Wednesday, August 2, 2017

John's Heart Cath Update...Living our "New Normal"!!!




Life has been kind of hectic since April 2017, when my husband wasn't feeling well, and he went to the doctor and found out he was in AFib.  Of course you become concerned,... and want to know what is causing it..and why his heart rate has become so irregular????  But our family doctor took precautions by giving him medicine so that a stroke wouldn't happen, and or a clot brain, or to his heart...and he arranged for an immediate appointment with a heart doctor.

In a previous post I have told of the processes, and the series of tests that he has undergone since that day in April, and how he received a pacemaker in July,... but I am posting again to say that we have a much better handle on the situation now...and have decided to move forward in our "new normal",...and we are choosing to let go of the fears and uncertainties and start enjoying life again.

The recent heart cath did not show any blockages, or abnormalities, and although he still experiences pressure on his chest and sometimes feels short of breath, the heart doctor has given him the ok to go on with his regular activities,..and has told us we can even do some travelling if we want to.  After nearly 5 months of taking it easy and hardly doing anything as they explored his health issues, he has lost strength and energy...but we are working on building those back up, and the main thing is our mental stresses kept us tense and on edge, and we are freeing ourselves from those, and just going to trust the doctor..and his findings, and trust the Lord to take care of us, and move forward!

Isn't that what life is like for all of us?  Each day requires faith and trust...and hope!  When we start to fear, and worry, and lose our faith and trust, life starts to crumble!

Health is important...and we should all take care of ourselves and strive for good health and well being. But as we have gone through this, we realize how important it is to have our minds focused on the right things...and to not let our fears take over!  Worrying gets you nowhere...fast!  Ha!

So after tests, meds., a pacemaker, and a heart cath...we are choosing to take his doctor's advice and move on past the worries...and fears, and live our lives!  Cautiously and wisely...but choosing to walk by faith, and trust!

We feel blessed to have a new day, (each and every day)...to live in our "new normal", and to appreciate the joys of life!  His mercies are new every morning...great is His faithfulness!

Have a blessed day everybody!  :)

Sunday, July 30, 2017

Our Baby Girl Turns 45!


Today is our youngest daughter Lonna's 45th birthday!  Isn't she pretty?  She has a fun and ornery side...which you can kind of see by that twinkle in her eyes!  But she has a kind, and loving heart too, and has always wanted to help people.  She's that way about pets too, and has always taken in strays.
She has 4 kids.  The boys are now 21,  and 20,....and her girls are 19, and 17!  Yes, she had them close together, so she was a busy mama when they were young, and when they were little she would have to load up 4 car seats everywhere she went!  She amazed me...and still does, at how she can handle 4 kids, and all that goes on in their busy lives, and also hold down a full time job, and manage a home.
She loves Jesus and serves Him by loving others!  I'm proud of her, and I love her so much.
 
I can't help thinking of this as my special day too...since I was the one who brought her into this world!
(It doesn't seem possible that is has been 45 years since I had my last baby!  Ha!  That time of my life was so special to me when my babies were born.  I loved being a mommy to my three girls!
I have also loved being a grandma.  Children are a precious gift from God into our lives!














 

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Hubby Has Heart Issues...Heart Cath Tomorrow




Since the middle of April, my husband John has been dealing with heart problems.  We went to our family doctor because he just wasn't feeling well, and they said he was having A-Fib, so they gave him some medicine and they got him into the heart doctor the next day.  The heart doctor did an exam and gave him some tests, and told him to stay the on blood thinner and blood pressure meds, and scheduled him for an echo and a nuclear stress test.  He didn't pass the stress tests and they made an appointment to shock his heart back into rhythm.  He went into the hospital one morning so they could do the shock procedure, and he was hopeful that it would fix his issues.  After time passed while he was on the meds his heart rate got really low and once or twice his pulse was only 37.  He also was having low blood pressure, so they cut his medicine in half and that helped, but he was still fluctuating and just not feeling well.

John continued to feel tired, and was still having chest pressure and weakness, so after awhile the doctor decided to give him a pacemaker, to keep his pulse from going lower than 60.  That was a month ago...and the procedure went well, but he has continued to not feel well.  They are going to do a heart cath to see if he has blockage.  If he does have blockage they will put in a stent...or maybe more than one.  Tomorrow morning he will go in for that procedure.  Please pray for him...and for me too please.  These last few months have been hard, and we have just been taking one day at a time...and praying for God's protection and direction.  John is 71 and has always been in pretty good health, so this has all been new to us...and kind of hard to deal with.  We know it is common for people in their seventies to have some of these issues, and we are thankful for the doctors, and their abilities.  It is amazing what they can do these days.

The Lord has been very good to us, and we feel extremely blessed.  We have placed our faith and trust in "The One" who made the heavens and the earth!  We are also thankful for the love, care, and prayers of our friends and family!

Hopefully I will have good news to report after the heart cath procedure!  :)

God is good all the time...
Linda