Appendix a My Healers, My Heroes

Appendix A – My Healers, My Heroes

Char’s Two Onions – These are the two onions Char writes about in her Foreword. They were to her a sign of God’s attention to detail and involvement in the difficulty in which we were engulfed.

Emergency Entrance – This photo was taken the next day after release from the hospital when I am clean shaven again. This is the entrance to our adventure in the Poriya Hospital via the Emergency Room.

Original Receptionist – Ruth is the kind, English-speaking lady who helped us with Emergency Room entrance procedures on October 30. This photo was taken November 13, a day after my release.

Emergency Technician – This technician has exceedingly nimble fingers and good dexterity and took six samples of blood in about one minute. Photo taken the next day after my release.

With Emergency Doctor – This was taken the day of my release from the hospital. This Russian Doctor served in the Emergency ward the day I arrived and was later stationed in the Internal Medicine Ward where I was when I was released.

Before Coma – I have been diagnosed with Malaria but do not yet know that I have extensive Pneumonia in both lungs that later precipitates Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. I am seriously ill and my condition is deteriorating.

Before Coma – The distress my body was experiencing is apparent even in my eyes.

In Coma With Ventilator – For 96 hours the ventilator in my throat forced oxygenated air into my bronchial tubes. For the first forty-eight hours I was unconscious in an induced coma. During the first hour of the coma, my heart went in and out of Ventricular Tachycardia with a pulse of 200 heartbeats per minute.

Dan and Dad – After becoming conscious and before I could talk again, Dan and I worked hard to communicate via a sheet of paper with the letters of the alphabet on it. You can see that paper here.

My Son, My Encourager – Dan’s visit was a tremendous source of strength to both Char and me. He also represented our son Joel and his family and I was very much aware of that the whole time he was there.

Ron and Char – Char almost became a widow. In this picture you can see I had turned the corner and it appeared that I was on the mend.

One of my ICU Nurses – I have not yet decided if my nurses were angels or human. They were wonderful agents of healing for which I will always be grateful.

With ICU Male Nurse – This male nurse was nick-named (by himself) as the Russian Mafia. He was a skilled professional who one entire night attended me carefully.

Another of my ICU Nurses – This nurse served me both in the ICU and also in the Internal Medicine Ward when I moved there.

One of my ICU Doctors – This wonderful lady along with her two colleagues had advanced training in emergency and intensive care medicines. All three of them were highly competent professionals.

Ron and ICU Doctor – This ICU Doctor took a special interest in my case. Here we are chatting in the Internal Medicine Unit the day after I was released from the ICU.

Ron and ICU Doctor – This same Doctor has continued to advise me. Notice that my facial hair kept me right in style.

Another ICU Patient & Ron – The day I left the ICU, I struggled over to this man’s side of the room to greet him and wish him well. Three days later when I was out of the hospital, I returned to greet him again.

One of my ICU Nurses – This senior nurse in the ICU required me to hold to strictly good patient behavior. She is one of the angels who saved my life.

Third Therapist and Ron – Of the three therapists mentioned in chapter two who worked with me, this one pushed me the most and earned my genuine appreciation and respect for her and her profession.

The Empty Bed – “He is not here; he has risen” (Luke 24:6). “And if the same Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you” (Romans 8:11).

Ron with Twelve-day Growth of Beard – I shaved it off the next day after being released from the hospital, but I felt quite in style even with an unplanned beard of twelve days growth.

Ron with Accountant – The final testimony of the goodness of God is how the accountant was willing to work with me, a foreigner, as I made payments in the several months that followed.

Poriya Hospital at a Distance – Every time we drive by the hospital, I recall the drama of those twelve days and am more aware than ever before that God has a purpose for me in the years ahead.