The Lourdes Grotto in San Nicolas

[Schanker]

My wife and I have visited Aruba every year for the last 11. I want to share this story regarding the Lourdes Gotto in San Nicolas


My grandson Nicholas was born on August 14, 2001. In October 2003 Nicholas came down with a serious illness. He had high fevers, couldn’t swallow and virtually shutdown. The doctors diagnosed the condition as Kawasaki, a virus, commonly referred to as foot and mouth disease. At the same time Nicholas developed an egg sized lump on his right hand, just over the knuckles on the back of the hand. The fever lasted a couple of days however the lump remained on his hand. My daughter made several visits to the pediatrician and eventually obtained an appointment with the Hackensack Medical Center Pediatric Hospital. This appointment took place while my wife and I were on vacation in Aruba. My daughter informed us by phone that the doctors wanted to perform a biopsy. After several consultations with specialists it was recommended she see an orthopedic pediatric hand specialist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. My daughter set up the appointment for Tuesday February 17, 2004. It was at this time we heard about the Lourdes Grotto in San Nicolas. It seems that in 1958 there was a sighting of the Blessed Mother and the town’s people erected a statue of the Blessed Mother on the sight. The sight was named the grotto of Lourdes after the famous Lourdes Grotto in France. The grotto was in all places in the town of San Nicolas. On Tuesday February 17, 2004, we visited the grotto which was tucked in the mountainside of San Nicolas and we spent some time there saying prayers before the statue of the Blessed Mother. We left there and I felt a calm that I had not experienced over the last few months. Later that day my daughter kept her appointment with Dr. Cheng. My daughter stated that she was somewhat surprised that the lump which had varied in size over the last four months was not evident on his little hand. Dr. Cheng was not impressed with that fact and told them that it was probably because the infection had gone inward to the bone. His diagnosis after looking at the MRI and the X-rays was that there was an infection in the bone. Dr. Cheng further stated that it was evident from the X-ray taken in November and the x-ray he took in his office on February 17, 2004 that there was a growth problem in the bone. Dr. Cheng recommended a bone biopsy be performed. The biopsy was scheduled for Friday February 20, 2004. My wife and I returned from vacation on Wednesday February 18th 2004 and accompanied my daughter and son in law to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia on February 20th. I was with my daughter when Dr. Cheng came out of the operating room to see my daughter and son in law and saw first hand the look on his face and his body language as he told us that the operation went well and the sample was taken of the bone and the surrounding tissue, however he was not able to tell us anything further. He said usually he expects to see fluid or puss or any sign of the infection but there was none. He further said that he expected to see softness in the bone where the infection was seen in the MRI but the bone was firm and exhibited no sign of the infection. On March 3,2004 Dr. Cheng called and informed my daughter that the results of he culture was in and here was no infection and he could not explain why he and the doctors at Hackensack Medical center saw what they saw in the MRI. I firmly believe that the Blessed Mother answered our prayers and took the infection away.

[Arubalisa]

Thank you for sharing such a heartwarming story.
http://aruba.com/whattodo/lourdesgrotto.php

[Jarubian]

Yes, Thank you for sharing with us, and hope your grandson is doing well and growing strong. I can relate to what you all went thru, my son has had some difficulties since his birth, but thank GOD he is growing strong. Prayers and faith work.

[cindyo]

Thanks for sharing that wonderful story. I firmly believe that prayers work. cindyo

[danadog56]

Thanks for sharing, that is super that your grandson is in good health.
We have visited the Grotto in the past, but have not been there recently, I will have to put that on the priorty list for this November. (my list just keeps getting longer and longer....)

[lindon]

Thanks for sharing your story and I am happy for you and your family. I too believe in the power of prayer.

[DANNYO]

Thank God,a story with a happy ending.Prayer cant hurt and does help.

[SanNic44]

There was a photo of the Lourdes Grotto on the front page of AWE Mainta newspaper in Aruba today. I posted it on my blog under the Aruba News Direct page.

This is the 50th year for the pilgrimage to the grotto.

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