For 40 years, I have helped with the social, physical, and spiritual well-being of people in southern Wisconsin. From La Crosse to Arkdale, from Adams-Friendship to Deerfield, from Cambridge to Mendota, from Richland Center to Viroqua and from Madison to Reedsburg, I have worked as a Lutheran pastor supporting people whenever and wherever they needed it.

Imagine my surprise on March 7: I found myself being taken by ambulance to Meriter, not to help others, but to help me. Several major systems of my body were not working properly. I was immediately assigned three medical teams – surgery, internal medicine and liver specialists.

That next week, things got worse as my liver, kidneys and gall bladder all did not function correctly. I started taking on fluid, and, at one point, I weighed 209 pounds.

On Friday, I think the Meriter doctors – always calm and conservative – saved my life. However, on Saturday I had chest pains and was moved to Meriter’s Heart Hospital. After a heart catheterization, congestive heart failure was the diagnosis. New medications and special medications were administered to get rid of the fluid in my body. I started getting better.

I was released a week ago and am at home, getting stronger every day. I now weight 167 pounds. I am extremely happy to be alive and am thankful that we have such a wonderful hospital as Meriter to bring health to us all.

Rev. James