One moment he was shopping for groceries at the NTUC supermarket at Beo Crescent, the next moment he found himself veering to the right as he walked to his car.

On that morning of April 25 last year, James Tan, 79, discovered he was having problems lifting his hand to shift the gears of his car.

Suspecting that he had just had a stroke, he took a taxi straight to hospital where an MRI scan of his brain was done.

But the results of the scan showed that James did not have a stroke.

There were suspicions that maybe he was coming down with Parkinson’s due to old age, but the doctors could not come to a conclusive diagnosis.

After 11 days, James was discharged from the hospital.

“I had to use a walking stick to support myself. During this time, I felt my hands and legs getting weaker with each day,” said James, who used to work in logistics.

“Help, I can’t get out of bed” 

On the morning of May 14, a week later, James woke up to find that he could not even get out of bed himself.

“It was scary. I couldn’t stand up or lift my hands beyond my chest,” recalled James, who was wheeled into hospital and re-admitted that day.  

Over the next two weeks, strength left his body. He lost the ability to use both of his hands, then his legs, in rapid succession.

Once an active man, James suddenly found himself paralysed from the neck down.

Suddenly, the once active man – who walked 5km on the treadmill daily ­– was bedridden. Bit by bit, he lost his ability to do mundane every day tasks that he had always performed without thinking: sitting up, brushing his teeth, cleaning himself up.

It also dawned on James that he could not even use his phone to do his daily Bible reading.

Doctors told him it was a nerve conduction disorder but they could not come up with a precise diagnosis nor a treatment plan.

Paralysed from the neck down, James could only pray unceasingly.

“I prayed for healing by claiming His promises in Isaiah 53:4-5. I asked God if this illness would end in death but I did not receive any answer,” said James, who serves actively in Barker Road Methodist Church.

Every night, his daughter Donna would read the Psalms to him by his hospital bed.

James listening to an audio Bible that his children set up for him.

Nurses in the ward at Tan Tock Seng recognised him as the patient who continually grasped a small wooden cross in his right hand – the only thing he could do then.

Paralysed from the neck down, James could not do anything but to clutch the Cross in his right hand.

Even then, there were many times when the cross slipped out of his loosening grasp and the nurses would pick it up to put it back into his hand again or tape it on his hospital gown.

“I have been taught to always look to the Cross so naturally I clung on to it. It reminds me of the healing that is available because of what Christ has done for us on the Cross,” said James.

However, he hit rock bottom on May 30. He could not talk and had difficulty breathing.

The day before, a feeding tube had been inserted as his throat muscles were paralysed and there was risk of food going down into his lungs if he tried swallowing. 

His family rostered themselves to tend to him till late at night as they were worried if he could not get the help that he needed. James had become so weak that he could not even press the call button to summon the nurses.

His doctors raced against time to find a diagnosis but a battery of tests all came back negative.

To pray for healing or a gentle passing? 

Some of his family members also did not know how to pray for him.

“Some felt that since he was suffering and no longer had a good quality of life, they prayed for relief of suffering for him.

“But others, like me, felt that if God wants to heal, He can. So we prayed for healing and for illumination for the medical team to determine the next steps,” said Donna, who is the deputy director of clinical services at the National Healthcare Group Polyclinics.

She added that some pastors from their church, such as Rev Benjamin Fong and Rev Dr Daniel Koh, also came by to serve Holy Communion and seemingly do the “last rites” for him.

Pastor Benjamin from Barker Road Methodist Church visited James in hospital.

Another visit by Pastor Daniel.

As for James, he did not feel any panic or fear.

“Honestly, I had no fear from Day One. I was prepared to go home to be with the Lord. I was more concerned about being in this physical state for the rest of my life as I don’t want to be a burden to my three daughters,” he said.

While he trusted in God and prayed for healing, James was already grateful whatever remaining time he had on earth. After all, this was not his first brush with death.

“Give me 15 more years to live”

In 2007, after he collapsed at a golf course, his doctor confirmed that he had stage 2 colon cancer. Despite undergoing surgery, sepsis set in and 700ml of water was found in his lungs. Then, James pleaded with God for healing and asked Him for an extension of his life.

“Based on 2 Kings 20:5-6 where God heard Hezekiah’s prayer when he was deathly ill and granted 15 more years of life, I asked God for the same,” said James, who subsequently recovered.

Fifteen years later, in 2022, James encountered another health crisis. He was admitted into hospital after being infected by COVID and later transferred to the Intensive Care Unit when his condition worsened. Being a renal patient, he had to undergo dialysis during his hospital stay.

“During dialysis in hospital, I had three heart attacks. I thought my time had come to return to the Lord, as it was the 15th year then,” said James, in reference to the 15-year extension God granted King Hezekiah (2 Kings 20). Fortunately, by God’s mercy, James pulled through. 

This time, even though he laid paralysed from the neck down on the hospital bed, his mind was still conscious and active.

He used the time he had to talk to God.

“I prayed for healing for myself, and prayed for my family and friends. Each time I spoke with Him, I found comfort and peace that could only come from Him,” said James.

Thrice a week, he also continued to receive dialysis treatment while he was paralysed in hospital.

There were also times when he would simply observe the various nurses who tended to him.

