by Peggi Shively
June 2007

I have lived with heart disease for most of my life. I had Rheumatic fever when I was six, and the mitral valve in my heart was damaged. I had limitations put on me all of my life, and at age 36 I had valve repair. Even after that surgery, I spent the next 17 years with more limitations.

For about the last year and half, I had begun having problems with shortness of breath, palpitations, chest pain, sleep apnea. I've been so tired of being sick. In the last two months, my health started to deteriorate rapidly, and I had begun to stop breathing in my sleep. In fact, a machine is supposed to be arriving at my home this week to be used at night while I sleep. I've been through many tests this past month, and I was told it was time for surgery because my valve or the opening in the valve had thickened so badly, that there were no longer any other options.

A voice inside of me said that if I had surgery I would not survive it, so in the past two weeks I wrote down what my family needed to know as far as my last wishes, where insurance papers were, etc. I wrote letters to my husband, sons, grandchildren… it's been awful.

My husband Joe and I have been coming to Victory since the new church opened last year. I know that miracles happen but believed that they happened for other people, not for me or my family. We came to the Impartation meetings and the evening when Larry Hutton called people to the front, who had breathing problems or sleep disorders, I went forward and he and his wife laid hands on me. I felt encouraged, and I felt hope for the first time.

The next day, I noticed that I wasn't quite so out of breath and that I felt better than I had in a long time. On Tuesday, June 5, we went to the cardiac surgeon, and he drew a diagram showing my husband and me how damaged my valve had become. I think that was when Joe realized how severe this was. I found out a couple days later that my husband had started praying right in the doctor's office while I was in another room for blood work. The answer to his prayer was that we had to go to church on Wednesday night to hear Joe Cameneti. My husband didn't understand exactly where this “thought” was coming from, just that we had to go.

On Wednesday my husband said we were going to church. I told him that I thought we should really go to visit his mom instead of church because she had not been feeling well. However, we went to church. I noticed that he was acting anxious throughout the service. I had no idea that he was expecting something to happen. As the evening was winding down, and Pastor Joe was ending, my husband looked so sad. Before I could ask him what was wrong, Pastor Joe said that the Lord had just spoken to him and that someone was suffering with heart disease – would they come forward? My husband's face lit up! He said, “That's for you girl, get up there!” He almost threw me out of my seat! I did go up for prayer with Pastor Joe and I can't put into words the feeling that went through me, but I knew a miracle was happening. The next day, I was no longer short of breath and had no chest pains. I had this strange sensation, which was new to me, called “energy” – it was amazing!

On Friday, June 8, I had to go to the hospital to have a camera put down my throat into my heart, so the surgeon could get a better picture of the damage. Then I was told I would have surgery on Monday, which is actually today – while I am writing this. As I was being put under for the scope, my last thought was, “Lord, are they ever in for a surprise.” At the very end of the procedure I started to wake up (too soon), and I thought I heard the cardiologist say, “This isn't as bad as we thought.”

The doctor called me Friday evening and said he had spent hours looking over my tests, comparing my tests, talking to other doctors, and they didn't know what to say except that things had improved and there was no reason now and possibly ever, to do surgery. He said to enjoy life, enjoy my grandbabies, and that he would not be seeing me again.

This all happened exactly one year to the day that Joe and I accepted the Lord as our Savior at Victory.

Since Wednesday evening I have felt great! I had a play day with two of my grandsons on Sunday after church, and my 8-year-old grandson said, “You're playing harder and still have breath!”

This has truly changed our lives!

Sincerely,