'Miracle Woman' pens her story
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By CANDICE NOVITZKE
candice.novitzke@lee.net
Tuesday, May 13, 2008 3:17 PM CDT
Julie Rydlund is still at it. This time, it’s on her terms.
Rydlund, who I affectionally dubbed “Miracle Woman” when I first met her in 2004, recently wrote and published a book documenting the trials and tribulations of her life.
She has overcome numerous health problems in the past five years, and decided she’d document her experiences in a book. Her hope is that others will find some inspiration in her journey.
“The first time I held the book I cried,” Rydlund said. “Then I read the proof and thought, ‘Can this really be me in this story?”
Our first meeting was in a hospital in Rochester, Minn. She was there after undergoing a pancreas transplant in 2003 as a solution to her diabetes. A prescription drug caused her to have an anaphylactic shock, burning her from the inside out. Her nerves, skin, eyes, nose, ears, kidneys, liver and even the new pancreas were affected.
Doctors gave her a 6 percent chance for survival. Against those odds, she’s here today. Even then, she expressed the need to write a book about her incredible journey.
Since my first series of stories about Julie, she was released from the hospital and lives at home in Jim Falls with her husband Jim, daughter Katie and son Andrew. But Julie’s challenges weren’t over.
Her kidney function dropped to unsafe levels and was a candidate for a kidney transplant. She is still seeking a suitable kidney donor and continuing the journey with God and her family by her side.
Along the way, she found time to write the book.
In this excerpt from “Walk On,” Julie had just learned her second potential kidney donor wouldn’t be able to donate because of a failed kidney function test.
My big question was, “God, how can all this be?”
After composing myself, I called my husband and children into my room. Prior to this I turned to the crucifix in our bedroom and pleaded with Jesus to please spare my children and husband any further grief.
I know Jesus knows each of our hearts and I asked him to please show us the bigger picture he had in mind. I was really feeling as though I wanted to let go of what little hope was left, so the suffering would stop, especially for my children. I was ok with dying, but not leaving my children.
Over and over in my head I kept praying to the Lord, asking him for his mercy and to please reveal to us the bigger picture.
Four days later, after Sunday mass, a deacon and a priest approached me and offered me a paid trip for a caregiver and I to go to Lourdes, France, for a healing-This was the first “sick” group pilgrimage to travel to Lourdes from the United States. To qualify to travel to Lourdes as “sick,” you needed to have a grave medical that was likely to take your life without there having been any successful medical treatment. I was and speechless at the generosity of the people from the church and community. Where there is great love there are great miracles!...
There was not much time to prepare for this pilgrimage. There were also a lot of concerns and questions that needed to be addressed. Flying after my acquired disability was never an easy thing...
I didn’t want to focus on those disasters though, for my trip overseas, and they turned out to be less of a hassle than I anticipated.
After being offered the trip, I felt in my heart that God was calling me to Lourdes. This was the bigger picture. There was not going to be anything that would help me emotionally, spiritually or physically unless I made this trip. I was assigned a hospice nurse named Mary to help me get through the paper work and to clear up all the other issues I have had in the past when traveling...
Lourdes is beautiful. It is located at the foot of the Pyrenees Mountains. It is the town where the Blessed Mother Mary appeared to St. Bernadette in a place called the Grotto, where the healing waters of a spring still flow. I was told that an average of 40,000 people pass through the grotto in a day, and it was certainly busy enough for me to believe that.
I really did not know what to expect on my trip, but I knew I was going to leave there a changed person. I knew that both my Heavenly Father and Mary my Mother were calling me to come and experience some sort of spiritual change. I was most excited about having the opportunity to take a bath in the healing springs.
You have no clothing on, but are covered with a sheet and the water is a little on the cool side. Most people walk by themselves, but I had to be put on a stretcher and lowered into the water. I have to admit I was very nervous the first time for fear I’d be dropped. I also requested a second bath because I was not totally focused on Mary and her Son the first time.
I was not only there for me, but I had also carried intentions for others as well, and I felt that I needed to do it again.
Therefore, my nurse Mary scheduled a time for just her and I to go back for another bath.
I will never forget that Wednesday afternoon when we went back. It was October the tenth. Prior to being submerged I asked the ladies there with me to give me a minute to offer up my heart and the hearts of those I brought with me.
I asked Mary to go before her Son on bended knee and offer each one of our hearts and the desires of those hearts and to let His will be done. I began to cry as I hung onto the statue of Mary. The same statue of Mary is used everyday, but it was like I could not let go of her this time. It was like my request went directly through her to the Lord.
I’m told they never give those statues to anyone, so I was surprised when one of the ladies attending there put Mary back in my hand and said, “Mary wants to go home with you.”
Then there was a voice inside me that kept saying, “Go to my word.” When I was wheeled out of the bath back to my nurse Mary and the organizer and founder of the Lourdes trip, named Marlene, who was also with us, they shared in my emotion, and when I said I have to get to the word, Marlene said that their main office in New York texts the word of the day to all their staff. She scrolled through her texts and gave it to me to read. It was the biblical message, “Seek and you shall find. Ask and you shall receive. Knock and the door will be opened to you.”
Then I started to cry because of the comfort my Heavenly Father had just blessed me with. I now know that God has a plan and will answer my prayers, whether it is through a healing or Him finding me the donor he wants me to have.
Either way I know I’m going to be OK. God has more work for me to do. I think my mission will be much larger than I ever dreamt it would be. Together we will walk on.
If you get a chance, stop out and meet Julie at one of her book signings. I guarantee some of her inspiration will rub off on you.
Reach Candice Novitzke at candice.novitzke@lee.net
Julie Rydlund’s book, “Walk On,” is $18.99.
She will be at McDonell Central High School from 3 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, selling and signing copies of her book.
On Friday, May 30 and Saturday, May 31, she’ll be at the Christian Family Music Festival, at the Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds in Chippewa Falls. Fifteen percent of sales at the festival will go back to the Chippewa Area Catholic Schools.
If you can’t make one of her signings, contact Julie directly at 579-8543.
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