The phone rang in a Sioux City, Iowa's family home in June of 1999.
The voice on the other end of the line told a tale of probable death and at the very least,
amputation of both legs of the family's oldest son, Edward Wood. More commonly known as Ed or Eddie.
The call continued. The parents, Jerry and Betty Wood, should get to California as soon
as possible, their first born son is not responding to treatment, is in coma, and has been for
seven days at this point. The Dr. was very somber, and did not expect Ed to pull through the
day, and if, by some miracle he did, they would have to amputate one or both legs as they were
severely infected, and bloated from an internal disease known as Cellulitus. The parents caught
the next available plane to California. This is the story of that trip, the events prior to that
trip and the event after the devastating, heartbreaking trip. A trip that took around six hours to
get there, plus another hour and one half by car, to get to the town of Barstow, Californina where
the oldest son of Betty and Jerry Wood, lay in an ICU unit, his life ebbing away minute by minute.
A story of how Satan was working on stealing the life from Eddie Wood, and stealing the joy
of a first born son, away from Mr. & Mrs. Wood and their family. A very bleak and complete
hopeless picture had been painted to the Woods as they climbed aboard that jet to wing their way
to be with their first born son, as he lost his life to this sudden and deadly disease. To stand by
helplessly and watch the life eek out of their son. Or at the very least, sit by and watch the
Drs., IF Ed came out of that deadly coma, cut off his legs and make him an invalid the rest of his
life. As the young people of our day say, "NOT!!" This is also a story of a miracle of the the
power of the Almighty God, a testimony that has proven to shine and bless people,
literally, all over the world. This is a testimony about my Lord, my Savior and my deathbed
buster, Jesus Christ. I, am Eddie Wood, the survivor of this horrible experience, only
through the grace of my Lord and His healing powers.
The story starts in Tulare CA. a small town in central California. I was
an owner/operator of a semi rig, was in Tulare to pick up a load of powdered bulk milk headed for
Mason City, IA and home to Sioux City, IA. I had owned this rig for over two years now, and
was a veteran driver having put in 17 yrs. in the long haul trucking business. God had blessed
me, many times over, and had put this rig into my hands through the power of prayer. Our Lord
says, He will give us the desires of our hearts and owning my own rig was the desire of my heart,
for sure. I was making good wages the business was doing well and I was able to bless God's
work more than I had been able to all my life. I believe, that Satan hated this so much,
that he tried to take my life away from me and take my joy. He nearly succeeded, too. On May, 27,
1999, I had loaded the truck and I was on my way home. I had spent a month out on the road and
was ready for the time off. As I finished loading, I started to feel lightheaded and
thought I was a little warm.
I contributed that to the California heat at the time. As I left and headed
south to Bakersfield, I kept feeling progressively worse. I made it to Bakersfield, and laid down
for a while at a truck-stop and rested. I was starting to burn up. I took some over the counter
meds and went to sleep.
I woke up 4 hours later, and was feeling a bit better. I was soaked with
sweat and figured the fever had broke. I took a quick shower and headed off. I needed to be in
Mason City in a few days. As I took off that night, late, I was headed towards Barstow and then
to Las Vegas to pick up the Interstate towards Utah and then connect in Salt Lake for the
Interstate 80 into Nebraska and Iowa. Before I reached Mojave, CA. I was sick again, and big time this
time. I could not keep any bodily fluids in me. I constantly was eliminating something
somewhere. I was sick!
I made it to Mojave to a small truck stop and made it inside, looking for a
doctor or hospital and none was to be found. The closest thing was Barstow, about 35 miles east. I
do not remember too much from that point and a big gap is missing. I am told that I called
home and told them I was ill, and I had a receipt for $100.00 of fuel I purchased for the truck,
and I remember neither of these events. I do remember, though, leaving the truck stop about 2 a.m.
and thinking I need to get to Barstow to the hospital. Folks, it took me 12 hours to go that 35
miles. I kept passing out in the truck and would let the rig drift off to the shoulder or into the
sand until I came out of it. I could feel these mini comas coming on a few minutes in advance and
would be able to get the rig safely off the highway. I know now, that the Almighty God was
helping me there! I thank Him every day for keeping me safe until I could get to where I could be
helped. I made Barstow truck stop and literally fell out of the truck. A driver helped me
inside and the fuel desk lady called me a cab so I could get to the hospital. I checked into ER and
within a couple of hours, I was in a coma. I was in that coma 7 days. This is where the phone
call to my parents come in.
