On the 12th March 2010 I had a hysterectomy. After the operation, I woke up with pain in my left side. I knew something was not right and I asked the nurse about it. She said it was normal and gave me a hot water bottle and strong pills, but the pain didn’t go away.

I went home on the 15th March and my mother and I both felt that something wasn’t right. I didn’t improve and still had a lot of pain.
I also had a fever, the pain got worse and the colour went out of my face. I went back to the doctor three times, but they couldn't help me, and they didn’t send me back to hospital. The hospital said I must see the GP doctor.

On the 29th March I slept the whole day and when my husband, Riaan, came that evening to my parents’ house to pick up me and our
children, I could barely walk from the pain. So my mother took me to the doctor.

When the nurse and doctors saw me they said I must go to hospital immediately and called an ambulance. The paramedics gave me morphine in the ambulance, and my mother went with me to hospital. My sister Jacky went to my house to look after the children, so Riaan could come to the hospital. Riaan and my mother stayed with me for almost the whole night in ED, to wait for the doctor to come but she only came to see me in the morning. She said I didn’t look good and I went for x-rays of my chest, to find out what was wrong.

The pain continued to get worse. I was very thirsty but they wouldn't let me drink water; only suck on ice cubes for the CT scan. At 3 pm I went for the CT scan. A scan doctor said I needed to drink contrast (which is colour) for 4 times, have a drip so that could get a clear picture of my whole tummy. I felt worse and had a higher fever, and then started to cough and throw up. I began having difficulty breathing, and a nurse rushed to put me on oxygen. I began to hallucinate. I had gone into septic shock and it was affecting all my organs. It was very difficult to breathe. One of my lungs had collapsed; they said I had pneumonia and a clot in my lung. Seven doctors came in and looked after me at the same time. The cardiologist said that my heart was beating too fast. They x-rayed my chest. My mother phoned all my family to tell them to pray, and Riaan came to the hospital. Riaan said that he did not think I would die. I prayed to the Lord “please help me to breathe and that I am not ready to go home (to heaven) and please don’t let me die.” Riaan was standing worried in the corner, he was very quiet. I told my family I would be ok. My mother continued to text everyone—family, friends and church, etc. to pray for me. I was so crazy and shouted at my mother to stop texting everyone but she didn’t give up. My mother said when I spoke it was a very strange voice, like a hearing person, but she ignored it and carried on texting people to pray. I was praying a lot for my own life.

When Pastor John came I knew God was with me. I told the Lord, “I am not ready to go home.” I saw the picture of my children and my husband, and I want to be able to teach my children about God’s way and keep my husband’s faith strong. I almost died because I almost gave up my breathing, it was so hard. But I didn’t give up. I fought for my breathing to save my life by God’s Grace.

John prayed and said that, “There is a big spiritual battle for my life.” John felt I would not die but live and I agreed with him. John felt that God had plans for my life. John, my parents, Riaan and I prayed together for my life, and God looked after me. I felt calmer and was saved by God’s Grace.

I then went to Intensive Care and I was blessed because two of the nurses in ICU were good Christians and the doctors told me that I had to have another CT scan. I didn’t want to go back because I had almost died before, but they convinced me I had to, and they could put a drain to my kidney. When I was in the CT scan I was awake and saw two evil things moving on the ceiling, but I prayed and knew that God was with me, and the two evil faces went away. I was so happy to be saved by God’s Grace.

The doctor said that my kidney was surrounded by poisonous fluid, because they had accidentally cut the tube between my bladder and kidney when they operated. The put in a tube to drain it. At 2 pm on Thursday the 1st April I had a 3 hour operation to fix up my bladder, kidney, etc. when I woke up I felt so much better and well. I am healed by God’s love and kindness. Thanks to many people, my family, friends, and church family who prayed for me to survive and for my health. Thanks to Pastor John who prayed for me. Thanks for my mother who didn’t give me up easily and fought for my life. Thank you to the Lord who saved my life.

One more time I had to go back to hospital, as the pain came back a little bit, and my leg was numb. The doctor said there was some infection again, and gave me IV antibiotics. But everybody continued to pray for me. The specialist decided to take out the stent (plastic tube) as it was probably causing more infection. I had some more x-rays and tests in hospital. After few days there, I was discharged and they felt happy that I was now well.

I am much better now and getting better every day, by the grace of God. I am praying and believing to soon be 100% fully healed.

Thank you Lord Jesus so much for being with me all the time, and for saving my life. Thank you to everybody for all your prayers, also thank you Oupa and Ouma and your friends for sitting and praying for me and for letting Wayne, Daphne and all the overseas family, and church family know how I was doing and to ask for more prayers.

Thank you Wayne for emailing the church family for prayer and updates.

I am very blessed. Nicky (D)

Editors Note: Riaan & Nicolette were South Africans - they emigrated to Wellington,
New Zealand about 10 years ago. Their 3 children were born there.