My wife who is a nurse took me straight to my GP; it was frightening to watch someone pushing pins into your body and feeling nothing. Seeing the doctors and Betty’s faces I knew then something serious was wrong with me, from there I was taken straight into Ards hospital. After a series of tests the consultant sat down with Betty and myself and told us that I had taken a stroke, which had affected the left side of my body. I felt as if my whole world and life had just fallen apart around me. After the doctor had left Betty just held me as we cried together.

"I knew then something serious was wrong with me"

On the following Sunday Betty had been visiting and returned home. The night sister was walking down the ward towards my bed; I reached out my hand to attract her attention and collapsed into the bed. My family was sent for, as my condition got worse. The doctor had told Betty that he was not sure that I would see the night through. All I can remember was the look on Betty’s face she was so concerned and upset I didn’t know what the doctor had told her. That night one of the other patients sat by my bedside all-night and prayed. David passed into the presence of God three days later (thank God he was a Christian). Again a few weeks later my wife was sent for the consultant was not hopeful that I would see the morning. It was during my time in hospital that God gave me a promise that he would raise me up again, I held unto that for the next five years.

"God gave me a promise"

For the next three months I was to stay in hospital receiving intensive physiotherapy and rehabilitation. I left hospital in a wheelchair unable to walk. At home I was to be looked after by a specialised stroke team, Pauline the physio called five days a week for the next few months, I learned to love and hate Pauline as she helped me learn to walk again and generally put me back together (such a small girl inflicting so much pain with a smile on her face).

"I left hospital in a wheelchair..."

In February of the following year with the aid of walking sticks and splints I returned back to my work as church administrator. Three months later while at church in the evening I had another smaller stroke and ended up back in hospital, this time for a shorter period but back in the hands of the stroke team (Pauline!). Again I was able to return to work, but my left side was a lot weaker and my left hand locked closed. I kept remembering God’s promise to me and fought on. Just another five months down the road and it all happens again, I found it now harder to cope both physically and spiritually. Now back in a wheelchair unable to walk my pride was hurting. More intensive physiotherapy and rehabilitation I didn’t like myself much I question God. Christmas at home and things steadily improving for three months now.

I was able to attend the church annual conference in England feeling really well now; I can cope with the disability.

Sunday morning 6th June 98 (my black Sunday), I went to our second morning service with Betty. We sat in the balcony that morning as it wasn’t as crowed as downstairs. I was not feeling on top form. Just before communion I got this blinding severe headache and asked Betty to take me home, I never made that journey (just as far as the stairs) but regained consciousness two weeks later in the Ulster Hospital.

"My left side was completely dead "

My left side was completely dead, no movement at all; my eyesight was poor I could just see the outline of everything: I couldn’t swallow “or” do anything for myself. Someone had to feed me liquids. But to my real horror of horrors I couldn’t speak. The doctors informed Betty that I had, had a double-sided stroke. I knew from Betty’s face and my sons that things weren’t at all good. The doctors told Betty that they didn’t think I was going to pull through and if I did I would need constant nursing care. The church was praying for me all over Ireland.

Betty and Ann (a dear friend) took it in turns sitting by my bedside. Other close friends were looking after Betty and the boys at home. Making meals, just being there.

Weeks later Ann made me write a dear God letter. It broke my heart but put God back in control. That is in my mind, He always was in control.

Months of receiving intensive physiotherapy and rehabilitation I was allowed home. This time I was unable to walk or use my left arm. Betty had to make our dining room into a bedroom for me; I was unable to go upstairs. That first night home Betty got me into bed, I felt so alone and vulnerable, she went upstairs and I cried myself to sleep.

The stroke team was now back on the scene (Pauline) with intensive physiotherapy and rehabilitation this continued until just after the New Year 1999. Hard decisions had to be taken now I was unable to go back to work full time. I wasn’t allowed to drive; I found it hard to just keep going, just to be strong for Betty and the boys. From deep inside I still believed God’s promise to me.

