After getting a TB (Tuberculosis) skin test in order to volunteer at my son’s kindergarten class, I found out that the result was positive.  The first question my Dr. asked was if I was born in Philippines or China since TB is very common in those countries.  I mentioned to my Dr. about my first mission trip to the Philippines in January 2010 then she suspected that I received TB virus while I was in Philippines.  I remember getting sick after the mission trip and took for a few weeks to get better and I was having hard time singing while I was serving in worship team for a few months.  She checked my X-ray and she diagnosed me as type 1 TB which means I carry TB virus in my body but my lung is not infected and no need to worry about spreading to others.  At the same time, she wanted to prevent the virus from further developing so she prescribed TB medication.

However, I had strong side affects after 2 weeks of taking it so she gave me another one.  The second medication seemed to work at first but my body started rejecting the medication and I had shortness of breathing and kidney pain.  She used 2 common medications for TB and needed a second opinion from a specialist, she referred me to another Doctor.

Around the same time I was referred, I went up and received prayer from the prayer team and the pastor during church and also received prayer from other brothers and sisters at church.  I definitely felt not only warmth and something changing in my lungs but I felt a heaviness that left me after the prayer.  When I first saw the doctor, I told him how I had chest pain for 3 nights in a row and went in to the ER a few months after coming back from the Philippines and I also had a BCG shot which prevents the TB virus for young children in Japan.

First thing the doctor told me was to stop taking the TB medication.  He wanted to have further blood test for TB.  The result were NEGATIVE!  I got healed from TB, I can say that once I was positive but now I am negative!  Praise the Lord for his faithfulness and goodness!!!!

Megumi Birkley