On Saturday 22 January 2005 , I came home from work in the early evening. I was supposed to meet my wife and daughter for dinner at Downtown East. I had my bath, and changed. Suddenly, the whole room started spinning around, and I held onto the kitchen sink for support. I was vomiting and could not focus at all, and felt real sick. I started to be afraid, and cried out to God, ‘please God, don’t let me die!’ I started to pray in tongues loudly. Shortly, the spinning stopped, and I took a nap.

My wife Rhoda managed to contact me shortly, and I told her what happened. The next day, while resting in my mother’s home in Tampines, I experienced excruciating pain in my head and neck, and asked to be sent to hospital.

At Changi General Hospital , they diagnosed me for having food poisoning, gave me medication, and sent me home. Later that night, when Rhoda tried to rouse me from sleep for medication, I did not respond. She pulled me upright, and discovered that I had vomited all over myself. She called the ambulance, and once again was sent to Changi General Hospital . They did a scan, and found that the vessels in my brain had ruptured.

I was then transferred to Tan Tock Seng Hospital . The specialists there did an angiogram, and 2 days later, told Rhoda that I had a condition called “Dural Arteriovenous Fistula”, an ailment which could result in the veins in my brain bursting with life threatening results. The specialist recommended “Embolisation” which is a non-invasive surgery, where catheters are inserted via the groin, and surgical glue is used to block off the affected arteries.

26 Jan 2005 , the same night, Pastor Tay and Pastor Mark came and visited me; at this point I was still very confused, and didn’t recognize Rhoda or my mother. Pastor prayed for me. He rebuked the illness and spoke healing into my body. After the prayer, I opened my eyes and recognized Rhoda, my mother and the Pastors. Praise the Lord! Rhoda then asked me where I would like to go, and I said, “go to Church.”

27 Jan 2005 – the 1st Embolisation

After the operation, in the ICU, I had many tubes in me. I had a fever and my blood pressure ranged from 230 – 240/150. I was in ICU for 10 days.

4 days later, from the ICU, I went for the 2nd Embolisation operation on 31 Jan 2005 , and went back into the ICU again. I still had the fever; blood pressure was still very high, 240/140 range. I had blood in my urine bag. However I was safe in God’s hand. Praise God.

Rhoda shared with me the words that she received and believed in, in Matt 8: 26, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith”, about the tempest at sea and then the great calm that followed and another passage in Matt 9:2 and 6. “Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith. He said to the paralytic. “Son be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven. Verse 6: But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins” – then He said to the paralytic. “Arise, take up your bed and go to your house. After reading this, Rhoda claimed it. (She was very sure that I will walk again!)

3 Feb 2005 - the 3rd Embolisation.

It’s been a total of 8days, and I had 3 embolisations done. I still had high fever, bacteria in the urine, high blood pressure. The duty doctor said they were having difficulty controlling my blood pressure, and that they had been giving me maximum dosage of the blood pressure medication. Gradually my blood pressure came down. Thanks be to God!

However, on the 21 February my blood count was rather low at 7 or 8 and a laproscope was needed to check if the there was any internal bleeding, as there was blood in my stools. It was necessary to do the scope before my 4th embolisation on 25 Feb 2005 . The doctor needed to know the results before the operation. That evening 21 February around 5.30pm , I had a seizure, and went into a bout of fits. My blood pressure was low. On the 24 Feb afternoon, the blood count went back to normal. God was at work!

25 February 2005 , I went for the 4th Embolisation. After 5 hours in the operating room with 2 specialists in attendance (including one from Hungary ),there was no progress in reaching the left brain artery. The last resort was open head surgery, a very major and risky operation.

5days later, 3 March 2005 – 5th Embolisation.

The specialist said he was going to make a final attempt at that left brain artery; if not, then we really have to consider open head surgery. A few hours later, Rhoda was informed that the surgery was successful. Praise God!

During the recovery stage; I stayed on in Tan Tock Seng Hospital for another 8 days and on 11 March was transferred to AMK Community Hospital , rehab center for 3weeks of rehabilitation. I was unable to relate to whatever was happening. My recuperation was not going well, I could not read, write, walk properly and could not remember any event 5 minutes after it happened. On Good Friday I had a home visit, and we went to Bethesda Cathedral for Easter Sunday service. I remembered standing up from my wheelchair for the whole 1-hour of praise and worship, and went down during the Altar call to be prayed for. Pastor Tay prayed over me and spoke healing into my body, in Jesus’ name. Thereafter a breakthrough in my rehab program showed so much progress that I was discharged from hospital on 1 April 05.

After a month, 5 May 2005 , I went for the 6th Embolisation as the ball mesh in the problematic left brain artery has dislodged. After the operation I was discharged on the following Sunday, 8 May ’05 . Praise the Lord!

I am now perfectly well and serving in the Music Ministry! I am indeed grateful to all those who prayed for me during my illness and special thanks to Pastor Tay for praying for my healing, both in the hospital and during the altar call.