When my parents, uncles and a friend arrived, I am told, that they came
into that ICU unit, and laid hands on me and that bed and rebuked the devil and his lies
regarding their son's condition. They commanded this foul, evil disease to leave, to depart in Jesus
name! My father, a minister of the gospel in Sioux City, Iowa and an uncle, another minister of
the gospel in California, another brother of my fathers and a friend from Sioux City, gathered
around that bed and refused to let the devil take their son. Praise God! The Drs. and the
nurses were not very positive, from what I understand. They prayed, then they waited. And they
waited. And they waited. Five hours later.......this ole boy woke up!! PRAISE GOD!! I can
remember opening my eyes, and very blurry visions I focused a bit on familiar faces. Mom, Dad,
Uncle Ed, Uncle Don and my friend. I can barely remember wondering and inquiring "What are
you all doing here?" I went in and out for a little bit, but I did come out within a
day. I was very sick when I did come out. My legs did not work at all. I was unable to get out of the
bed, my legs had swelled to nearly 18 " around. When I was able to finally get enough
strength to lift my head a bit and look at my legs, they were a terrible sight. The skin was all
destroyed, looked like my flesh had boiled. I had severe and tremendous pain in my legs and feet, and
of course, the rest of my body. I was plugged into every imaginable place a human can be plugged
into with hoses, tubes and monitors. My lips had blistered and broke open completely, my
tongue was swollen beyond belief. I could barely whisper and could not swallow very well. I
could barely respond to my loved ones or anyone. I could not eat. I could not do the basic
things we need to do. I could not use the rest room they even had machines doing that for me. The Dr.
came and visited me shortly after I was able to comprehend a bit, and explained the events of
the past few days. I was completely out of it. It was a week later, and I could not get through my
head it was a week later. It seem like just sleep to me.
I had several Drs. there, each one taking care of something different.
As I came out of that coma, besides the things I mentioned before, my heart was not working right,
my liver was all but gone, my intestines were developing gangrene, my body was in the dying
process. The next steps were to stop that dying process. I was alive, but, barely. I was in
that ICU for another week.
I was in a regular hospital room for another week and a couple of days.
Finally, they came in and tried to explain to me, that I would probably not walk and if I did, it would
be at least a year, and even then, I would not walk well. They explained how I would have to go home
in a wheelchair, and how I would have to be taken care of like a baby. Then, these
compassionate Drs. put me in a wheelchair, stuck me on a handicapped special car Amtrak train, and sent me
home to "be an invalid".
It has not been an easy road, to say the least. There are all sorts of
side bars to this story. And it will take more writing to even come close to the trials and tests I have
had to go through. And, I am in the process of doing just that. Long and short, is this. In a couple
of months, God brought me out of that wheelchair, onto a four-legged walker. A few months
later, God brought me off that four-legged walker onto a cane. In August of 2000, God gave me
my new lease on life. I was finally able to get out and about on a regular basis, I was able
to start a new exercise and diet program which has led me to where I am now. In September of 2000,
my cane went bye bye! Praise God.!! Now I am walking on my own! Still problems with the
legs and feet, I walk around on numb feet as all nerve endings have been destroyed by the
disease. BUT...I am developing new skin, the exercise and vitamins are doing wonders every week.
I do give ALL glory to Jesus, every bit of it. The Drs. in California and in Iowa, and
even State of Iowa Disability doctor, had all given up on me. Friends, have left my side, people
have given up on my recovery. Those I thought were friends, when the going was real tough, they
went on their way.
My whole life has been turned completely upside down, in every aspect. New
people I meet, and sad to say, even Christian people, when they find my current situation,
turn tail and run or just never bother to contact me anymore. I believe, this is however, God's
way of cleaning out the chicken coop, if you will. He knows what is best for us, and He
certainly, knows what is best for Eddie Wood, in Sioux City, Iowa. My God has given me a new lease on
life. A second chance, for what reason, I still have not yet found that answer. But, I do
know this. My Lord would not have brought me off that deathbed in central California in 1999
and brought me through all of this just for the sake of doing it. He has a plan for my
life, as well as yours, my friend. All we need to do is accept Him and His teachings. And it is very
easy to do. We do not have to "be good" or "improve" ourselves before we come to God. He is
there, right now, waiting to love you, and to help you and guide you through life. He gave His only
Son, Jesus, to die so that you and I may have eternal life. I ask you today, if you have not
made that simple commitment to Jesus, how about doing that right now? I will be glad to help you
along the way. All you need to do, is say this simple prayer, and mean it with all of your
heart. Would you join me in this prayer? I will say it with you, and together, we will go to meet
the Father and His son, Jesus. Say this prayer with me.
"Father, who are in heaven, my friend and I come to You today and ask
You for forgiveness and mercy. Your word says, "All have sinned and come short of the glory
of God." I ask You today, right now, to come into my heart, my life and make me whole. Make
me a new person in You, today. I accept You, Jesus, as my Lord and my Savior. I believe
in Your birth, your death for us so that we may have eternal life, and I believe in Your
rising from the dead. I ask, I believe, and I am saved!" Amen.
Now, friend, find a good gospel preaching church. You can contact me at the
contacts below.
Go now and serve Him.
I hope my story has been an inspiration you, friends. Feel free to ask any
questions. And if you need prayer, send them to me, via regular mail or e-mail and I can
promise you, you will be prayed for and I mean everyday! Praise God! Thanks again, for allowing
me to share my Miracle Story with you all. God bless. Have a great day!!
In His Service
Eddie Wood
You may contact Eddie at:
Eddie Wood
Email: EWood00000@aol.com
