I was born April 3, 1939 in Oxford, Maine and at 40 years old had 3 brain operations May 31, June 9 and 10, 1979, for Brain Aneurysms, at Maine Medical Center, Portland, Me,with Dr. Carl Brinkman, neurosurgeon. My father and 3 uncles died from aneurysms. I grew up in East Waterford, Me. Moving to Norway in 1953 to attend Norway High School where I graduated in June, 1957. I have worked in the Food Service industry since I was 13 years old. At Barjo Restaurant, Norway,Maine, I managed the dining room for 12 years and for 25 years was assistant Chef, Buyer and Manager for the restaurant. The restaurant was sold in June, 1991. I live with my former employer, Josephine Stone, (for over 43 years) who is now 94. In 1989, she was named the first "Restaurateur of the Year for the State of Maine." In 1990, we went to Florida State University to accept the "Salut Au Restaurateur" award as one of seven in the entire United States. My present project is writing a book called "A Diamond in the Rough" which is her life story as she has told it to me. I retired in 1993 on disability because of a seizure disorder. God preformed a miracle in 1979 when my family was told I had 1 chance in 300,000 of surviving the brain surgery. I was able to return to work after 4 months and without medication after 3 years. Now I have been able to overcome the seizures with medication and am able to drive again. My faith in God has been my Mainstay through all the hills and valleys and He continues to guide me every day.
God healed me in the operation room on June 10, 1979.
I was sick with what I thought was the flu from April 4, 1979, until I went into Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine, on May 24, 1979. My local doctor in Norway, Maine had run many tests and given me all kinds of different medicine and nothing had helped my condition. I had lost 35 pounds in seven weeks and was unable to eat anything and just got steadily worse. Finally he sent me to an eye specialist, Dr. Goduti, in Portland. After he examined me, he sent me to a neurologist, Dr, Leschey, who sent me immediately to the Emergency Room at the hospital. After having CT Scans and angiograms I was operated on by Dr. Carl Brinkman,on May 31,1979.
By the middle of that week I began to get paralyzed on my right side as the bleeding and blood clots had returned. On Saturday, June 9, I was on the operating table for 5 hours and by 10:00 p.m. that same night the bleeding had again returned and I lost my speech and my whole right side was paralyzed. On June 10, Sunday, Dr. Brinkman gave me one chance in 30,000 of surviving a third operation, and if I did I would in all probability be a vegetable because of the extensive damage my brain had received from the brain aneurysm.
I was in the operating room with Dr. Brinkman, when all of a sudden it seemed as if I was floating above my own body. I could hear the doctor say, "We have gone this far, we can't lose her now." The tunnel I was looking at was beautiful, with many flowers and a brilliant light, At the end of the tunnel I saw Jesus coming to me. He said "Go back, you will be healed, your work isn't finished." The next thing I remember was in the recovery room early the next morning. My Doctor was standing beside my bed. He pointed to his operating room hat and said, "If you can speak tell me what this is." I said "Hat!" He couldn't believe it.
I am here 18 years later to tell my story. I worked full time for 10 more years and now retired on disability as I have a seizure disorder caused by scar tissue on the brain. God has been good to me and I hope this story may give others courage to try and lean on God for strength. That is the only reason I am here now.