One Miracle Day in July

CONRAD F. VIRINA

So there I was, nearing the parking lot of the Lung Center. I had an appointment with a certain surgeon there as recommended by my pulmonologist at St. Luke’s. After advising me since 2000, when I was diagnosed with emphysema, my pulmonologist decided to refer me to a surgeon to have him finally cut off half of my right lung and a small part of my left. The doctors were hoping they would grow back — like a lizard’s tail. And I was there for an operation schedule with the surgeon. I brought with me the results of my latest CT scan on CD. 

I was full of anxiety as I found a parking slot. A bit scared. I didn’t go out of the car right away. I prayed to Jesus. And I prayed to Mary to pray for me that if anything wrong happens, to please take care of my family. 

I took a deep sigh and went to find the surgeon. I found the room after some time and waited at one of the plastic seats outside for my turn. After a long wait, a woman called me in.

I got weighed and had to fill out a form — because it was my first time with the surgeon. It took a while to do the forms; then, I got summoned in.

The surgeon smiled as he greeted me without getting up but gestured to one of the seats near his desk. We exchanged some pleasantries, and he asked for my CD. My pulmonologist had called ahead, and the surgeon knew why I came.

The surgeon swiveled his chair and inserted my CD into his computer. He used his mouse and stared at the screen for a long time. He swiveled around and started to ask me something, changed his mind, and went back to his screen. His movements made me more nervous. He kept shaking his head. 

Finally, he turned to me and, in all sincerity, asked if my Pulmo explained what he needed to do. I said yes. (I didn’t know what else to say at that point).

Well, he said, there seems to be a strange phenomenon. Instead of expecting to see a 13cm x 11cm blackened area on the right lung, he only saw a small size of 1cm x 3cm! And hardly anything on the left! Strange, because they usually don’t shrink. Either the affected areas stay the same size or increase in size. But affected regions don’t typically shrink.

I was as surprised as the surgeon. Happy, but surprised immensely.

I ventured a guess,  “Was it because I stopped smoking for 14 years now!”

“Possibly,” he said.

 “Or maybe it was my years of running! Aero?”

“Could be.”He said.

 “Was it a miracle, Doc?” I asked.

He looked at me and didn’t say a word. He just got a pen and started writing on his pad. 

I waited, hoping for a quick procedure. Maybe it’ll be safer and less expensive.

The surgeon looked up and instructed me to give them to my Pulmo as he folded a couple of sheets. He can not proceed with any surgery due to the apparent decrease in size he saw that we should observe in the meantime.

He shook my hand. I must have thanked him and paid the consultation fee.

I must have gone to the car after that. 

All I remember is getting inside the car, locking it, and just sobbing uncontrollably. I wept like a baby. 

I didn’t care what the surgeon said or did not say. I just experienced a miracle. 

It was July 2, 2014.