FOR WELL OVER A YEAR, at times I would be in such intense pain in my lower chest that I felt as if I were losing consciousness. The first such attack occurred one night when the pain was so severe that I did pass out. In my discomfort, I must have awakened my husband, who became very fearful for my life. I have relied on the scientific prayer taught in Christian Science for about 70 years, so it was natural for me to do so again for healing. Although my husband does not consider himself a Christian Scientist, he has always been supportive of my practice of it.
When I regained consciousness shortly after, I managed to phone a Christian Science practitioner, who helped me at once to understand that as the reflection of God, Spirit, my true being was wholly spiritual and not composed of material organs that could malfunction or cause me pain. I had learned through Christian Science that God is the only cause, and being good, He does not cause pain, disease, or bodily malfunction. Although these conditions always appear real to the five physical senses, disease of any kind is never true about God's child. For this reason, I never felt I needed a medical diagnosis.
Gradually the pain subsided over the next few days. The attacks returned several times that year to a greater or lesser degree, but I never lost consciousness again. Each time I persisted in praying for myself from the same spiritual basis.