“He would make a mental note of which nurse did something well, to tell it to us when we came to visit, so that we could help send emails of affirmation to the hospital team to encourage them,” said Donna.  

During that period, many people from his family and church community also interceded for James in prayer.

Two weeks after his muscles weakened so much that he could neither speak nor breathe well, he began noticing a twitch in his right hand. He realised that he could move it slowly.

“You are healing me,” James whispered to God, with joy and gratitude in his heart.

“I took it as a confirmation that God was telling me that I would not die. I grew stronger in my faith and kept praying for complete healing and restoration. I lived one day at a time knowing that Father God would do something for me,” he told Salt&Light.

About two to three days later, James found that he could shift his right leg slightly. Another few days later, he could do the same with his left leg.

One week later, he could move his left fingers, though he still could not lift his left hand up.

Slowly but surely, strength was returning to his body, one limb at a time.

By the end of June, James could start holding up an electric toothbrush on his own to brush his teeth.

James using an electric toothbrush on his right hand in his hospital bed.

Finally diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease 

It was also around that time that the doctors decided to test for a rare autoimmune disease called paranodopathy, and James tested positive. Prevalence studies show it affects only one in every million persons, and its cause still unknown.

With the knowledge of this diagnosis, doctors could start James on a more targeted treatment. He was given an immunosuppressant — medication that suppresses the immune system.

With this autoimmune disease, early treatment can improve outcomes and minimise the risk of long-term disability.

“Unfortunately, my father was only diagnosed two months later. Thus, the rehabilitation potential was expectedly poor for my frail elderly dad who has end-stage renal failure, heart failure and bone marrow dysfunction,” noted Donna.  

Two days before James began receiving treatment, he had a noteworthy dream.

In the dream, he saw a duck running very fast, apparently because it was being chased by a predator. Above the duck was an eagle and it suddenly dived down and scooped the duck up with its wings, instead of using its powerful talons.

“I felt God was showing me that I may be vulnerable in the world but I was to take heart because I have Him, my sovereign, all-powerful God who would protect me,” said James.

Specifically, the dream reminded him of the verses in Exodus 19:4 where it was God who “carried (His people) on eagles’ wings” and brought them to Himself.

“I was comforted that God was saving me and drawing me to Himself through this paralysis episode,” he added.

In the days and weeks that followed, James continued to see rapid progress in the healing of his body.

Post-dream, the once bedridden man took a literal step of faith and realised he could stand up with support.

By the third week of July, he was moving around with a walking aid.

A week later, his fine motor movements were restored. He began personally writing notes to the nurses to thank them for caring for him.

James’ handwritten note of appreciation for the nurses

It was nothing short of a miracle. In just over two months, a once paralysed patient had begun walking again, with support. 

“I have no answer as to why healing was so fast. Father God has poured forth His amazingly love, grace and mercy upon me,” said James.

His doctors were also amazed at the speed of his recovery, so much so that a neurologist has told his family that he intended to cite James as a case study for a medical journal.

Hospital nurses gave James a warm farewell when he was discharged to the community rehabilitation centre.

After being warded for 84 days in the hospital, James was discharged to the Tan Tock Seng Rehabilitation Centre on July 27.

He stayed at the centre for a month to undergo various forms of therapy exercises, from physiotherapy to occupational therapy to speech therapy.

It was painful hard work for James but he was diligent in cooperating with the therapists. When he was discharged from the centre, he continued to do the therapy exercises by himself at home.

James’ progressive recovery: From barely clutching his cross to cutting his own nails.

One of the biggest challenges he faced was in passing the swallowing tests administered by his speech therapist.

His body was gaining strength daily, but he was still tube-fed at the time.

“I was eager to have the tube removed. Though I worked so hard on the exercises, I still failed the swallowing tests, and I was terribly discouraged. I wondered if I was that useless,” said James.

Nonetheless, he waited on God and trusted Him for complete healing.

As part of therapy, James helps to prepare meals at home.

On December 6 last year, his feeding tube was finally taken out. He could have milk and pureed food orally after that.

By January this year, James was back on his feet, able to walk without any support.

Formerly paralysed, James regained his ability to walk again in January 2024.

By April, he had resumed most of the daily activities that he did prior to being paralysed. He went back to the gym, led Bible study for his church group and recommenced marketing and cooking for his children and grandchildren.

Back on his feet now, James diligently does his exercises daily.

For James’ son-in-law, fund manager Daniel Long, it was not the healing miracle that was the “wow” moment for him.

“The ‘wow’ moment was seeing my father-in law take steps of faith every day in pushing limits. He matched God’s progressive healing with the resolve to make the most of every breath afforded to him. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, it was a blessing to witness him thanking God for the incremental improvements,” said Daniel.  

James on the plane to Penang in June 2024 with his son-in-law Daniel and two daughters, Donna (in pink) and Fiona.

James said: “I don’t know why God rescued me from the clutches of death three times. I do not know why this illness of paralysis fell upon me. But I believe that in all things, His will be done. For those who are waiting for their healing, don’t give up hope.  

“I believe in God’s divine healing power, and in His sovereignty. All the days of our lives are in His hands. Let’s trust in His goodness as we live one day at a time.”

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“If you heal me, Hallelujah. If you don’t heal me, also Hallelujah”