Day 17 May 18 (evening)

From Eric: "Well, today was another day of blessings and some wonderful nmiracles. Last night was a tough night because I strained one of my lung muscles coughing earlier in the day; so every breath of sleep was pretty painful. I woke up with my oxygen intake level at 8 liters, which was far too high for me to wish to be released home. I knew the intake level needed to get to at least 4 liters for them to even consider letting me get ready to go home. But I desperately wanted to try to go home today, because I knew that my body was atrophying too quickly after more than three weeks of Covid and Pneumonia. And I needed to get back home with my family. So I started my morning with some fervent prayers, recalling the faith and fasting of so many of my family, friends and loved ones on my behalf I also started working on my breathing and keeping my blood oxygen level at least 90%. Finally around 11 am, two of the doctors came in to review my vitals and my current condition. My vitals were good, and my condition was improved. White blood cell count was down again.,, and my lungs were looking and sounding more clear. I then made my pleas to both of them. I told him that I was willing to wait until it's right for me to go home - another few days if necessary; but I really felt I needed to get home to see my wife and my daughter that day if at all possible, for a number of reasons. They listened and told me that they didn't see how I would go home today because my oxygen intake was still at 8% and they don't let patients go home unless they are off oxygen, or in some rare cases are on only a minimum oxygen intake of 4%, at which point they will sometimes allow the patient to go home and use oxygen there on an at-home basis for the remainder of their oxygen needs. So, I said to the doctors, 'please turn my oxygen intake down to 4% now and let's see how I do for the next few hours; and then perhaps you will allow me the exception to take some oxygen home so that I can be with my family. They looked at me very skeptically, and said, "No we won't take it to 4%, but let's try 6%." I responded with a deep prayer of faith in my heart. 'Why don't we try 5% then,' and amazingly they agreed. I then asked them to come back in a couple hours, and if my blood oxygen level was still good, to then move oxygen intake to 4 %. To my amazement, they both agreed, and I absolutely knew that Heaven's hand was involved in this. So for the next few hours, I prayed, I concentrated, and I did everything I could to keep my oxygen blood level as high as possible. As I prayed fervently during this time, I felt a deep warm physical feeling come over me, that all would be well, and that I would be able to go home today. But the doctors never returned, and so I started to discuss the matter with my nurse; finally, and with irritation towards me, she went and spoke with the doctores, and told me that they had told her that there would be no way I could go home today. I told her I was deeply disappointed and pleaded to be able to speak directly with the doctors. She reluctantly agreed, and I continued with my fervent prayers, and worked on my breathing to keep my blood oxygen levels high. Finally another miracle happened when the nurse returned, telling me that one of the doctors had agreed to let me go home that evening, but we needed to take a look at my levels at 4% and my last fervent prayers and breathing exercises began again; and to my amazement, the levels not only stayed high, but they increased higher than before. I know without a doubt that Heavenly Father was there with me again today, and helped heal my lungs to enable them to breathe well. I know with all my heart, that He also intervened directly in the minds of these doctors today. Their minds and hearts were changed, and in the early evening, I was able to sign the papers to be released from the hospital, and return home to my wife and my youngest daughter. This was a true miracle to me, something that should never have happened. But I trusted in my Heavenly Father, and in all of the prayers and faith on my behalf and I believed that God would provide a blessing - a needed blessing, and so I am now here at home with my wife and my daughter (and a supply oxygen), feeling so deeply grateful and blessed. There are far too many experiences for me to ever try to capture here, but I have such a deep feeling of gratitude to all my friends, loved ones, and family members, and to my Heavenly Father and Savior, for what I have experienced the past few weeks. The past almost month-long experience of Covid-Pneumonia has been the most brutal experience of my life physically, but with this ordeal has come some of the most precious spiritual experiences also of my life - experiences that I will forever be thankful for. And I express my appreciation to all who have shown such great love to me. I will always be grateful, and thank you all, and wish God's speed to all; with love and Gratitude.