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TESTIMONIES |
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By JANELLE Ruyf |
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22
October HeartBeat
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When things are going good in your life, it is easy to have faith and trust God. Do you still have faith and trust God when you have serious issues in your life? This is my friend Janelle Ruyf’ s story of Botulism. She stayed faithful and trusted God to give the doctors wisdom and knowledge to figure out what was making her so sick. When we are going through serious issues, yes, we will have a lot of hard days, BUT GOD IS THERE THROUGH IT ALL. JANELLE KEPT THE FAITH that GOD WOULD HEAL HER IN HIS TIME.
Jane Wilber
Jay and Jane Wilber oversee the North Central Region as
National Evangelist.
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WHERE IS YOUR FAITH! two separate
AFTER trips to the UNMC / ER over two consecutive days, medical staff were unable to determine why I was experiencing non-stop vomiting and intense indigestion pain, followed by blurred vision and slurred speech. I was admitted to UNMC after my second ER visit. Doctors were still trying to determine whether I had a neurological disease called Myasthenia Gravis, which is a‘ long-term’ neuromuscular disease, or Botulism. Both things had similar symptoms. Once Myasthenia Gravis was ruled out due to‘ negative ' results with various tests that had been done, it was concluded I had Botulism, which was‘ determined and confirmed’ after I remembered eating a quart jar of homemade‘ canned’ beets the week prior, which unknowingly were tainted with the botulism bacteria.
The doctors asked both Bill and me numerous times if we canned food, which we don’ t, and I answered that( until I remembered eating a jar of beets I had received from a friend who does can food). My husband was unaware I had tucked them in the back of our refrigerator, which I had eaten for a week with a sandwich for lunch, before my developing symptoms. We don’ t can food, but we welcome and eat it when it ' s given to us.
With diagnosis:
Definitely Botulism – after I had disclosed what I had eaten. My care proceeded, and I remained six weeks in the ICU at UNMC in Omaha, Nebraska, experiencing my muscles NOT responding, causing further problems with breathing and mobility. During the discovery period, and until we figured out why, I was experiencing a progression of paralysis; I had a tracheotomy put in place to enable me to breathe.
Upon being released from six weeks of care at UNMC, my neurologist recommended that I go into a rehabilitation hospital for support and care at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Omaha for another six weeks.
The bacteria affected my neurological function, causing paralysis in the upper part of my body and affecting my ability to breathe on my own, as mentioned. Still with a trach in place, I started receiving occupational and physical therapy once I got sensation back in my arms to learn to function again. I needed to relearn to eat, walk, and care for myself. Thankfully, I had the loving support of my beloved husband, Bill, daily at my bedside. Along with visits from our son Dirk and my daughter Kim, who lives in Kansas.
My siblings and friends who live locally were‘ quite a support’ for both Bill and me by providing meals for him.
In the weeks that followed, having received much prayer support from so many, God’ s hand of‘ mercy and grace’ was upon me; I was well on my way to a complete recovery!
MANY played a HUGE part in my recovery, with prayers, cards, and visits; my church community and our local CMA – Second Mile Riders # 197 members – along with other local chapters in Nebraska and Iowa, who, not sur-