Gems of Reminiscence: Seventeenth Book of the Faith Promoting Series, Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-day Saints
Religion
Gems of Reminiscence: Seventeenth Book of the Faith Promoting Series, Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-day Saints
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- Missions
Just prior to this time President William H. Seegmiller had just been
released from his duties as Stake President of Sevier Stake, an office
which he held with honor and credit for thirty years, and had just been
appointed a patriarch in the Church. Mrs. Gledhilll requested him to
give her a patriarchal blessing, and among other things he promised
her, first, that she should become a well woman, and second, that she
should become a mother in Israel of additional children.
She was operated upon by two of the best known doctors in the State.
On opening the abdomen they found a large tumor of the uterus that
was also attached to the bowel. The doctors consulted each other and
told me that the growth was probably the most fatal of all growths
known in surgery to-day, and that the only hope of her life would be
by the removal of the uterus and surrounding tissue, and even then her
prospects for recovery would be very small. Then it was that the faith
my parents and teachers had tried so hard to instill within me came to
my rescue, and I told the doctors that she would live and that I would
under no circumstances consent to have her uterus removed and thus
prevent the fulfillment of a prophecy uttered by the servant of God in
a patriarchal blessing to my wife. I was told that it would recur, and
that she would lose her life if I refused, and that according to all
the teachings of science and their own extended experience it would be
very unwise to leave any part of the uterus. I told them that I would
trust the Lord, and in this I was not alone, for Mrs. Gledhill had made
a special request, before being operated on, that whatever else was
done, not to allow anything that would make impossible the blessing
that she had received, and to which she clung with great faith.
The result was that about one-third of the uterus was removed in
order to get the tumor. The doctors gave us very little hope even
of her recovering from the operation. She slowly and gradually
improved, it seemed for five months, when I discovered that the
growth was recurring. Just prior to this I had received the following
heart-rending news. The pathologist of the L. D. S. Hospital, who made
the microscopical examination of the tumor which was removed, wrote
me in effect as follows:--That he was "sorry the whole uterus had not
been removed, and it was a question in his mind if it wouldn't be best
even yet to have the complete removal of the uterus undertaken, as this
would give the only hope of recovery."
Another doctor wrote me, saying that all the authorities he had
consulted said that these tumors are fatal, no matter what is done.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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