Healing Line

Healing Line

Hope, Faith and Healing

by Joann Titcomb — School of Healing Prayer® Graduate
Jul/Aug 2004

This is a story of hope, faith, and thanksgiving. On Saturday morning, May 15th, Bill woke with a stiffness in his neck and shoulders, as if he had slept in a draft all night. He shrugged it off, but noticed when he brushed his teeth that they were aching. He got a call to go to our church to help with something before breakfast. When he returned, as soon as he walked in the door he asked me to lay hands on his shoulders and pray for the release of the pain. He then explained that the pain had increased and he felt it going down both of his arms while he was driving home.

When he mentioned his arms, I knew this must have something to do with his heart. At this point, he had not told me about his teeth aching. As I was praying for him, he went pale and clammy. He sat down and I took his pulse. It was only 40. I told him I had to get him to the hospital right away. As I drove, I held Bill's hand and prayed out loud for him and asked that God would have everyone and everything in position for Bill when we got there.

There was only one person ahead of us in the emergency room. The triage nurse said he thought it was probably just a pulled muscle because of the type of work Bill does. Both Bill and I knew it wasn't. They asked me to come back and sit with Bill. I prayed for a right diagnosis. Another nurse came in and said she was going to take an EKG just to be on the safe side. But since Bill had no history of heart problems it was probably just a pulled muscle. Again, I prayed. As soon as the nurse started the EKG, she opened the door and yelled for a doctor. Immediately, three more nurses and a doctor came in. They put an I.V. in Bill and then gave him nitroglycerin. He bottomed out with a pulse of 30 and BP of 30/20. I kept praying. They said they needed a cardiologist right away. Thank you, God, one was in the next room. He came right in and looked at Bill and his EKG. He took me out of the room and said this was the worst EKG he had ever seen. Every area of Bill's heart had severe damage. He kept shaking his head. He asked me to sign papers for a heart catheterization and for open heart surgery. He said he was calling a heart surgeon to be with him for the catheterization. He also said Bill probably would not survive the emergency room, but if he did his chances of surviving the catheterization were slim. If he survived, then he would need open heart surgery immediately. Then the doctor left.

I was numb and crying. I went into the room with Bill and pulled a stool up next to the gurney. I placed my hand on his heart, closed my eyes and tried to focus on Jesus. This was so difficult. So much was trying to fly through my mind. So I started to pray in the Spirit. As I prayed in the Spirit, an image of Jesus' hand holding Bill's heart came into my mind. As I continued to focus on Jesus' hand, I felt he was renewing and restoring Bill's heart. I sat like that for about 20 minutes, until the emergency catheterization team came in. They took Bill for the procedure, which was to take about 45 minutes. They asked me to kiss him and hug him before they rolled him in.

As I waited for the procedure to be over, I called my son and two friends who are on our prayer team. They came right over and prayed with me during the procedure.

After 2 hours, the doctor came out. He said this was the worst catheterization he had ever done. All arteries were 100% blocked. Then for no reason, because they had not given him medicine or anything, all his arteries suddenly opened and they only found one small area of blockage into which they put a stent. The doctor kept shaking his head and saying he did not understand anything that happened that morning. Then he said, "I know I told you he had tremendous damage in every part of his heart in the emergency room — I can't understand it but there is no damage anywhere now. Your husband is fine and does not need surgery."

I kept saying, "Thank you, God! Thank you, doctor. Thank you, God!"

As my friends left, they were riding down the elevator with the doctor. One thanked him for helping Bill, and said she was so scared. The doctor put his head down and said he was scared too. He said the heart surgeon was with him through it all because he felt Bill would need surgery immediately. My friends said they were praying.

Bill was able to come home on Tuesday the 18th and is doing fine. We have seen the doctor, and he still shakes his head about it. I told him there was a lot of prayer going on, but he ignored what I said. I thank God

for what he has done. And little does that doctor know how much God used him, to have him in the room next to Bill when Bill needed him. God had everyone and everything in place.

If I had not had the training from CHM, I never would have been able to focus enough to pray, and I never would have thought to hold my hand on Bill's heart. I believe just the touch in prayer is so powerful. We have no idea how God flows through us even in our weakest moments.

Thank you, CHM!! You are bringing the kingdom of God to us. For Bill and myself, the kingdom of God was with us on May 15'11 in that hospital because of your teaching.

May God continue to bless you, Francis and Judith, and further your ministry.

Love, joy, peace and thanksgiving,
Bill and Joann Titcomb


Jul/Aug 2004 Issue