As a pastor of a thriving church, Pastor John Barton made sure to stay healthy and active. But a life-threatening disease caused him to be in the hospital for a long time.
The symptoms
Pastor John’s harrowing experience all started with him spitting out a gulp of blood. From there, his health has gone haywire. It was five days of debilitating fatigue, fever and chills before going to the hospital. But even with medical help already in picture, no one could give him a diagnosis.
Pastor John suspects catching something after coming home from a trip out of the country. They weren’t really sure but from there, his condition worsened. One morning, at his twin brother Michael’s home, Pastor John suddenly started throwing up. He also kept saying his head was numb.
“It felt like my head was about to explode and I said, ‘Call 911, it doesn’t feel right.’
He was swiftly brought to the hospital and at that point, all Michael could do was ask for God’s help.
Believing for a miracle
At the hospital, Pastor John’s whole body was numb and he couldn’t talk or hear. He was also having trouble breathing so he was put on life support. No one could tell what his condition was even after four days of testing.
And then finally, neurologist Dr. Kevin Hargrave had the answer. It was acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), which is a neurological disorder that appears following a viral or bacterial infection. It causes inflammation in the brain and spinal cord, resulting in several problems. According to Dr. Hargrave, Pastor John’s case was the worst case that he has seen. He also informed the family that he might just have a 10 percent chance of surviving.
“I felt so helpless. I literally felt, I felt death.”
Dr. Kevin also predicted that if Pastor John does make it out of the hospital, he will be ventilator dependent with a tracheostomy and feeding tube.
But despite the poor prognosis, Pastor John’s family and the entire church community from all over the world prayed for him, hoping for a miraculous healing.
The healing
After one week in the hospital, their prayers were answered. Pastor John was able to move his fingers or toes a little bit, which indicated a sign of further improvement to come. And indeed, things improved for him.
Four weeks later, he was moved to a rehab facility where he made further progress. He was able to go home a month after. His doctors confirmed that his full recovery was a miracle. He returned to preaching in Living Life Church and got married to his wife Lori.
“It has taken my faith to a whole other level. I’m believing in things that I have never believed before. It’s like, if God spared me from that, oh my God, I trust him.”
