My husband and I couldn't let this wonderful healing go unshared. In September of 1994, my husband experienced severe chest pains following an evening of tennis. By morning the pain had faded. But a week later, he experienced the pain again. This time it was more severe, so he went to the hospital emergency room. It was determined that he was experiencing a heart attack, and he was immediately admitted into the hospital.
When I heard this, I thought that it was impossible for God's child—His spiritual reflection —to experience a heart attack. I was very familiar with Mary Baker Eddy's spiritual definition of heart in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: "Mortal feelings, motives, affections, joys, and sorrows" (p. 587). With this in thought, I reasoned that man is immortal, not mortal. Therefore the actual and only heart that man possesses —the reflected activity of divine Love that constitutes his spiritual feelings, pure motives, healthy affections, and sinless joys—is perfect, immortal, and untouched by disease or deterioration. Pain and sorrow are a limited, mortal concept and are no part of the immortal man of God's creating. Praying for myself along these lines, I became more peaceful, knowing that I had nothing to fear in any medical diagnoses.
Shortly after my husband's admittance, the doctors were amazed that he no longer was experiencing any pain. Over the next two days extensive testing was done, and then he was released to go home and await the results.
One evening during the several weeks of waiting for the test results, there was a recurrence of the chest pains. My husband did not want to repeat his visit to the hospital, so when the pain returned he asked me to give him Christian Science treatment. He was taking no medication at the time. I assured him he had no cause to be afraid and that he was receiving the absolute best care available by trusting his life and health to God. As it was late in the evening, I encouraged him to go to bed, as usual.
I don't remember the specifics of my prayer; I do recall the spiritual conviction that health is the present fact because man has no life apart from divine Life, God. The prayerful treatment was short and sweet. When I checked on my husband, he was sleeping peacefully. The next morning he wakened free of all pain and resumed normal activity.
Later that week, when we visited his heart specialist for the test results, we were informed that a medical procedure called angioplasty was recommended, as the condition was considered life-threatening. I reminded my husband that the tests revealing a problem were given before he received Christian Science treatment, and that he could trust that the condition was completely healed. He felt it was appropriate to follow through on the final test required prior to the procedure.
Before our arrival at the hospital for this test, I was mentally wrestling with not wanting to spend the next twelve hours in a hospital! Yet I wanted to be supportive of my husband. In the Lesson-Sermon for that week from the Christian Science Quarterly was the story of the good Samaritan (see Luke 10:30-37). As I read the familiar story, I saw something I had never noticed before. The story tells of a man who was wounded by a band of thieves. We read that "by chance" there came a passerby who offered no aid. 'And likewise" a second person passed by without offering assistance. But then came the Samaritan, who "as he journeyed, came where he was." He was the one who was able to assist the wounded man. At this point I realized that if a hospital crossed my path as I journeyed about my Father's business, this was not necessarily by chance or circumstance. I could expect that the time would be productive.
The test revealed clear arteries, perfect heart. My husband was given a clean bill of health.
And so it proved. Immediately upon arriving in the waiting room, I found myself offering assistance to someone who needed to find a restroom. All my discomfort in being there immediately left. For the remainder of the day I prayed to see how Christ, Truth, was tenderly ministering to everyone in the hospital.
Following my husband's testing procedure, his doctor— the same specialist he had been working with all along—was noticeably astonished by the results. The test revealed clear arteries, perfect heart. My husband was given a clean bill of health.
As my husband was preparing to leave the hospital, I chatted with the nurse in charge of all patients who undergo this procedure. She was aware that I am a Christian Scientist. I asked her if it was a frequent occurrence for someone to come for this test only to discover that there was no problem. She said that she had to admit that it was a rare thing. In fact, she didn't remember it happening before.
A few weeks after the hospital experience, it snowed. Never did a man so eagerly attack the driveway and sidewalk with a shovel as did my husband! And I realized then, with such joy, that the reason he reveled in this otherwise unappealing activity was that for a while he had been told he wouldn't be allowed to do rigorous work. Now because of his healing in Christian Science, he knew that he could. I am very grateful for the healing power of the Christ, as revealed in Christian Science.
Lawrenceville, New Jersey
I am the husband mentioned in the testimony, and I am happy to verify that the healing occurred as my wife described. While I was having the final testing procedure done, the healing was really brought home to me when I found that I was the only one who was being released from further medical care out of the several people who underwent the same test that day. I know that the Christian Science treatment made the difference. I am very thankful to God to have been healed. I have a very active lifestyle and have experienced no further difficulties with my heart.
