On November 15th 2008 (Saturday), my then 53-year-old dad had an acute asthma attack, causing him to literally gasp for air so my younger brother Joe and I rushed my dad to the Emergency Room at University Malaya Medical Centre (aka University Hospital). He was given the nebuliser treatment to loosen and remove the phlegm from his lungs but it did not help much. After a while, my mom came from her office, followed by my second elder brother Kelvin. My dad panicked when he realised he could barely breathe on his own and he kept telling my mom, "I don't want to die!" After a few hours, he passed out and slipped into a coma because his lungs collapsed, due to dangerously high content of carbon dioxide trapped in his lungs.
Whilst the medical team was trying to resuscitate him, my immediate and extended family members and I (plus many close friends of ours) were praying hard outside the resuscitation hall. Many of us were crying and preparing ourselves for the worst after the doctors told us that my dad's life was in danger. I couldn't believe my ears and many thoughts ran through my mind as I had wanted to do so many things for my dad and with my dad but I hadn't even gotten the chance to do many of those things yet. My mom, my younger brother Joe and I were near hysteria whilst my two elder brothers, Kenneth and Kelvin, tried their best to calm us down.
After spending nearly three hours outside the resuscitation hall, the doctors told us that my dad was in a very critical condition and they had to put him in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) ward. The doctors actually told us that the chances of my dad NOT getting out of the coma were very high as he was depending on the life support machine to help him breathe. The dreaded words rang in our ears and we were so afraid of losing him but we trusted that God was in control. After praying for quite a while, the Holy Spirit assured me that my dad was going to be alright. Then and there, I realised that our faith was being put to test so I shared this with my mom and I told her to be strong and trust that God would not put us at a place where we don't need Him. After the Holy Spirit gave me that assurance, His peace washed over me and I calmed down.
My church covered my dad in a 24-hour prayer chain and I had also informed a few close friends to pray for my dad (you know who you are). My mom and I stayed overnight at the hospital lobby so that we could rush to the ICU ward should any emergency occurred. The following morning, my dad regained consciousness and my mom and I were so relieved that he did! It was a miracle that he regained consciousness after a night in coma but he was still in a critical condition. He was weak and he could not speak. We kept praying for him and then the following day (Monday), he could talk and consume liquid food. On Tuesday, he was transferred to the normal (medical) ward and he was discharged from the hospital by Wednesday evening.
"By His stripes, you are healed!"
That was what my second elder brother Kelvin told my dad on Saturday before he passed out. My brother told my dad to claim that promise from God.
Now, that takes faith.
And his faith (and ours) had made him well.
ALL GLORY TO GOD!
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Hebrews 11:1
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
"It comes therefore as a shock that these two spheres of human uncertainty (the future and the unseen) are precisely those in which faith specialises and even flourishes! It is the function of faith to apprehend both the unseen present and the unrealised future. Put simply, faith is the assurance that the future we anticipate will take place and the present we cannot see is nevertheless real."
"Faith is not a synonym for credulity or superstition. It is neither irrational nor illogical. No, faith and reason are never placed in antithesis to one another in Scripture. Faith and sight are contrasted, but not faith and reason. On the contrary, 'Those who know Your Name put their trust in You'. They trust because they know. The reasonableness of trust arises from the trustworthiness of its object, and nobody is more trustworthy than God."
Joe, my dad & my mom @ the ICU
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My folks
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The medical equipments in the ICU
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The medical equipments in the ICU
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My dad: Derek Tai Kim Wah
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I love you, papa!
My family and I are grateful and thankful for those who kept us in prayers. We appreciate it... and we appreciate you! Each and everyone of you! ;)
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