I was in my early twenties and in my last year at the Christian Science Benevolent Association nurse’s training program. I had recently gotten married, and my husband had just brought me back to my dormitory room.

Shortly thereafter I became very ill, and so it seemed wise that I be taken over to the nursing floor to be taken care of. Within two or three days, I was totally paralyzed from my neck down.

My husband was very concerned. I was in extreme pain at times, and could not eat or sleep. At one point, I later found out, he had received a phone call when it appeared that I was passing on. My stay in the BA nursing wing went on for eight weeks, and during that time the Christian Science nurses gently gave me nourishment every few hours, but I couldn’t retain anything.

I had two different practitioners, which I was grateful for, each elevating my thought to a higher level. After about six weeks, I did regain the use of my arms, and although I still could not lift a book, I could shift it on the nursing table and turn the pages, which I was very grateful for, so I could do my own studying.

However, I kept condemning myself, and saying, “Oh, what did I do wrong? There must be something!” And the practitioner kept coming back and saying, “No. You’ve got to focus on your true identity. You are God’s beloved child. You’re God’s innocent child.” And she just really kept bringing me back to who I really was, and telling me not to dwell on matter- based, former activities. She said that if something comes up, we will handle it, but we’re not going to go delving into matter-based thinking. We’re going to keep our thinking on the higher plane.

I’m just extremely grateful the BA was there for me — the nurses were just wonderful. They were encouraging me and I remember the day before the healing. Around ten o’clock at night, the overwhelming discomfort level returned. It was very difficult to study, so I called the practitioner, and she gave me three things to study. I got out the books, but all of a sudden my eyelids didn’t want to stay open. I was just so grateful that I was going to be able to sleep, I turned off my light without reading, and it was as though someone spoke the words, “Read those now!” And I argued with that angel message, because after all I hadn’t rested or slept for all these many weeks. And the voice continued to come to read those now, so I finally was obedient, and I turned on the light, and I read the first two citations, which were good.

And I turned the light off again. “Finish it now,” was the command. Well I argued, I’ve done two-thirds, I’ll do the rest in the morning. “No, now!” So I turned on the light again, and I got out Miscellaneous Writings and turned to page 241. There our beloved leader, Mary Baker Eddy says, “On the other hand, to the bedridden sufferer administer this alterative, Truth: “God never made you sick: there is no necessity for pain; and Truth destroys the error that insists on the necessity of any man’s bondage to sin and sickness. ‘Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’” (page 241:18-23)

Well, at that moment I realized yes, indeed, this was a healing message, and I no longer had to prop my eyelids open, and I was so grateful for that paragraph and for Jesus’ promise that if you know the truth, then you are free. I was instantaneously healed. I felt my legs again, and strength in my upper body. I was so grateful to God that I really studied that paragraph.

I knew that God had not sent this illness, but the pain that had accompanied it at times would seem unbearable — like it was that particular night. But in the paragraph Mrs. Eddy says that there is no necessity for pain, and I thought, “True, God doesn’t send pain either.” Then she goes on to say, “Truth destroys the error that insists on the necessity of any man’s bondage to sin and sickness,” and I thought, “Yes! These are true statements.” Well I continued to pray and work with this particular paragraph, to make it my own, and when I turned off the light, I was able to rest for about two hours. Then I was awakened with tremendous pain and discomfort again, but I immediately went back to this line of reasoning, and didn’t need to turn on my light, and I just worked with the statement again, and very shortly the discomfort went away. This happened one more time during the night, and at about seven o’clock I woke up, and I threw off my comforters. and I walked completely unaided to the window, and saw a beautiful sunrise coming through that old, oak tree in the back of the BA. A day nurse opened the door, and we rejoiced in this wonderful healing proof of God, ever-available.

I had breakfast and the main meal at noon, and then I went back over to my dorm room and they let me come back, and I worked in the office for two hours. Then I worked in the office for several days. After I graduated, they asked me if I would be a supervisor, which I was until we had to move out of the Boston area when my husband enlisted in the Navy. I later worked at the BA again and was a nursing instructor in the School.

So I feel very blessed that the BA is there for anyone who needs it, and that healings do go on. When my healing came, it was instantaneous, and it has remained so for forty years now. I’ve enjoyed skiing and snowshoeing out here in Colorado, and bicycle riding and just all the activities of being a mother and a wife.