By God’s Grace (Part 2 of Thanksgiving)

Written by Queenie Lim-Ng

In my previous testimony, I mentioned that I would write again if I survived my operation.

I would also like to thank the many church members who have prayed relentlessly for me. Evidently, God’s providential hands before, during and after my surgery were upholding and guarding me.

One of my prayer requests was that the epidural would work for me. It would mean a lesser pain for me, post-surgery. I informed Dr Raymond, my anesthetist, that the epidural did not work for me during childbirth as the contractions were very intense. Dr Raymond gave me full assurance that he would do his best.

I was blessed to have a team of the best surgeons operating on me. At 7.30am on 27 July, Dr Raymond, a Christian, prayed for me before he started on the epidural procedure. It was a success.

Gratitude to God and relief overwhelmed me. God answered our fervent prayers!

The surgery was supposed to be 16 hours long but, instead, it was completed in 12 hours. How wondrously did God equip my team of surgeons!

In the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), I was closely monitored by both doctors as well as nurses. I felt so weak. I also could not speak because I had a tube in my nose (it travelled down my throat into my abdomen). Even swallowing my saliva was effortful and uncomfortable.

The first 2 days in ICU were the toughest for me because I had difficulties in breathing.  The nurses kept assuring me that my oxygen level was good when I told them that I was struggling to breathe. Nothing was done regarding my concerns. Hence, I was filled with frustration. As I could not breathe properly, I was not able to rest. I cried out to God to help me breathe. Alas, there was no relief. After a while, I sensed that perhaps God wanted me to endure and do my part. Thus, I focused all my energy upon my breathing and forced myself to take deep breaths. 

The next morning, an x-ray showed that water was found in my left lung. I already have a draining tube at my right lung and 3 other draining tubes at my abdomen. However, fluid was still accumulating in my left lung. 

Without much delay, Dr Su, a heart and lung surgeon inserted a tube into my left lung. This procedure helped me to breathe much better.

Dr Su is really God-sent. On 3 May, when I was in hospital for diagnosis, he contacted me for a landscaping assignment for his garden. I informed him of my health condition and we kept in touch. 

On the second day of my ICU stay, Dr Su visited me and even brought along a lung specialist, Dr Adrian, to monitor my condition.

Nevertheless, the challenges I had to overcome were not over yet. On Day 3, I became delirious and tried to pull off the tubes that were on me. I did not realise what I was doing.  I remembered, vaguely though, a nurse warning me sternly that I should not have done that. I was also hallucinating and kept thinking of plants (definitely a job hazard!).  When I closed my eyes, I would see moving orange numbers and letters. I thought I was losing my mind. I also experienced 3 panic attacks and mild spasms. 

Later, I was told that these experiences are not abnormal. It is called the ICU syndrome.  It did not help that I had not slept for days. 

On Day 5, I was taken off the epidural. Thankfully, I did not experience pain. There was only bearable discomfort and things started to improve after I was discharged from the ICU on day 6. 

Dr Su ordered me to get out of bed and to start walking. I walked and pushed the wheelchair which contained my drainage bags and fluid containers. The walking not only helped with my breathing but it also facilitated the movement of my bowels. 

Subsequently, I began to feel better as the tubes were being removed one by one. But I felt bored and lonely because no visitors were allowed. Moreover, I did not have my mobile phone with me as Michael needed it to attend to my customers. 

Yet, I was thankful to the nurses who cared for me and the doctors who came to check on me. Each time there was a knock on the door, happiness would inflate my heart. Dr Charissa visited me a few times. I did not know her beforehand and was pleasantly surprised when she introduced herself as Lee Yong’s (a church member’s) daughter. 

One night, my doctors needed blood for testing and Dr Charissa was the doctor on duty. A lovely surprise greeted me! Dr Charissa came to draw my blood when earlier attempts failed. Later, Lee Yong confirmed that she is really good at drawing blood!

By Day 11, I suspected that I was going to be discharged soon. The doctors knew that I would be happier and recover even faster after I leave the hospital. Needless to say, I was ecstatic!

For the past 2 weeks, I went for anti-biotics infusion every single day. Still, I considered it a blessing as this arrangement was much better than staying in hospital for another 2 weeks. I would continue to have diarrhoea for another month or so as two-thirds of my colon had been removed.

On 18 August, the staples of the surgical wound were removed. I had imagined that it would be painful but, thank God, it was not. 20 August marked the start of my chemotherapy sessions. It is a total of 6 cycles. I look forward to chemotherapy because it means my illness is treatable.

Through it all, God has proven His faithfulness. I experienced His love and peace before the surgery. I went on to taste of His grace and healing after surgery. My hospital stay was supposed to be 1 month but, in less than 2 weeks, I was discharged! My swift recovery from the intensive 16-hour surgery is nothing short of a miracle.

However, my battle with cancer is far from over. Doctors now suspect that my cancer is not ovarian, as earlier diagnosed, but a rare peritoneal cancer. Whatever the future holds, I know God, the greatest Physician, can restore me if He chooses to do so. If God’s will does not include healing, I will continue to soldier on for His glory until He calls me to my eternal home. For I know that it is only by God’s grace that I am able to write this second thanksgiving.