“I was wheeled into the operating room and this time the doctor was all suited up,” she said. “He looked at me and he said, ‘Are you ready for battle?’ And I knew that it was time.”
When Anderson awoke from surgery, she quickly realized that her battle would be more spiritual than physical — something that she did not expect.
She found that her new heartbeat felt “different.” She feared her body might reject her new heart. And she didn’t feel the “euphoria” that she thought she should feel.
“I wanted to feel the happiness because I could see that everyone was so happy for me,” she said. “Instead I felt fear, confusion. Almost not knowing how to feel. Almost not feeling at all.”
Anderson returned home to a strong support system and supportive church community but still couldn’t shake her feelings.
It took several months for her to rebound, but she remained steadfast in prayer and looked to the lives of the saints for inspiration and guidance.
“Little by little, I felt Jesus and I felt God helping me through all the prayers, through all the support,” she said. “And I started to feel that lifting. And I started to feel the joy.”
As the first anniversary of her heart transplant neared, she felt invigorated and grateful.
She planned a big party at a park near her house to thank her supporters for their support, love, and prayers. COVID restrictions were starting to lift and she wanted to see everyone in person.
“I didn’t want to just send notes,” she said. “I wanted to feel them, I wanted to touch them. I wanted to really let them know that I was here.”
Today, Anderson is 74 and has been married for 48 years. She is a grandmother of seven and has been active at her parish for more than 20 years.
(Story continues below)
Subscribe to our daily newsletter
She’s also struck up a friendship with her heart donor’s husband and two daughters. She visited them a few years ago in San Diego, where they spent several hours telling Anderson about their beloved wife and mother and sharing family photo albums with her.
“It was a good meeting,” she said. “To this day, we still keep in contact.”
These days, Anderson is focused on teaching her grandchildren how to turn to God in good times and in bad.
She’s also intent on sharing her story with others as a way to spread hope and healing.
“My purpose is to reach out and to let people know what God did for me, what Jesus did for me, what people did for me,” she said.
Those who know Anderson say she’s happy with life and goes the extra mile to help bring others to Christ.
Credit: Source link
