Christian Science came to me in the midnight of invalidism, when it seemed that not a ray of light could be seen to lead out of the utter darkness. After a period of misery covering about two years, I was taken to a hospital in Chicago, where I underwent an operation for an abnormal growth. I remained in the hospital five weeks under the care of a specialist, and at the expiration of that time was taken to my home about sixty miles out of the city. For a time I seemed to gain in strength, but in a few weeks began again to sink into the same weakened, nervous, despairing condition, only worse, because I felt that the last resort of materia medica, while it had removed the growth, had failed to give me health. I was suffering so that if I had two hours' sleep in a night I thought I was doing well, and this had been going on for nearly two years. Since the operation I had been unable to walk normally, having to be helped up and down steps or to walk any distance.
It was deemed wise by those about me that I should return to Chicago and while there to have the same specialist make another examination. This he did, giving me a long diet list and stating that I must not indulge in any violent exercise or become tired in the least, and to be very careful never to take cold. I continued under his treatment several weeks with no encouraging result.
About this time I wrote to an uncle then living in this city and told him of my condition. My sister also wrote to him at the same time, saying they did not expect to have me with them very long. In a few days I received a letter from him, saying he was sending to me the addresses of two Christian Science practitioners, and asking me to go to either of these for treatment. All I knew of Christian Science was what I had read in the press, and I hoped as I read his message that the treatment might be of any other sort. When, however, I received from him a copy of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, I consoled myself with the thought that my parents would never allow me to try Christian Science. But when in a few days I received a letter from them, it said, "Do as your uncle has advised. You have tried everything else, even to surgery, and it has not healed you. This is something that cannot hurt you if it does not help you."
