Last Updated on October 12, 2002 by Paulette Brown-Hinds

As I travel down my roller coaster of life, I have experienced many ups and downs, twists and turns. Some of them are sudden dips and sharp turns.

Some of them are sudden dips and sharp turns that literally take your breath away. Well, last week I faced a sudden downward turn — then a quick dip — a day later that took my heartbeat and pulse rate to an all time low of zero. My wife was present for the ride as she witnessed this frightening zero appear on the monitor and heard the doctor call “code blue.” After a few seconds of unconsciousness, I eliminated an accumulation of blood that settled in my stomach due to a bleeding ulcer. I regained consciousness and informed the emergency staff, which had gathered in response to the “code blue,” to let my wife know I was alive as they were trying to stabilize me for transport to intensive care. In the meantime, I called on God and His son Jesus Christ to allow the Holy Spirit to minister to me and calm my body, soul, and mind. They responded and did ease me as I requested. Because they responded in harmony with the medically trained staff, I’m here to thank all of you who prayed, and offered words of encouragement on my behalf.

I have learned in the past week that my condition is something that has been passed on from my mother to all nine of her children. The family had never really put it together until now. Medical science has come a long way from the surgery that my brother Floyd had nearly 20 years ago that left him with a metal plate inside his stomach. Now, instead of surgery, there is a procedure that cauterizes the affected area, but there is no guarantee that it will hold. So there are some things I can and will do in the future to reduce the re-occurrence. They are to keep food in my stomach, exercise moderately, get plenty of rest, reduce stressful situations, and be about the Lord’s business of being of service to my fellow man.

I must thank God for illustrating once again that he is still in the blessing and healing business. Again I want to thank my wife, children, sisters, brothers, in-laws, praying friends, Pastor Anthony Hughes, Bally’s Fitness Center’s alert staff, Loma Linda Medical Center’s Emergency Room staff, Kaiser Riverside’s medical staff, Mary White and her phlebotomy staff, the intensive care nursing staff, respirator staff, food service staff, Dr. Injib Kim, Dr. Adam Chen and the many others who are too numerous to name. And again God the author and finisher of our roller coaster life experience.

As a community we need to remain in prayer for Rose Oliver who has been moved to Kaiser’s rehabilitation facility as she continues to recover from her stroke.

Thank you all for your support and prayers.