When Donna Netram, a certified lay speaker who worships at Roselle UMC, picked up her daughter and her friend from the airport after a vacation, she began feeling sick. Netram was developing a fever and her daughter ended up having to drive her to the emergency room.
The ER sent her home with a prescription, but it didn’t seem to work. She returned a second time, was treated and released, but still she felt unwell. For the next week she continued to feel worse and by the following Sunday her daughter drove her back to the hospital where she was admitted for further tests.
It was August 23, 2015, the day before Netram’s 55th birthday. After the testing, she was brought back to her room where the doctor introduced himself and said that she would have to go into surgery immediately because her system was compromised.
In the past, Netram had suffered with diverticulitis, a condition in the digestive system. She had been hospitalized before for this condition and the doctors had treated her successfully. This time was different. After surgery, she awoke with tubes everywhere. They had to remove a large portion of her colon and she had reconstructive surgery.
Throughout this experience she never asked ‘why me?’ Without the surgery she would have died on her birthday.
At age 55 she was given what she considered a new lease on life. She viewed the situation as a turn around and she thanked God for sparing her life.
“It wasn’t easy,” she said, “but I was thankful to God that my situation was not permanent.”
Netram underwent a second procedure to complete the treatment. Throughout the process she was thankful to her family who supported and cared for her.
“I am a miracle walking today,” she said. “I could have died, but now I live and tell of God’s goodness, love and mercy. I am a walking miracle and God is still in the business of healing and creating miracles, everywhere.”
Do you have a miracle story you would like to share? Email Josh Kinney, Editorial Manager at jkinney@gnjumc.org