In God We Trust and Abide . . . Psalm 91

By Chan Beng Hock

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

On 26^th Feb 2025, I received a message from my eldest daughter Melissa that her son and my grandson Elliot was warded in NUH's PICU due to multiple seizure attacks. My first thought

was that since he was warded, there should be no problem, as I was confident that the Singapore’s health care system is top-notch and one of the best in the world.

Little did I know that the problem would soon become so serious that it was beyond the scope of medical expertise locally and worldwide.

The best medical team was initiated to examine Elliot, headed by the chief neurologist and managed by the head of PICU.

Many tests were conducted, such as lumbar puncture, MRI and all kind of blood tests locally in various hospitals as well as Mayo Clinic in the USA, including contacts with medical experts from Australia. But all test results came back negative as to the cause of his seizures. Thus, the medical team had to declare FIRES as the diagnosis.

FIRES...Febrile Infection-Related Epilepsy Syndrome. What is this? We went searching on the internet to find out more, but the more we read, more we feared and lost hope, and the more I cried.

I simply lost interest in everything, even my favourite past-times like eating. Why did this not happen to me? Why did this happen to a young boy who was not even five years old? Why was the medical team unable to give a definite answer to what was happening? In this technologically advanced age, why could nothing be done at all?

The medical team started to treat the symptoms, and a cocktail of medication was administered through IV to poor Elliot. There was so much medication for a five-year-old boy that even a strong adult will find it difficult to bear. At this stage, Elliot was subjected to a medically-induced comatose. He was surrounded by so many wires and tubes going into him.

A church service was held at the Church of Good Shepherd to pray for Elliot and his parents in the midst of all the uncertainty and pain. Many were crying and praying.

I was alone at home, and praying and crying too when I heard a voice saying that Elliot will be healed. Immediately, the crying stopped and a calmness came over me. I started to give thanks to God for His grace, mercy and healing on Elliot. 

A prayer team was formed by COGS to pray and give thanks to God nightly for Elliot, and for Melissa and Andrew.

Hereafter, it was no longer about reading up on the Internet but only prayer and thanksgiving to our Dear Lord Jesus.

I can witness with my own eyes God’s healing and miracle He is performing on Elliot, though the waiting is long from our human perspective, but not to God. There were some setbacks along the way but I know God is in control. 

There are many questions and unknowns still left unanswered, such as why the dosage of medication is not the same as during blood tests. But I know God is in control and only He can decide how much medication Elliot needed at that moment of time.

I thank God for making available an excellent medical team and medicines, such as the six courses of steroid-in-spinal-fluid known as IT-DEX, with prayers in unison from both COGS and Grace BP Church as it was being administered to Elliot. This was the first time it was administered in Singapore and started in USA only in January 2025.

With God’s grace and mercy, Elliot was moved to the High Dependency Ward on 20^th May and is undergoing rehabilitation. On 23^rd May, Elliot went sunbathing for the first time since being warded to the PICU on 26^th Feb. On 3^rd Jun, Elliot had his first taste of solid food. On 19^th Jul and 2^nd Aug, Elliot was on home leave for 12 hours. On 8^th Aug, Elliot was on leave for 24 hours.

Elliot is getting better and better day by day and moment by moment. Through prayers and thanksgiving by all, I know God will heal Elliot fully, and as we wait, we experience many things anew that strengthened our faith and walk with God. He is real and the one and only omnipotent God.

It was on 29^th Jul 2024, Elliot said the sinner’s prayer and invited the Lord Jesus into his heart.

I don’t know whether God will take Elliot home to be with Him first or me or anyone of us in the family. All I know is that we will meet in heaven and will be praising and worshipping God together. This is where the devil is ultimately defeated by God because of the salvation given by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for our sins and lives again after three days... what a blessed assurance!