By Grace Wilson
You know, when I woke up from coma three weeks after the second accident in 2008 Dec 25th, the first statement that came out of my mouth was ‘God why me again’. My both legs where signed up for amputation and I was never allowed to look at myself from my waist down to my feet. Six doctors who were in attendance at Immanuel General hospital eket, whispered amongst themselves ” We are not sure she would make it, the damage to her lower limbs are irreparable”. Thereafter, I was transferred to orthopedic hospital Enugu where I spent two years after undergoing four major surgeries. I lost a thallus bone on my right ankle, my Achilles tendon on my right leg and my kneecap on my left leg completely damaged. I drank everything liquid through straw and laid on my back with blisters for seven months before I could sit up and feel alive again.
ActualIy, i didn’t mention that i really did not want to live again, the pain was excruciating and I begged God to please take my life. Instead He personally paid me a visit right in the theatre. I have always only heard about God, believe in Him through the gospel and imagination through fictional pictorial presentations, but I got to really meet God accompanied by seven angels, and that was when the miracle took place, the memory of that encounter will forever remain evergreen. I needed ten pint of blood for transfusion, but guess what? He restored the amount of blood I had loss and according to the doctors, I had more than enough to donate, thereafter, the senior doctor confessed that he heard a voice instructing and guiding him through the operation. Two years had gone by and I was able to return to school with two crutches under my arms.
October 2012, another accident occurred, one of the legs that was carefully constructed through surgery snapped in two and this time one of my hands was affected too and I spent eight months at the teaching hospital Calabar. I was still able to push through and got my certificate from Unical then proceeded to University of Ibadan for my second degree. This time I wasn’t on crutches anymore, I was getting better with just a walking stick.
June 2018, it happened again and everyone I ever knew in my life gave up on me except my ever loving God mother Mrs. Beatrice Athekame, she is a mother like no other and the best thing that has ever happened to me since she came into my life in 1999. Of course it was becoming too much for anyone to comprehend or to bear with me. My medical career (my dream and ambition) now on deferral pending when I will get well enough to resume. Surprisingly, my mind is not perturbed since I know that one with God is a majority.
My dearest and closest friend back in high school Tricia Jimmy spoke with me on phone two weeks ago, she said “Gracie do not ever loose track of your beautiful and unique relationship with God”. At that very moment, she practically reminded me of who possesses me, little did she know just how much she had boosted my faith.
Why am I writing this now???
Being an extremely private person, I never really wanted people to know about my ordeals for the past eleven years even when I cannot escape the obvious, because I do not like or accept pity and this is not the time i really want to write about my testimonies, but I’m a little compelled in my spirit to give this highlight. I am yet to share the real testimony the world is waiting to hear.
I feel this burden in my heart that I am not thanking God enough. Do you know why? because He never let me go through all these alone. The strength, the peace, the courage and the hope I feel are simply extraordinary, and that is grace which can only come from Him. He has used a great number of people to support me from the very beginning, and as long as I live in perpetual gratitude, their blessings will never be diminished throughout their lifetime on earth.
I truly detest the way a lot of people complain about everything in their lives. They always have something to complain about instead of counting their blessings and making the most out of their lives. When you complain too much, trust me, the burden will become too heavy for you to bear. I have my first degree and waiting to get another, there is no type of computer I cannot operate, there is no kind of food I cannot Cook or bake or manipulate as far as culinary art is concern, I’m now trying out in fashion skills, I keep acquiring skills and business plans to make the most out of my life and to prove to my adversaries that they cannot break me and that there is nothing I and my God cannot handle, cos I will never change the way I feel about Him, I won’t give up on Him and I won’t give up on myself either, i have no idea what God has in store for me but i will hold on still. What exactly is limiting you??? The moment the word “I CAN’T” begins to exist in your life that is when you are truly handicapped and incapacitated.
Despite everything that has happened so far and I’m back to using two crutches again, I still have my legs intact, I am neither broken nor crushed inside. I truly feel His love inside of me, and since I cannot thank Him enough, I am beseeching you all to join me and raise your hearts and hands in Thanksgiving to the one true God who reigns in all.
Thank you Lord for every favour I have received, thank you for all the blessings that I cannot see, thank you for the wonders of my being. Thank you a thousand times Lord, thank you a million times.
My earnest request is that, no matter what I ever have to go through in this life, please give me the grace to remain faithful to you.