St. Luke the Surgeon (source)
My name is X. M., and I am 38 years old and from Kavala, married and the mother of two boys, 13 and 8. I wanted to spread among you a story, my experience of a miracle...
From a young age I had health problems. In high school I had problems with my knees. Working as a hairdresser (20 years old), I developed carpal tunnel syndrome. After my first pregnancy (25 years old), the great problems started. Osteoarthritis, sacroileitis, tendonitis in many places of my body, spondyloarthritis, hypothyroidism...
Over the next ten years and after my second pregnancy, the state of my health had clearly worsened, and the last three years I was a "walking pharmacy": injections, pain killers, anti-inflammatories, and other things to fight the pain that I was fighting on a daily basis. And furthermore, on a daily basis: moaning, crying and anxiety.
Christmas of 2013 I visited a Neurosurgeon, who after all of the tests "discovered" a bulging disc in my spine. I believed that with surgery, I would get well! When, however, the doctor saw the MRI, he found that the bulge was so small that despite surgery, my problem would not go away. He suggested that I look elsewhere for my problem. I was going crazy, and believed that I was sick in my head, and I cried for two days straight...
I looked online to find some site, and I came across a site from two doctors with the phrase: "Fibromyalgia". Studying the symptoms of this syndrome, I found that I had all the symptoms! Pains in my muscles, in my joints, insomnia, depression...pain everywhere...During that period I began to read about the miracles of St. Luke the Surgeon, from a book that my husband had brought from Mount Athos. That was my first sign that the Saint was and is near me.
One night, as I was reading from his miracles, and as I was half-way through the book, I began to doze-off and as I had begun to sleep, left the book in the corner and tried to sleep. It was futile, however. I then had a clear sense that something was fragrant in my room, which only I could smell! When I learned that the fragrance was "myrrh", I took the book and continued to read. The fragrance left as soon as I finished reading the miracle!!!
Up to Pascha of 2014, the pains had become unbearable. I could not sleep, couldn't drive, couldn't cook...and the worst of all was that I couldn't hug my children, because every encounter with them was painful. I was in great pain and cried continuously...I couldn't bear this state any more, so I decided with my doctor to perform a series of injections, which had many severe side effects, and could even cause cancer. In light of the therapy with the injections, my husband, who was beside me all these years, and who I truly could not life without, suggested to me that we visit the Monastery of Sagmata in Thebes, to venerate the holy relics of St. Luke the Surgeon, and to pray for the intercessions of the Saint! Despite my terrible state, he did not have to ask me a second time...
The next day, May 3rd 2014, we left the children at my cousin's house, who was a great support for me throughout all these years, and traveled to Thebes. As we approached the Monastery, for some reason I was continuously tearful, and when I venerated the relics of the Saint, I began to cry even more. I entreated him to take away half of my pain (that would be enough), while my husband prayed that I not suffer all of the side effects of the injections. As I left, and as I heard the bells of the Monastery, I began to cry again!
Reaching Chalkida, where we were staying the night, we had dinner, and immediately returned to the hotel. I was worse than ever before, with heavy breathing and pain. I lay down at 8PM, and reading the life of the Saint, and I was able to sleep around 2AM. At 2:30AM, I awoke and complained: Oh, my God, I only slept half an hour!!! I tried to get up, and found that nothing was wrong, I had no pain anywhere!!! The fibromyalgia was gone! The help of St. Luke came unexpectedly quick! In the morning, when my husband awoke and saw me with a huge smile, he understood immediately what had happened.
When I returned and hugged my children, they understood what had happened, and began to dance from their joy. My cousin and my koumbara understood the difference over the telephone as soon as they heard me, without even seeing me. My doctor told me that I gave him the greatest gift, that he did not have to give me injections any more.
My spiritual father, Fr. T., my mother, and some of my close friends knew what I experienced, and they were next to me all these years, and they couldn't do anything other than rejoice at what occurred, and making my joy even greater. The moaning and weeping has ceased. I gained my life back again.
I will always be grateful to St. Luke the Surgeon, and I thank him for his immediate and unexpected prayers...
X. M., Kavala
(Amateur translation of text from source)
Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us! Amen!
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