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Answer to Prayer

by Norman Tew

 
This story too place about the end of the Second World War in England.

My father was riding his bicycle and had turned off the main road to go up a narrow dirt road to some industrial premises.  He met a truck coming the other way and somehow managed to get in front of it and under one front wheel.  The driver may not have seen what happened but was stopped by some nearby pedestrians.  Before this happened however my father had been pushed along the road on his back.

He was wearing heavy duty fire service overalls (He had been a volunteer in the Auxiliary Fire Service during the bombing), but the back was rubbed out as well as a thick shirt and vest.  Knobs on his spine were rubbed down and I suspect he had some broken ribs.  However this damage was insignificant compared to the damage to the organs of his abdomen.

We were told that his spleen had been mashed up and was removed.  Some years later it was discovered that one kidney had also been removed.  His stomach was non-functional.  A tube had been place into his stomach and every half hour a small amount of water was sent down the tube and then pumped out again 15 minutes later.

The accident happened on Wednesday evening and on Friday the stomach washing procedure was still being carried out.  On Sabbath morning there was special prayer in church and when my mother visited on Sabbath afternoon he was eating soft food.  The medical staff could not understand the sudden restoration of stomach function, apart from an answer to prayer.

His abdominal structure was such that when he put on a swimming suit it looked as if he was pregnant as everything hung out.  He was allowed special medical clothing coupons (clothing was under a rationing system) to allow him to purchase a special corset to hold everything in place.  He was off work for months of convalescence, but within six months he was back swimming and riding his bicycle.

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