A Fall, A Miracle, A Lesson

by Pam Williams

OCT. 16, 2021 Rosary Rally inside Old Novi, Michigan Town Hall.
Pam is upper right in pink.

On Noon, Saturday, October 16, 2021, I facilitated our annual Rosary Rally in the Old Novi, Michigan town hall building. We had planned to pray behind the building in the new amphitheater, but it was too cold and rain threatened. The Rally culminated weeks of local planning; it is a national program organized by America Needs Fatima.

Exactly 24  hours later, just past noon on Sunday, Oct. 17, I had a precarious fall outside my church, Holy Family Catholic Church of Novi, Michigan. This is how I applied the lesson of Fatima and how God protected me from an attack of the enemy.

Remember!!!  Pray the Rosary every day for the reparation of sins against the Immaculate Heart of Mary and for the Conversion of poor sinners if we want to achieve world peace.  

Here’s my story taken from emails sent to my pastor, Father Bob Lacroix, from that Sunday to the following Wednesday.

Sunday, 10/17/21: Dear Fr. Bob. Thank you for administering to me the anointing prayer for the sick today after I fell outside the church doors. I’d like to explain what happened and give you an update:

The Fall:  I was running to my car to get money for raffle tickets to support our Catholic schools. I was also wearing lengthy pants that were wide legged and suede shoes. My right foot caught the material of my left pant leg and stuck there in mid running-stride. Down I went on the concrete, smashing my leg, arm and face. I couldn’t even tell until I stood up that anything was wrong. 

Blood was dripping off my face. Several people came to my aid immediately. Herb James, trained as a first responder, applied a simple butterfly bandage with no gauze because the bleeding had suddenly stopped. In looking back that was a miracle. A few gentle ladies cleaned up the blood that had spilled.  What a mess I was. Friends drove me home, and brought the car along with another driver. 

At home Stan, who had gone to an earlier Mass, was surprised at my entourage. He could see I was hurt, but I was still walking, although I was dazed. Over the next hours, however, the pain increased to the point of being unable to bear any weight to my left leg or touch anywhere near my knee.

Stan took me to Urgent Care a few miles away where they took an x-ray. I had cracked my patella, the knee cap to my left leg. No wonder it hurt so badly. The technician told me I'd need an MRI because I may have ripped apart some tendons, and that I should see my doctor first thing Monday morning. There was no doubt I was headed for surgery and a long and painful recovery, possibly months.

My knee pain is constant now, even with meds.  Guess God is making sure I slow down. On the other hand, I have suffering now to offer up to God for reparation for sin and for the salvation of the whole world. Yeah!!  Just like Our Lady of Fatima told Francisco!!  We just reviewed this yesterday at the Rosary Rally at Fuerst Park in Novi.  Our Lady told Francisco, “When you suffer, offer up that suffering with that of My Son, Jesus, for the salvation of sinners and in reparation for sins against my Immaculate Heart.  This will bring peace to the world!”

I am very grateful for the immediate care I received at Holy Family.  Thank you for using anointing oil, too, Father. God is with me, I know, even if my senses tell me differently!

Monday, 10/18/21:  Stan could not get an appointment for our Orthopedic Surgeon until Tuesday at 2 PM. I could look forward to another day and night of intense pain. After a very sleepless last night of constant, terrible leg and back pain, in spite of taking maximum dosages of Extra Strength Tylenol, I thought that if I don’t die of pain, I’ll die of fatigue. I kept praying the Rosary over and over because I could not get to sleep. While I prayed I offered up my pain to God for salvation of the world. 

In the morning, I got a long nap and started to feel a little better.  I welcomed two visitors who cheered me up and then suddenly I was right back into the severe pain and extreme fatigue again. But, I knew how to face that pain. I grabbed my rosary and began to pray.  After the rosary, I read my Magnificat for the Scriptures of the day. Then I hobbled up onto my crutches and headed toward the bathroom. The Transport Chair, which we borrowed from my Dad’s apartment, was in the way, but I thought I could squeeze by. The first step should have clued me into the clear-and-present-danger of such a move. And yet, ignoring common sense, I took the second step through the narrow passage. Suddenly, I lost my balance, and fell backward onto the living room carpet!  SLAM! KABAM! THANK YOU MAM! I landed square on my rump. The shock went through my spine clear up to my head. I thought I was done for.

Yet, when I was finally able to stand up with my crutches to continue my journey, I noticed something remarkable.  I was free of pain in my leg and in my back from osteoporosis. (I used to have to lay flat on the floor for a half hour twice a day to get relief from the aging curvature of my spine that caused me daily pain).Father, I just got a healing!!! Not just for my leg, but for my back, as well. It was in spite of my fall here in the Living Room. It must have been the anointing oils and the prayer over the sick as well as the prayers of my friends and family. This was my second miracle.

Tomorrow, when I see Dr. Lennox, our orthopedic doctor, they will do their own set of X-rays.  Perhaps it will show my Patella whole again!!

Tuesday, 10/18/21:  The new X-ray showed significant fracture of the patella, so though the severe pain has ceased, pain still exists when I make a false move. Dr. Lennox gave me an Rx for a knee brace which we picked up right away from the medical supply. I don’t like it, because though it keeps my knee straight, I cannot sit up easily unless that left leg is on the same level as the chair seat and there is firm back support. I think I could sit in a church pew with my left leg on the pew and my back to the right side-end of the pew. I'll watch Mass on-line from home for the first week, due to fatigue. Healing requires lots of energy! 😅 And, I’ll be in this brace for 6 weeks. I’d better get used to it.

Miracles:  My back is like new, though. I’m so thankful. My knee will take much longer, but I’m thankful for no severe pain there!  I’m thankful for no stitches in my forehead and prompt first aid treatment by careful friends.  I’m thankful I had a sweatshirt draped over my right arm with fleece lining, which provided ample padding to prevent breaking my arm. I’m also thankful that no MRI was needed to determine whether ligaments and muscles around the patella were in good condition. (My cessation of pain and second set of X-rays were sufficient to determine no surgery needed!!!)  Yeah, God!!! AND, Thank You God, for the Blessed, Holy Mother of Our Lord, who gives us the weapon against the enemy through her holy rosary, whose mysteries relay the whole message of salvation.  

Lesson:  Offer all suffering up to Our Lord in union with His suffering!!! Pray many rosaries for peace in the world and salvation for sinners!!!

Update November 6, 2021: Pam was given permission by the doctor to use a leg brace that allows her to flex her knee 30 degrees and walk on it without crutches. In two weeks we will increase the flexion by 15 degrees every 3-4 days until she gets to 90 degrees and we see the doctor again. Yesterday, she drove her car to Mass and her tutoring of granddaughters.  There's a toll on her other extremities, but she's somewhat ambulatory with little pain.