Member thankful that surgery, CHM sharing make it possible to care for young granddaughter, Pamela James, Manson, WA

I joined CHM’s Gold program in Jan. 2017 after retiring from working for my local school district. My income was reduced by two-thirds and I was thankful for CHM as a budget-friendly healthcare option.

A month later I was moving furniture back into place after my carpet had been cleaned and felt a strange sensation in my knee. Wow, I hope that was nothing serious, I thought.

The next morning I felt a dull ache that continued for several more weeks. I didn’t pay too much attention because the pain level was tolerable.

Two more months passed and in May the pain increased and began affecting movement—getting in and out of vehicles and sitting for more than a few minutes was difficult.

The more the pain grew, the more time seemed to slow down.

By September I was unable to get comfortable while sleeping and was waking up five to seven times each night. Around the same time I started regularly babysitting my infant granddaughter, Kalli, and experienced intense pain while carrying her around. I couldn’t get down on the floor to play with her or do any activity that put pressure on my knee without being in agony.

That’s when I knew I needed medical care. I learned I had a torn meniscus and underwent surgery on Oct. 19, 2017.

After a successful surgery I was still plagued by uncertainty about the medical bills, especially with my reduced income. I wondered if I would still be paying the hospital bill for years to come.

However, I decided to trust God to meet my needs through CHM. Every time I called the staff members were patient and helpful. Every time I emailed I received a quick reply. I felt their care and concern and was pleased that it was easy to send my bills and forms.

I asked for the self-pay rate from all of my healthcare providers and most of them gave me a discount. The hospital staff wasn’t concerned that it would take a few months for me to pay them with the shared funds from CHM; they’d had good experiences with other patients who were ministry members.

After a few months I became a little anxious and started watching my mailbox for a check from CHM. When it arrived I nearly screamed for joy—never before had I experienced a medical situation in which I didn’t have to pay a dime. All of my bills were eligible for sharing according to CHM’s Guidelines and members shared 100 percent of my costs!

Now my knee is almost completely healed and my prayers have been answered. I can fully enjoy and care for my granddaughter—now a toddler—free of pain. I have learned that I can trust God to work all things out for my benefit and I have also developed more compassion for other people living with chronic pain.

I praise God and thank CHM for completely taking this burden off my shoulders and handling my bills so professionally. I have recommended CHM to many people. It’s an awesome ministry!