On The Road

I opened my eyes to find that I was propped up in a hospital bed. I was in agony!
The room that I was in had walls that were made of glass. I was in I.C.U. A nurse, sitting at a desk on the other side of the glass wall, saw that my eyes were open.
She jumped up, ran into my room and asked, "Mr. Coates, do you know where you are?" As I tried to answer, I became aware of what felt like a grapefruit-sized ball of ice in my head. I couldn't speak.
Realizing this, she said, "Just a minute," and ran back to her desk. Coming back, she put a pad of paper in front of me and a pen in my hand. "When I ask you a question, write your answer." She asked, but when I tried to answer, my arm thrashed about wildly. She managed to wrestle the pen away from me before I stabbed myself.
As soon as I had awoken from the coma, I had a clear memory, as though I'd just experienced it, of looking down into the lobby of a travel agency. Somehow I knew that it was a sunny winter's day on the weekend and the agency was closed. I sensed that I had just returned from a trip.
While in the coma, my heart had stopped three times. The last time, after 7 minutes of unsuccessful attempts to revive me, a nurse was filling out my time of death when my heart started beating again. Praise the Lord!
After taking a prescription medication, Stemetil, for nausea, I had a rare adverse reaction to it that is called neuroleptic malignant syndrome. This always requires intensive care hospitalization. It is often fatal.
It is classified as a brain disease. As my brain was shutting down my body's function, some of my pain was caused by rotting muscles. It felt like it!
After three weeks, I went home to my new apartment and my new life. This happened to me during August, 2004.
One day, during the Spring of 2021, it was like there was a flash in my head, and I had a memory. It was like a dream.
I was standing on a street. As I looked to my left, I saw a boulevard with perhaps some bushes on it. Beyond that were more streets and boulevards. Maybe some trees.
There was a mist hugging the ground. It had a golden color to it.
I turned my head to look in front of me. Standing about two feet from me was Jesus. As He was taller than me, I looked up at Him. Our eyes locked. We became one. I was immersed in an ocean of His love for me. He was smiling at me.
I have chronic illness, pain, and isolation issues to deal with and usually feel overwhelmed by my situation, but when I am able to abide in His presence, I know that everything will be alright. God is so good!
Perhaps my story will help someone else, too.
I am on the road...to my home...in the New Jerusalem!
"Though you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, for I am with you."

 

Praise His Holy Name!