Grateful for CHM, COVID-19 patient says “God’s love can move mountains”, Keith Weitermann, Aurora, Illinois

I’ll testify here and now that I’m a living miracle. I’m glad that in an ever-changing world, we have a never-changing God who will always love us.

As I replay my battle with COVID-19, all I can think of are the multiple miracles God provided.

I didn’t know at first that I had COVID-19. I had a fever and a cough that I attempted to treat at home. After a week without improvement, I went to the hospital. They said I had pneumonia; they gave me some medicine and told me to go home. I was told to return if I got worse.

Several days later, I explained to an EMT friend that I still felt poorly. He immediately said, “I’m coming over." This is when the first miracle happened. God put it on my friend’s heart to come over immediately, even after I told him not to come. He showed up with an oxygen monitor, and after testing me said, “If you were a 911 call, I would have you on oxygen now.”

Debbie, my wife, drove me back to the hospital. The hardest part was walking in knowing Debbie had to stay outside. It's much harder being the one waiting outside than the one seeking treatment inside.

The ER personnel reacted instantly; in less than five minutes, they had me connected to all sorts of medical equipment. Alarms started going off and the ER doctor yelled, “Get him on oxygen. Now!”

They later told Debbie that if I hadn’t come in that day, I wouldn’t have made it through the night. They also explained that my kidneys weren’t working and my lungs were in trouble.

I was in for a long recovery.

I woke up in the ICU with more wires and tubes in me than one could imagine. I had a great team of doctors and nurses; they took blood samples, gave me shots in the stomach twice a day, and pumped medication through my tubes.

That’s when the next miracle occurred. From the moment I woke up, I had no fear. I felt like Jesus was holding me in His hands the whole time. Philippians 4:7 came to mind: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” I had never before felt such a sense of peace. I spent a lot of time praying because, honestly, it was about all I could do. It was a time of drawing near to Jesus.

I worried about how much the hospitalization would cost, but I was blessed again through my fellow CHM members. Losing six weeks of work was hard, but as a CHM member, I had confidence knowing CHM would share 100 percent of my eligible hospital bills. God uses his people to bless others, and I have been blessed through this ministry.

Once the tubes were removed, I was moved from the ICU to a private room. God was with me as I began my quick recovery.

At this point I learned about another miracle. I finally was able to call Debbie, and she shared what was going on. God’s army was working at full force. People dropped off food, money and flowers. A friend brought to the hospital a bag of goodies that included an encouraging book and cards filled with prayers. I received phone calls and videos calls; I was stunned by the number of prayer warriors I had all across the country.

God’s love can move mountains, and I was the mountain.

I improved daily. Each time hospital staff came in, they said I was recovering remarkably fast. The oxygen was turned off, and finally, I was able to go home.

As soon as I healed enough to have back some of my voice, I shared with the doctors and nurses that I was giving all the credit to God for saving my life, yet I knew God used them as instruments for that purpose. I thanked them for their role in God’s plan. I was shocked when one of the doctors said, “You don’t know how much I appreciate that, because most people don’t thank us at all.” It’s unbelievable that anyone would not express their thanks and appreciation for having their health restored.

God showed up multiple times throughout my story: through the arrival of my EMT friend; as He dispelled my fear; through the fervency of my prayer warrior friends; by healing my brother of COVID-19; by protecting our wives and children from the virus; through His merciful act of healing me; and by CHM members who financially and spiritually supported us through the process.

I’ll testify here and now that I’m a living miracle. I’m glad that in an ever-changing world, we have a never-changing God who will always love us.

I’d like to thank every CHM member for their love and support. I also ask that if you know a person in healthcare, let them know you care for them and appreciate their work. Do something special so they see God through you. Slow down and spend time with family and friends—they’re blessings from God and are what truly matter.

Above all, spend time with Jesus, who we love because He first loved us.