After months of hard work and with the aid of leg and hand splints I was able to mobilise myself again. That June I passed my driving assessment and was again independent. It was a great feeling to be able to do something on my own; to go where I wanted when I wanted.

"This time only my eyes were affected"

Just before Christmas 2000 I had another minor stroke (number 5). This time only my eyes were affected, I was allowed to stay at home under Betty’s care.

A group from the church was making arrangements to go to a Healing Conference in Toronto on 24th February. I asked to join them and was welcomed provided my doctors gave the OK for me to travel again. It was great news for me when my doctor gave the all clear for me to travel.

At this point I want to make it very clear that I didn’t go with the idea that God would heal me but rather as a group we would catch the FIRE of what God was doing and bring it back home to Bangor.

The conference started on the Tuesday evening with a praise service. That day I was in real bad form and had fallen out with everyone. I told them I wanted to go home and that I didn’t want to go to any meeting. (I was totally exhausted with all the travel being so physically weak.) But I was persuaded to go to the meeting that night and I was glad I did. It was during this meeting that Pastor Bill Prankard who was speaking stopped in his tracks and said that he felt God saying to him that He wanted to heal people. He asked those who had a need in their body to stand as he wanted to pray for them. For some reason I found myself standing holding on to the seat in front. Looking round I saw that a lot of others were standing too in that large congregation.

He then said he wanted us to do something that we might think stupid. He asked all those standing to put their left hand on their head. I lost it big style, typical hype; this is what I heard about at home. Anyway I couldn’t even move my left arm, but as I looked round everyone else was doing as he asked. So I grabbed my arm and stood swaying trying to keep my balance with both hands on my head, one holding the other. Ranting to myself I said hurry up I can’t stand like this much longer.

"...asked God to send healing power"

Pastor Prankard then simply prayed and asked God to send healing power on those standing. As he was praying my left hand fell down I thought it had just slipped from my grip, but when I looked at it the hand that was locked closed was open and I could move all my fingers. I showed my hand to my friends, oh to see the look on their faces what an excitement, what tears!

People were asked to check if anything had happened, and if it had to come to the platform and share what God had done for them. The gang urged me to go to the front, so I left my seat not realising I hadn’t my walking stick and headed for the platform. On my way there I heard Pastor Beckett shouting and as I looked round he was waving my walking stick in the air, I hadn’t been able to cross a small room without that stick for the last five years, as I continued to walk to the front the splint on my leg opened, sometimes it done that when the fastening caught the inside of my trousers. I walked on and at the side of the platform I pulled my trouser leg up to see what had happened the splint. To my total amazement and joy the wastage on my leg had been restored and the splint had popped, as it was now too small to go round my leg. “O Praise the Lord.”

"...the wastage on my leg had been restored"

My friends were asked to come to the platform to bear witness to my healing, all of us in tears of joy. Each one bore witness of what my condition had been but now praising God for what he had done.

We all rang home to let the folks know what had happened; Betty and Pastor Crawford were cautious about the news, sometimes it’s hard to believe what you read or hear without seeing for yourself. But by the time we got home the news had travelled far and wide. I’ll never forget Betty’s face when I walked into the house, or Bill’s as I ran up the stairs to the office.

I went to see my own GP who examined me. He took my blood for testing, to check the INR, told me to stop all my medication 15 tablets a day. His reaction to all he saw was to tell me to give all the glory to God. The following Wednesday my consultant from the hospital rang my home to let me know that my blood levels were now all normal.

There is a price to pay. You may say what is it? During my illness I was given DLA (Disability Living Allowance - a government benefit) for life. I had to write to them for months to get them to believe what had happened, even with a doctor’s report. These payments are now cancelled even though it put Betty and I under financial strain. But Betty and I knew that the God, who supplied my financial needs when I was ill, would also supply my needs by a different source now I was well. Praise God He has.

“What a Faithful God have I”

"LOOK BEYOND YOU NEEDS AND CIRCUMSTANCES AND TRUST GOD !

George McMurtry