Joe Simon, Grammy Award Winner Survives Quadruple Heart Bypass Surgery

May 7, 2012 - PRLog -- Spickum Publishing reported on March 7th, 2012, Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame Inductee Joe Simon underwent quadruple heart bypass surgery and survived.

Bishop Joe Simon, who was putting the finishing touches on his latest CD, had been on the go for months suffering from chest pain without telling anyone, including his wife, Melinee.

As reported in the Trib-local of Buffalo Grove.

"I was working in the studio trying to record and get a CD ready. Nobody in the studio knew what I was feeling. I didn't tell my family or my friends. I felt severe pain in my heart and was experiencing excruciating pain in both of my arms," he recalls.

Bishop Simon stated that his condition persisted for several months before he said anything. That is the first miracle, that he survived that long. Medical experts say that a person suffering under such conditions could drop dead at any minute, but, by the grace of God his life was sustained.

Although he was suffering from breathing problems, body aches and chest pains, still Bishop Simon kept on his usual routine, and used over-the-counter pain medicines to help relieve pain.

But when he could no longer bear the persistent pain in his chest that radiated down both his arms, he reached out to his wife and confessed that he was in need of medical assistance.

Bishop Simon's wife rushed him to the hospital and after going through a series of tests she said her husband was informed that he had to have surgery immediately and was sent to the Center for Heart and Vascular Medicine at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois.

Melinee said that somehow Dr. Juan Bonilla a Cardiothoracic Surgeon with 15 years experience in heart transplants and bypass surgery was assigned to her husband. Dr. Bonilla showed up with a team of doctors, and to this day she has no idea who called him (that was miracle number two).

Bishop Simon's wife also said she was amazed at how calm her husband Joe was in anticipation of what he was about to go through. After she explained to him how serious his condition was and reminded him of what had to be done, she said "Joe told me I have someone going along with me (referring to Jesus Christ) so lets get it on and lets get it done." Dr. John Leventis, MD - Internal Medicine
said, "I met a lot of people who claimed to have faith, but Bishop Joe Simon demonstrated true faith to me."

According to Melinee Simon and as reported in the local press, Dr. Jeffrey Schwartz, Chief Cardiothoracic Surgeon at Loyola University Medical Center and Dr. Juan Bonilla performed the four and a half hour surgery on the morning of March 7th. Dr. Bonilla remained with Joe and his family monitoring his progress until late that evening. On the third day Joe began walking and by the morning of March 13th he was released from the hospital.  That he survived and so quickly recovered was miracle number three.

Bishop Simon's wife Melinee said, "When the Doctor told me that he would be fine I started shouting all around that hospital floor giving God thanks and praise and I didn't care who saw me." Simon's children consisting of a Doctor, Medical Attorney and Pharmacists joined in, praising God for the successful surgery.

Bishop Simon says, "I thank God for sending me two of the best Cardiothoracic Surgeons in the whole wide world, Dr. Jeffrey Schwartz and Dr. Juan Bonilla."
Another touching comment made by Mrs. Simon was that while in the hospital recovering Joe told her that he could not sleep because there were people in the hospital on his floor who needed prayer. So, he stayed up praying for the other patients in the hospital. Bishop Simon added that many of the patients were much sicker than he.

Bishop Simon, his wife Melinee and the entire family all express their deepest gratitude and appreciation for the outstanding medical treatment he received at Loyola University Medical Center.

Bishop Simon said humorously that the young people taking care of him gave him VIP treatment even though they were unaware of who he was.

Naturally, he has to put his recordings and plans to conduct community crusade outreach around the nation on hold as he focuses on recovering.

Says Bishop Simon: "I truly thank God for his grace and his mercy and when I tell my story it will help people see that God is with them and looks after them, But I'll also tell them that when their heart speaks they need to pay attention."

For further information visit:
http://www.bishopjoesimonministries.org

Or contact:

Joe Simon Ministries, NFP
P.O. Box 192
Flossmoor, Illinois 60422 USA