Please pray for my Aunt Joyce - she was rushed back to the hospital today with an extremely low heart rate (33 - normal rhythm is 60 - 100). She was on an external pacemaker in the ambulane and is supposed to be going to the OR tonight to have a permanent pace maker put in to God willing prevent this from happening again. She just came home from the hospital not more than a month ago with a bundle branch block (damaged heart muscles from a heart attack she didn't realize she had had). She operates a book store at her home church and needs to give it up - those who offered to help her when she opened it a couple years ago have not followed through with their commitment and it's all on her and it's really doing a number on her health. When you factor in the family cardiac history, it's just not a good scenario for her. She is married with 3 married children and has several grand-children and is only 61 years old. Brenda
I was down to see her today (had to go to the 'big' city for an appointment). Anyway, she's in the Concentrated Care Unit on the cardiac floor - I didn't stay long, she looks depleted of all her energy. She did say they did her surgery last night and she was told this morning (when they were adjusting the pace maker) by the doctor that if she wouldn't have come in when she did, she might not have made it. Once she is stable enough, she will be going to the provincial heart centre another hour away to have a stent put in. It was quite an episode before she went in, her heart rate was so low that she passed out on the floor. When she came around, her husband was outside piling wood (and he's almost deaf). She managed to drag herself to the veranda where he would see her and get the help she needed. Sounds almost like she needs a lifeline. She's had very similar fainting episodes in the past (once when she cracked her head on the floor - but was too stubborn to be seen by a doctor about it). Makes you wonder how long she's been going through this. God is so good to her - He has pulled her out of more health messes than you could dream possible. It's one of those catch 22 things - while you're sorry to see her in the hospital, you're also very thankful that the problem was caught and God willing resolved through His intervention via the doctor's. As for her book store, I'm working on something (I want Mom to get a hold of her inventory list and I'm going to see if I can get the local book store to buy the inventory from her so that she can close the store or I'll ask the church if they want to buy it from her). Unfortunate, but it's time for her to let go and work on living. God had a purpose for her opening the store and I think it has served it's purpose and now it's time to move on (won't she love me for suggesting that). Thanks for praying for her, she does appreciate it. Brenda
Thanks for the update. We'll keep her in our prayers. My dad had the stents and they really made a difference in how he feels. She is lucky to have you looking out for her. Have faith and keep hope. Tammy
Mom just called me... Joyce looks to be doing ok - still pale, but not too bad as far as looks are concerned. The doctor's have told Joyce that the pace maker is doing all the work - her heart is doing NOTHING on it's own :cry: . There is a complete blockage that is causing her heart not to work. She is number 65 on the waiting list for the Heart Center, but her place on the waiting list will come up each and everytime that she reports chest pain. She was put on a continous Nitro-drip last night because of pain radiating into her back... Mom was telling me tonight that Joyce has had dreams from God in the past and a couple years ago she had a dream that she and Mom were walking together up a mountain and Joyce had a shopping cart with her. She was told by God to "let go of the children" and she told Mom that she had to keep going. So now Mom thinks she's able to finally interpret the dream - any 'profits' from the bookstore supports an orphanage Mom had worked in when she went to Thailand on missions. By giving up (or closing) the bookstore, they will no longer be able to support the orphanage anymore. But Mom doesn't quite understand the "you have to go on" thing yet, but she did say tonight "I hope this doesn't mean she's going to die". Mom is beside herself and then there is some concern for Joyce's husband and his own health. Please continue to pray for these guys, this is scary business - if a pace maker doing all the work of the heart only warrants a number 65 on the waiting list, what will it take to get her there any faster? Although, having said that and working in the hospital system, I do know that being that far down on the list doesn't mean a whole lot - she might be 65 today but tommorow she could be bumped up to number 10 - it's hard to predict. Brenda
Joyce went to the heart center on Wednesday and testing was done on Thursday. It was decided by the doctor's that the problems she continues to have are not heart related (???). And so Joyce is now home with her husband. She hasn't told many others that she is home yet because she wants a couple days to settle in and rest before being swamped with company (which I fully understand). As for the continuing pain that she has been having, I'm not quite sure what to make of that (the suggestion was made that it might be GERD - GastroEsophageal Reflux Disease). God knows the answers and will solve them in His timing. Thank you all for praying for Joyce - she does appreciate it. Brenda
