Note from Marilyn Laszlo, March 2006

You were brought to my mind as I was reading these verses in Philippians 4:2-20. I often wonder about you and others who sacrificially give, support, and pray for me and my ministry. It is good of you to give so thousands may hear the "Good News." I am deeply touched. "They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God ... and my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."

Out of all peoples there will be believers ... every nation, country, people, clan, village, and language. Our job is extremely important. We have much in which to rejoice.

My prayer for you, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God, and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." You are very special sisters and brothers to me and to the Lord. Thank you so much for being a fellow worker with me. "I am glad and rejoice with you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me." Remember, God refers to you as His beloved.

On Sunday, February 5, after returning from Vermont, I decided to take steps concerning my physical health. While I was speaking at a Perspective class in Bloomington, IL, the room started to swirl around, and I found myself struggling to hold on to something. I grabbed the microphone stand to keep myself upright. I ended my talk quickly and just barely got to the chair to sit down. That was February 2. Since that time, I have not been the same - shortness of breath, weak legs, fatigue, pain in my left rib cage, dizziness, and light headed.

Facing me for February were six flights and about 15 speaking sessions, so on February 7 decided to go over to the medical center here in town and have someone look at me to make sure I wasn't on the verge of a heart attack. I walked in and asked if I could see a doctor. "We don't do emergencies until 6pm," she stated. "Well, I am having tightness in my chest and shortness of breath," I said. She stated, "You need to go across the room and talk to the cardiologist."

I walked across the room and asked the receptionist if I could talk to a doctor. "We only take appointments. Do you have an appointment?" she asked. "No, but I am having shortness of breath and tightness in my chest, and I just want to make sure that it is not my heart," I told her.

From that point ont things started to move fast. "You sit down here for a minute," she said. She came back and said, "The ambulance will be here in just a couple of minutes." I said, "Ambulance?" Oh, Lord, what have I done? Thoughts are now swirling around in my head, and I am wondering how I could get out of this. The ambulance was there in minutes. The woman at the desk asked, "Do you have a contact number that I can call?" I hgave her Lisa's name and number. I told her that Lisa was a schoolteacher and would not be answering her cell phone. The mssage she left her was, "Your friend, Marilyn Laszlo, has been taken to the hospital in an ambulance." That was it! Well, that sent Lisa into action, and she emailed Pat at the church to get someone to the hospital. Then Pat gets into the drama and calls Les, a good friend, to go to the hospital.

In the meantime, I am getting ready for a ride in the ambulance. The two men from the ambulance came in to get me and asked, "Do you need a wheel chair?" "Wheel chair?" I said, "No.". "Can you walk to the ambulance?" he asked. I said, "I can probably run to the ambulance." "No! We will help you out." The two men on each side of me helped me to the ambulance. I cannot believe this. They had me lay down on the stretcher and slid it and me into the ambulance. This was the first time I have ever been in an ambulance in my whole life.

In true fashion as they have been trained to do, just like you see on TV, they went to work on me, one man on each side of me. They put two IVs into each arm, put an oxygen tube up my nose, put a tiny pill under my tongue, took my temperature and blood pressure, and started to ask me a lot of questions - name, number, social security number, address, birthday, what my work was, etc., as we sped down the highway to the hospital with sirens blowing and all ... the whole dramatic deal just like ER.

When we got to the hospital, they wheeled me into the emergency room, and a nurse came in and told me to take off all my clothes. "All my clothes?" I asked. "Yes, all your clothes, and I will be back," she said. "I need to go to the bathroom first," I said. She led me down the hall. I went back to the room, took off all my clothes, which she stuffed into a plastic bag. I put on a gown and was back on the bed with a nurse hooking me up to a whole lot of wires on my chest, stomach, legs, sides, just everywhere, and stuck the oxygen tube up my nose again. Two IVs in each arm were still in place, and they started to take blood. Then everybody left. There I was alone thinking about what had just happend in just a matter of minutes. The one word that I said that started this whole chain of events was "heart"!

From there, numerous tests were taken. I was in the hospital the entire day until late that afternoon, and I had several visitors in that short time. That was cool! It all started at 9:15am that morning. Since then, 16 days of meetings were canceled for the month of February, as well as 14 days of meetings in March. Most of these meetings are being rescheduled, for which I am so grateful.

Now it is March 10. I have one more test to take. Lisa has kept many of you up to date with daily emails. Lisa and Pat have also been calling me several times a day. They have also brought me food and kept me company. I have been surrounded with good help, encouragement, and care from people from my churhc.

My doctor went over all my tests with Lisa and me. Lisa knows a lot about medicine. She wanted to be a doctor at one time. She was very impressed with my doctor. In most all areas, I am very healthy and above average for my age. I have one more test, a bone scan, to see if I have any tiny fractures in my ribs due to osteoporosis where I am experiencing a lot of pain. The shortness of breath could be due to asthma and lungs losing their elasticity due to age.

I want to thank all of you who have prayed, phoned, and sent cards and letters. That was almost worth being sick. Actually, I really have not been sick... just Weak, Weary, and Wheezy!

Love, Marilyn.

P.S. I'll be back on the road again soon!