I’ve always thought that miracles find us when we need them most. In fact, I wrote about one such miracle in the latest issue of Mysterious Ways magazine. It happened the summer I turned 14, when doctors found a cyst in my brain that needed to be removed surgically. A discovery that came about thanks to my mom’s miraculous power of intuition.
But that wasn’t the only miracle I experienced that summer. There’s one that still sticks out all these years later. One that occurred minutes before I underwent surgery.
As you can imagine, I was pretty nervous that day. “Brain surgery” just sounds scary. And it weighed on my family heavily in the weeks leading up to it. Still, my sisters and I tried to make the most of the summer. My 16-year-old cousin, Mark, and his family had just moved to our town and he had his license (pretty much the biggest deal ever in our world!). So we spent our days swimming, going to lunch or just driving around.
Before we headed off somewhere, Mark would prepare his CDs for the car ride. He’d play us Pearl Jam, Led Zeppelin and The Doors, providing us with a mini history lesson on each band and its lead singer. I didn’t really like the same music as Mark–back then, I was an ardent Backstreet Boys fan!–but I loved our little road trips. We’d always end up laughing hysterically over some silly joke.
Looking back, I think Mark and my sisters were trying to distract me from all the doctor appointments, blood tests and MRIs. And it worked. That was the most memorable summer of my life, and not just because of the scary medical stuff.
The morning of the surgery, Mark, my sisters and the rest of my family gathered in the waiting room. My mom stayed with me as long as she could, but eventually it was time to go. I waved goodbye and was wheeled off into a stark, cold operating room. I was groggy, though very aware of my surroundings.
I tried not to freak out, but I knew a lot could go wrong. The doctor had mentioned possible vision and memory loss. What if I didn’t remember anyone when I woke up? What if I couldn’t see? What if…
And then I heard something. Music coming over the entire room. A song that the doctor must’ve requested to prep for surgery. I recognized the singer immediately. Jim Morrison from The Doors! One of the songs Mark had been playing for us all summer long.
Maybe a lot of surgeons listen to The Doors before surgery. But, for me, that song was a sign, a little miracle that only really made sense to me and God. It calmed me down. I remember smiling to myself. Then I was out.
Eight hours later, I woke up with the worst headache imaginable. But the surgery was a complete success.
The months after certainly weren’t easy, and it was a long road to recovery. But God was with me every step of the way. Just like He was in that operating room.
Has God ever comforted you with a song? Share your story below!
