to God and prayer. So, I asked if I could pray for his wrist. He said that would be great but not to expect too much because he believed God did this to him to teach him some humility or something. Of course, he doesn't know it, but that is not true at all. Jesus' example of Father never showed that Father ever did anything like this to anybody. Jesus only removed pain and suffering... He never caused it. It is the nature of the thief to kill, steal and destroy. It is the nature of God to give abundant life (John 10:10).

But I left the theology lesson for later. I simply told him I believed Jesus wanted him out of pain and healed now... right now. He was very skeptical and corrected my theology saying, "God might heal it, but it will certainly be in His time, not ours." Again, I let that fall to the ground as I put my hand on his wrist and commanded the tear to be healed and tendon reconnected. Then I took my hand off and said, "It should be getting warm and tingly in there right now. And the pain should be lessening." His eyebrows went up and his face turned red. He said, "Son of a gun! You're not kidding. It really is getting hot in there. And just the right spot too, right where the doc said it tore." I asked about his pain and he said it didn't hurt much at all any more. He said, "Wow. I can certainly live with that." He then told me it would not be healed all the way until he learned whatever God was teaching him. I simply said, "He seemed to be healing you now." He had to agree.

A few days later, I came into work, and a coworker of mine (Mike) said he was experiencing some stronger-than-usual pain in his wrists from what he believed to be carpal tunnel [see pic of Mike & his wife Linda in pic right]. He's a strong believer and had been commanding the pain to leave him for a few days. He could press the center of his palms and pain would shoot up his arms. So he asked me to lay hands on him. I did and commanded the pain and tingling to leave in Jesus' Name. Nothing happened for a few minutes, but I just held his hands in mine for a while and spoke to the pain a few more times. In a few more minutes he said the tingling had disappeared and the pain had greatly diminished. He could now press very hard on his palms and was not feeling that sharp pain like he was. Amen! Since I work with him I will check on him from time to time to see how this is progressing. Of course, we want 100%. Mike, if you are reading this, please feel free to comment and let us know how it's going.

Meanwhile, back at the nursing home... Yesterday (Tue, 08-Mar-2011) I was visiting Bob again. I took him a Pal's hotdog (which he loves). After my visit I was walking to the door and I saw that same nurse (Vern) walking up the hall toward me. He still had the wrap on his wrist. I waved, but he motioned to me and said, "Follow me." So I did. He led me to an empty room (the tenants were out and about for the day or at lunch). He said, "I brought you in here to ask you something. But before that..." ... he motioned toward his arm... '...this thing is getting better and better. It is healing and no longer hurts after you prayed a while back. So, thanks!" Then he told me he had been sick for a few days and had thrown up so hard he popped his right eardrum. He went to the doctor and the doctor said it was a really bad tear and it may never heal over, or even if it did he would probably suffer severe hearing loss. I don't recall if he said "down to only 20%" or "loss of 20%"... but either way, he asked me to pray for him.

His current symptom-set was dizziness, pain, and complete silence in that ear. He said he couldn't even hear himself in his own head. The words he used were, "stone deaf." I told him about Chelsi's ear being healed (see here) because I believe a testimony in-and-of itself has the power to promote faith in the hearer, "for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (Revelation 19:10). I then laid my finger on his ear and commanded it to be mended and healed and that Jesus bore all of Vern's pain. I left it on there for several minutes, meditating on Jesus and letting the Life of God flow into him. Now, understand, I never feel anything at all, I just believe God's Life is flowing. Vern was silent with his eyes closed.

Finally I asked, "What's going on?" He suddenly said, "Oh wow, I hear a gurgling in my ear. That's different for sure!" Then a few moments later he said, "I'm feeling pressure changes in my ear. You know, like when you drive down a mountain too fast." Then he looked up, moved his head around and said, "Wow, I'm not kidding you brother, my dizziness is completely gone." He said beforehand he felt like he was "listing to the right" as he walked. He tried to get the cotton out of his ear, but it was too far down in there to get with his fingers. He was amazed. The pain was also gone. He told me thanks, and thanked Father. He said, "I'll get this cotton out later and see what's going on. I just believe it will continue to mend." I offered to pray for him again if he wanted, any time.

UPDATE (30-Mar-2011): Vern grabbed me at the nursing home the other day and said, "Guess what happened!" I said, "You can hear?" He said, "Yes! 100%. I woke up to the sound of the clock... not the alarm, but the ticking! I turned my head and I discovered I could hear out of my right ear." Thank You Jesus for continuing working even after we leave the person we pray for!

Isn't Jesus amazing?!