I titled this "End of Trial" because in one sense it would seem that we have just experienced that "End" with the visit with the cardiologist a couple of days ago to hear the results of recent tests. With a big smile on his face, Dr. Kerns delightedly informed us of the good news that Monty has recovered exceptionally well.
The medical terms are: 1)his ejection fraction of the heart is at 45% (which was at 30% after his second heart attack)!!! That is really a lot better than he thought it would be and to put it in perspective, normal is not 100%, as one would expect, but rather 55%!! The Dr was pleasantly surprised with that. He said that it was because of prayer that Monty's is so good!! AMEN to that!!
2) Having gained as much as that 10-15% means that he won't need a defibrillator, which is good news.
3)He also is not at risk for major fatal heart rhythm problems.
4)The echo cardiogram and PET Scan did show that 20% of the heart muscle is dead and that he has about 70% usage of his heart.
5)His kidney levels (creatinine) have come down from the high point and seem to have leveled off...........still a bit high, but not requiring more serious treatment. He has 30% function of his kidneys. The left kidney does have some stones and the right one has cysts. They are still a "wait and see" thing.
6)He is now able to have some reductions in the medications made, hoping to continue that down to a minimal amount.
So, you, too, may offer your praises and thanksgiving to the LORD for His amazing power and how He encourages with such amazing answers to prayers.... going beyond what we could ask or think. (Eph 3:20)
So thus, life begins to move along with more normalcy as this immediate trial has seemingly come to an end. We just now live life with a little bit better perspective and different lifestyle (heart-healthy eating ALL the time)!!
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Trusting God
Last night I was privileged to sit in on an interesting discussion about "Trusting God". Truly, conversations like that are "holy" moments, times of sanctuary = "set apart" times for reflection and soul-searching. So often our conversations are so frivolous and shallow, really without much thought or eternal value, even, dare I say, sinful???!!! By that I mean, not "holy", nor edifying, nor glorifying to God and His character.
As I thought about all of this, in the wee hours of the morning when the thunder jolted me from my dead sleep, a reminder of a lesson I learned years ago through a near-death car wreck. Shortly after we had arrived home from CA.......which is where we were headed when we had the wreck in AZ, having been left for dead by a "hit-and-run" 18-wheeler....I found myself, sitting with my journal in hand, asking the LORD to teach me about trusting Him more fully and how will I know what is important and what is not!!! In a non-audible voice, He spoke to me. (Now please, don't freak out....I am not talking about latter day revelations or visions, but just that still small voice of my Shepherd lovingly guiding me into His way of the green pastures!!)
Anyway, two questions came to my mind that would help me to know whether what i was doing was of Him (and thus important) or of self (and not so important). 1)Does this glorify God? and 2) Will this last forever? If the answer to one or both is "No"... then why do it?
So, I began to ask myself those questions about almost everything I was doing. "What about cleaning toilets?" "What about doing laundry?" "How about exercising?" and on and on it went for me. How do I answer those questions with the mundane? Well, in this whole "trusting God" issue the topic of obedience came up and how it relates to trusting God, glorifying Him, etc. And it was suggested that it is a matter of the heart. So, yes, cleaning toilets, doing laundry, exercising, witnessing or even journaling can glorify Him and thus last forever!! His glory is forever and we get to participate in that as we trust and obey!! What a privilege!!
As I thought about all of this, in the wee hours of the morning when the thunder jolted me from my dead sleep, a reminder of a lesson I learned years ago through a near-death car wreck. Shortly after we had arrived home from CA.......which is where we were headed when we had the wreck in AZ, having been left for dead by a "hit-and-run" 18-wheeler....I found myself, sitting with my journal in hand, asking the LORD to teach me about trusting Him more fully and how will I know what is important and what is not!!! In a non-audible voice, He spoke to me. (Now please, don't freak out....I am not talking about latter day revelations or visions, but just that still small voice of my Shepherd lovingly guiding me into His way of the green pastures!!)
Anyway, two questions came to my mind that would help me to know whether what i was doing was of Him (and thus important) or of self (and not so important). 1)Does this glorify God? and 2) Will this last forever? If the answer to one or both is "No"... then why do it?
So, I began to ask myself those questions about almost everything I was doing. "What about cleaning toilets?" "What about doing laundry?" "How about exercising?" and on and on it went for me. How do I answer those questions with the mundane? Well, in this whole "trusting God" issue the topic of obedience came up and how it relates to trusting God, glorifying Him, etc. And it was suggested that it is a matter of the heart. So, yes, cleaning toilets, doing laundry, exercising, witnessing or even journaling can glorify Him and thus last forever!! His glory is forever and we get to participate in that as we trust and obey!! What a privilege!!
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