My Spiritual Experience After Back Surgery....

1st off I want to say how thankful I am to Shriner's Hospital for all that they have done for me in giving me a chance to continue in this life & to be able to live past my 15th birthday.....  My family didn't have to pay a penny for my surgery or the services they provided me from 11-21 years old!  If there was any charity I would give to it would be Shriners as well as the Ronald McDonald House! 

I want to say to those that need assistance if your child is disabled and needs help I would recommend Shriner's completely!  Check out these links & donate if you can!

Donate Now to Shriner's Hospital  And Donate Now to Ronald McDonald House 

Volunteer Now at Shriner's near you...

Need Referral For Disabled Child And Contact Information For Shriner's Hospital

Just a background...I had to wear a back brace from age 11-15...I had a stupid kid in Jr High that said I stuffed my bra & stupid stuff, but he was in the younger grade at my school...the people in my grade always were really nice to me & I found that amazing & great! I LOVE Spokane, WA for the wonderful people that live there! I also had really great church & non church friends that helped me pull through it all! So here is my experience...

January 16, 1992. Shriners hospital decided when I was 14 that it was time I had surgery on my back. My scoliosis came to a 72 degree curve which if it would have gotten any worse it could have collapsed my lungs.  They didn't want to wait for me to reach my full growth due to the severity of the curve. I could have died if I didn't live in a day & age where there was something that could have been done to help.  Here is my story:

The night before I went into surgery I was desperately waiting for this cute boy, that I really liked, to call! I was nervous, but then he called & I was so excited. It really cheered me up to know he cared! He even sent me flowers while I was in the hospital. Anyway the next morning I went to the knock out room (where they put you under) & mom and dad thought I was being really silly after I had, had the drugs. I thought this stuff is not going to work it won't put me under! I was fighting it. I wanted to be tough. (I am glad I went under :o)) Anyway I told the doctor that he had 2 heads & some other silly things. The doctor had me count down from 10 & I was out. The next thing I remember was I woke up all dreary & things were fuzzy. I didn't really hurt, but I was weak. I don't remember when the problem I had happened, but I am going to go into that part of the story now. I had fallen asleep & then I woke up at night & I remember pushing the morphine button every time it beeped (Even though I didn't hurt that bad, & even though the doctor warned me to not do it unless I needed it). The next time I woke up mom & dad were sitting by my bed all nervous & that kind of freaked me out & I asked what was going on. I also noticed that there was air blowing into my nose & so I started pulling at the cord that was blowing the air & I was trying to rip it out of my nose! I was frustrated. The next thing that I remember is people running around my room. They started to hold my hands down & rushed me onto a gurney! I thought what is going on?? They were rushing me down the hall towards the Deaconess hospital (they were connected by a sky walk (which I later found was major lucky!) Shriners Hospital used to be 5-10 miles away from the main downtown hospitals. When I had surgery they had their new hospital built & I was one of the 1st surgeries!) I was looking at the ceiling & I saw one of those safety mirrors that places have so you don't run into people walking down the hall. I saw my face & I was bloated! I thought whoa! They got me to the baby area of the Deaconess, & they put a tube into my nose through my throat & into my lungs to get the fluids out. It was gross & hard to let someone stick a thing like that into my nose & through my throat. It made me gag! Anyway I found out later that the morphine closed my throat up & I stopped breathing. I almost died & if I had my surgery at the old hospital I could have died on the way to the Deaconess. I was so thankful for the people who responded to me so quickly. Well so there I was in THE BABY SECTION of the hospital. I capitalize that part because I was upset & felt like they thought I was a baby! I was 14 for goodness sakes :o)! They also tried Demerol for pain killing & it made me throw up, so I was frustrated! So one night in THE BABY SECTION, I was lonely & I heard babies crying. I also heard some nurses talking & I needed someone to talk to. I started quietly saying help, Help, HELP. The nurses were not as friendly as the ones at Shriners. They just ignored me & maybe they didn't hear me. After this next experience I was grateful they didn't talk to me, because what I experienced was so precious. I had a prompting to pray to my father in heaven. I thought but I am a bad kid I am not worthy to ask for his help (I used to swear a lot LOL)! Then I started praying. I said Heavenly Father I know I am a bad kid, but I need your help. (of course I was crying big time!) I said I want you to make me like Joseph Smith where he didn't need any drugs while he had his surgery. I need comfort! I don't want to depend on the drugs to help me. I need someone to help me! & I can't remember all of my prayer, but that was the main part. After I was done praying I felt like someone wrapped a warm blanket around me, was holding me & rocking me to sleep. I felt the comfort I had asked for. After a week I went back to Shriners & I was so happy. I remember a nurse coming in with some drugs for me to take & I said, "I don't want those!" She didn't make me take them. I didn't need them I felt good! Also the nurses were secretly sitting me up & letting me stand up. The doctor wanted me to be in the bed for another 2 weeks. The doctors were amazed how quickly I healed & how strong I was. I am thankful for those nurses and God! Anyway I got out of the hospital & I came home without any medication & I felt great! I had even grown 2 inches because they straightened my back that much! It was weird to go into surgery short & coming out a little taller :o)(I am still really short LOL)! Now that it has been years after surgery I feel like a normal person; even though I have rods in my back keeping it straight. My back still has a 30 degree curve, but it isn't too bad. I just have to get everything I wear altered. I have a slight humped back. So it throws off things I wear & they don't fit right. But I live with it & it doesn't really bother me. I don't get everything altered, but business jackets always bunch in the back.

Well to end I want to share what this experience taught me! This experience has let me know that my Heavenly Father loves me & he will always be there for anyone no matter how bad they are! I feel a closer bond with Him because of it too. Even though I know I am not perfect in any way! Well I love you all & I hope this experience will help you to remember He loves us!!

Comments from my family about this piece of my history:

My Sister:

wow sis, i never knew what you went through. that was an amazing experience!! you are truly a very spiritual person!! thank you for sharing that experience!!

My Mom:

Dear Birdeena, Thank you for sharing your story with us all. I too am thankful for Shriners and what they did for you. I am also thankful for our Heavenly Father. I know he hears and answers prayers. I am thankful that you were comforted at that time.

One of my brothers (the one 2 years older than I am):

I knew bits and pieces of this story back when it was all happening...But only the things about the cute boy coming to visit...It has been indeed very inspiring to the hear the depths of the story...Thank you

**Oh & an update the boy I thought was cute is now gay...awww nuts! (I am married btw haha) :o) No wonder he was so sweet! :o)**