(Minghui.org)
Beginning to practice
I was diagnosed with muscular atrophy that affected my entire body in 1991. I had difficulty opening my eyes, drinking water, and even swallowing food.
Only one drug was available at the time to treat my condition, but it only alleviated the pain for a couple of hours after each use, and the side effects were severe. Nonetheless, I took the medication just to get through the day. I was still very weak, and often had difficulty standing up after using the restroom, even after taking the medication. I knew that I might not be able to get up if I fell down, so I was very uneasy in those days, especially when no one else was at home.
Teacher Li Hongzhi came to my city to give a 9-day lecture series in August 1994, and I had the great good fortune to attend. I went to another lecture series held in Yanji City, Jilin Province some time later.
After I began practicing Falun Gong, I became healthier and more energetic. Through the teachings of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, I was able to become a better person. In doing so, I no longer fought with others or became upset when I was mistreated. Although I did not join the group Fa-study at that time, from my heart I knew very well that Falun Gong was righteous.
Illnesses Recurred after Stopping the Practice
When the persecution began in July 1999, I was hesitant, and stopped practicing. Not long after I quit studying the Fa and doing the exercises, all of the illnesses returned. The muscular atrophy was worse this time around, and I was constantly battling a cold. As my health condition deteriorated, I again had to constantly visit the hospital for various treatments.
Muscular atrophy patients are afraid of catching a cold because cold medicines aggravate atrophy symptoms. I thus lived in pain and despair.
I caught a cold in 2007 and was sent to the Harbin Medical University Hospital. I felt alright at first, but after the antibiotic injections, I had great trouble breathing. Although the nurses put me on oxygen, it was already too late, and I lost consciousness. After I woke up the next day, the doctors told me that regular oxygen was not enough, and they transferred me to the ICU.
The pain continued in this way, bringing not only physical stress, but also mental pressure. I felt I was always on the verge of collapse. Moreover, seeing my family dragged behind, and the financial burden that my illness was putting on them, I felt very guilty.
Resuming Practice
One day while I was unconscious, I felt that I was flying through the sky, dressed in a pink skirt with light blue ribbons. It made me very happy, and the joy continued after I woke up. Subconsciously, I realized that the experience might somehow be related to the time that I had practiced Falun Gong. Maybe Teacher Li had not given up on me, and this was a hint. After all, from my own experience, I knew that Falun Gong was inherently good, unlike what the propaganda being spread by China's state-run media was saying. But the question lingered in my mind: Amid such immense persecution, would I still have the courage to practice?
Interestingly, shortly after I had that thought, a coworker came to visit me. She also practiced Falun Gong, and she explained many things to me about why and how the Chinese Communist regime persecuted Falun Gong. From her, I came to understand with even greater resolve that Falun Gong was being defamed, and that the persecution was wrong.
When I told her that I had practiced in the past, she was very happy, and encouraged me to continue practicing. She gave me a copy of Zhuan Falun, and once again I began to practice. It was then 2008.
As I began studying the Fa again, I reduced the medication, and my condition gradually improved. By 2010, I completely stopped taking any medicine, and I became a genuine practitioner. After cleaning out the rooms and discarding all kinds of medication, I felt relaxed and lightened. As I regained faith in the Fa, I experienced more breakthroughs. I became more energetic, more able to take care of myself, and fully able to do the household chores. Of course, my family was also delighted to see all these changes in me.
Marching Toward My True Self
It was a dramatic change, marching from despair and guilt to a brand new life.
The doctors could not explain the miracle. They said the lengthy use of hormones and pyridostigmine bromide could cause systemic organ failure, and that one could live for only up to 15 years. For me, however, it had been over 15 years since 1991, and I was becoming increasingly healthy.
I know that Teacher Li Hongzhi saved me. I also regret the time wasted when I stopped practicing. Therefore, I hope no one misses the opportunity to learn more about Falun Gong.
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