In the summer of 1958 I had an attack of shingles. I was not fearful and began to do prayerful work for myself, as we learn to do in Christian Science. But the condition grew worse. Since it appeared that I actually needed nursing care and a Christian Science nurse was visiting in our town, I called upon her to ask how a Christian Science nurse could care for a physical condition in view of the fact that Mary Baker Eddy tells us that "only through radical reliance on Truth can scientific healing power be realized" (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 167).
I liked her sensible answers and was led to ask her not for nursing care but for Christian Science treatment. The mental uplift I received from the very first treatment was wonderful. My thought was lifted above the physical sense of things to the spiritual truths I needed to realize. The physical condition was very seldom mentioned in the three weeks that treatment was given. We devoted ourselves to purifying thought, and this cleansing and purifying process was joyous and inspiring. Self-righteousness, human will, false and hurt pride, were uncovered so lovingly and so completely divorced from person that they were quickly destroyed, and I felt as though I had really been spiritually baptized.
For about two weeks I suffered pain; but it did not seem to matter at all, because my thought was becoming more loving, gentle, and selfless, and God was being glorified. I stood in awe because it did not seem possible for me to be as joyous, uplifted, and grateful as I was while my body was so discordant. At the end of the third week the condition was completely healed, and there has been no recurrence of it.
