Shelli’s story is too big for one post. Here are two additional miracles. 

After she woke, Shelli needed a critical surgery to stabilize her pelvis and stop the fat emboli escaping her fracture from further injuring her brain. No one wanted to expose her healing brain to general anesthesia. They decided to wait.

A few days later, Shelli developed horrific abdominal pain. Her CT showed evidence of dead bowel. Surgical resection was her only option. Her husband called and asked if I could bless her remotely, even as she was being wheeled to surgery.

The words that flowed through me were dumbfounding, promising Shelli she’d lose no bowel and her seeming setback would be a great benefit. I was glad I was alone because I wouldn’t have had the courage to say the words in her presence.

At her bedside post-op, I learned Shelli’s surgeon had found healthy bowel. No resection. In the OR, they’d placed a catheter for spinal anesthesia, allowing her orthopedic procedure without further general anesthesia. Her healing was aided and accelerated exactly as promised.

With her hospital discharge approaching, Shelli endured increasing joint pains. Imaging confirmed widespread heterotopic ossification (HO), or bone formation in inappropriate locations, causing pain and limited range of motion. The condition is irreversible and often progressive. Treatment options are limited and disappointing. The next step was careful observation.

Shelli went home and continued to gain strength. When she returned two weeks later, imaging showed a complete resolution. No one had seen or read of such a case. They reviewed her initial images certain she had been misdiagnosed because HO is, by definition, nonreversible. 

Upon review, experts agreed the diagnosis had been correct. They said they would write a case report of this never-before-described outcome. Whether or not they wrote that case report, a comprehensive review of HO published in 2019 still makes no mention of spontaneous resolution (“Heterotopic Ossification: A Comprehensive Review,” JBMR Plus. 2019 Apr; 3(4): e10172).

During Shelli’s healing, I was asked to teach a Sunday school lesson. No one knew of my recent experiences. The assigned text included Acts, chapter nine, where Peter blessed Tabitha, saying, “Arise. And she opened her eyes and . . . sat up.” A class member asked why miracles didn’t happen today. I was reluctant—I didn’t share much ten years ago—but I noticed the scripture said when Tabitha healed, “many believed.” So, I shared. And I’m sharing now.

Shelli spoke of her experiences on national television. She asked me to write some of them. She wants her experiences to help others. She’s a walking miracle and a dear friend.

Share your experiences. You’ll help others heal.