One of my patients shared an amazing story with me last week. I can't stop thinking about it. I don't typically share personal stories that I get the privilege of hearing at work, because I believe most people are private, and I try to respect that. However, today I'll be bending the rules, because I have to tell you about this sweet little man, who I'll call Randy. He told me a story, and every bit of me feels like I'm suppose to tell it. I tried not to take anything away from it, or add to it. I wanted it to seem like
he was telling it to you, the reader.
Randy is about 70 years old. He is an accomplished drummer. He was the drummer for Jerry Jeff Walker and Wayland Jennings at one time. He KNOWS music. He sat down with me on Tuesday for our treatment session and I was listening to his speech initially. Randy has survived 6 strokes!! He has nearly died 3 times from either cardiac arrest, sepsis, severe UTI etc. The man is a walking miracle. IT should be noted that this sweet little man, has neurogenic stuttering, basically he never had an issue with his speech until his stroke. It takes a patient listener to have a conversation with someone who stutters. But this man, most definitely is someone you want to listen to.
Randy told me that 2 weeks ago he died while in his hospital room, 430C.(The same hospital where I work) CRAZINESS!! He said, "I died for 20 minutes. I didn't believe it when I woke up, but Dr. ______, showed me the monitor and that I flat-lined. They were resuscitating me all that time."
Randy went on to describe what happened while he was (for lack of a better word) "dead". He said, "I was sitting on one of those cement benches, like in a garden, the ones they have in cemeteries, and my parents walked up to me. They didn't look a day old, nothing was old up there. Not one dead flower was there, nothing was dead." Randy said he got to see his two sisters that had passed away as well.
At this point in his story, Randy started to cry, and I did too. He went on to say, "Its so green there, there are flowers everywhere, and little paths for you to walk down so you don't step on the flowers. I felt so much love, it felt like I was drawn to it. I got to visit with my parents for awhile, then an angel came up to me and told me, "I'm sorry but you need to go back now, you still have work to do". Randy asked if he could stay just a little longer... but the next thing he knew he was laying in his hospital bed with several nurses around him.
I asked Randy if he knew what "work" he still had left to do, and he said he did. That it involved some kids in his church and taking care of his "woman" because she is on disability, just like he is.
It's exciting to me, to know that an entirely other place exists that is pure joy, light, and love. God
does set eternity in the hearts of everyone, because I know there's a part of me that waits in anticipation for going "there", to heaven, because here on earth, it only seems so temporary. After hearing Randy's story, and reading "Heaven is for Real" a couple of months ago, it takes the fear away from actually
leaving here, and going there, the best place ever.
Here's the picture that Colton, the 4-year old boy from the book, "Heaven is For Real" says seems to resemble Jesus the most. The painting was done by an 8 year old artist, Akiane Kramarik. She says her paintings are inspired by the holy spirit. She has appeared on World News Tonight, Oprah and CNN. Let's keep in mind she is a child prodigy and painted this piece, called "Prince of Peace", when she was only 8 years old.
What do you think heaven will be like???
