Miracle Lady on 6th Floor
One Woman's Survival Through Cancer, Its Aftereffects and Near-Death Experience
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Within couple of weeks of Mother’s initial hospitalization, the family realized she would not survive. Despite the fact that I was not strong following surgery, we made the five-hour trip to visit her at the hospital. Even though she was in a coma, the family stood around her bed and sang hymns to her. It was obvious she was touched as we watched her facial muscles visibly relax. I went to the drug store to return some of Mother’s unopened prescriptions; however, they could not take them back. As I stood there, the overwhelming emotion of her condition and near departure hit me. Tears rolled down my cheeks, which surprised me, as I’m not inclined to do that in a public place. Then I walked past the isle where I purchased her Depends and other supplies; again tears flowed. Later when I took a shower, tears ran as I remembered all the special care for her in that place. I wasn’t very strong physically and tears came easily. On March 22, five weeks after surgery for uterine cancer, we had to go to a major cancer center, to see the radiology oncology doctor. He discussed the seriousness of the cancer. It was much worse than I had previously been told. I had no comprehension of stage four cancer up to this point. He explained the side effects of radiation and wanted to start the radiation immediately. As tears welled in my eyes, I told him my mother was in hospice and dying, and I asked if I could wait until the funeral was over. He agreed to wait but stated emphatically, "You need to see our grief counselor because you are facing radiation, the death of your mother, and a funeral." Emotionally, I was about to fall apart, but I did not accept his proposal of visiting a counselor. I just wanted to get home to rest. He gave me literature to read and for the most part it discussed discouragement, despair, and hopelessness that arise during treatment. I read the materials during the hour-long drive; and when we arrived home, I felt completely engulfed in an ominous black cloud. I was trained from youth on to practice self-discipline and struggled to be cheerful which is my natural disposition. But my mind and emotions were beyond any previous experience. No amount of prayer or personal resolve could block out the intense blackness and sense of helplessness I felt. Questions raged in my mind, "Would anything be normal again? How long would Mother suffer? Does death have to be like this? How will radiation affect me? Will I live through this?" Even in my anguish, I felt there had to be a way out. If a counselor could help me, surely God could see me through! "--When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him" (Isaiah 59:19c). Ironically, in the midst of the darkness and despair, the deep-settled peace of the Lord remained. What a paradox! Grief, two surgeries, a bowel blockage, and mother’s dying process all within five weeks’ time chipped away at my physical stamina. A false opinion in my thinking was if I read scriptures and maintained a prayer life, the enemy could not attack with such overwhelming sinister foreboding. But the combination of grief, surgery, and weakness had taken a great toll physically and emotionally. A few days before this experience, two tapes on healing came in the mail from a friend. When they arrived, I hesitated to listen to them. Mentally, I couldn’t handle a preacher telling me what to do or say; I was just too exhausted and weak. However, due to my dilemma, I changed my mind and listened to the tape and realized the speaker was reading the Word on healing...not preaching. As I listened to the healing scriptures and followed them in my Bible, life was ministered to me. Two verses especially became living rhema (fresh word) from the Lord to my heart: "I shall not die, but live to declare the works of the Lord" (Psalms 118:17). I knew that was a promise from the Lord, and the second verse dealt with my grief: "He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds" (Psalms 147:3). The blackness lifted, but I was in for the fight of my life. Too many times we stop here and claim the promises, but we do not continue to "fight the good fight of faith" (I Timothy 6:12).
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About the Book
Cancer rings like a death sentence when you hear, "Your cancer is very serious!" Or the second time (a year and half later), "The five-and-a-half by seven-and-a-half inch mass has grown around your upper intestine; the main vein for the lower half of your body goes right through it and it lies against your aorta. We don’t think we can do surgery." The story covers the last two-and-a-half years of great physical attacks in Ruth’s body: hemorrhaging, surgery, two cancers, radiation, ten weeks spent at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America/Tulsa, followed by a blown aorta (loss of twenty-three units of blood) and another surgery with only a one to nine percent chance of survival. The doctors, nurses, personnel and Catholic Father all called her "the miracle lady on 6th floor." She is amazed to be alive. This book has no formulas or quick solutions recommended for healing. Ruth offers scriptural and practical ways to survive in the midst of fiery trials; to deal with the feelings of fear, pain, discouragement, depression, helplessness, and despair; and to retain hope for healing. She honestly shares her struggle in all three areas: that of the spirit, of the soul (mind and emotions), and the body.
About the Author
Ruth was raised on a farm in Iowa, learning to milk cows, feed pigs, drive the tractor, tend a garden, cook, sew, and play the piano – a great old-fashioned work ethic. Sunday afternoons were the highlight of the week, with games played together or sitting around Mother listening to her read. Her parents encouraged her to memorize 500 Scripture verses to win a trip to camp. She attended Vennard College in University Park, Iowa, and completed her studies for ordination. Along with her husband, they pastored churches in North Dakota, Iowa, Oregon, and Minnesota. She has been a speaker for Women’s Aglow groups in several states, Marriage Enrichment Seminars, and Mother’s Day banquets plus leading Bible Studies in her local church and area. In Atlanta, she was the Registrar for a Bible College. Ruth Foat was a minister for thirty years before the physical attacks on her body. She has lived what she writes. And, she says she is still learning. She is the mother of four children and eight grandchildren. She and her husband live in Mason City, Iowa.