Showing posts with label Book of Remembrances. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book of Remembrances. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Albert is going home today!~ Praise The Lord!~
My niece Samantha has been through so much the last few months. Her mom, my sister Nancy passed away on September 23rd. The day we went to make funeral arrangements for Nancy, Sam's husband ended up in the hospital with pneumonia. He got better and was doing good for several weeks. Last Saturday he ended up back in the hospital with pneumonia again. He is getting out of the hospital again today. I know the emotional burden Sam has carried during the last few months of her young life has been great. I am so thankful for prayer partners who believed with me this past few days. Albert is going home and has been blessed. Praise God!~ My God is Able!~
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Book of Remembrances! My Heart!~
Wow!~ Ten years ago on June 1, 2000, I had open heart surgery. When people hear the words open heart surgery they immediately assume I had bypass surgery as it is quite common. But, my surgery involved replacing the aortic valve. For many years now the practice of replacing a valve with a pig valve has been successful, but the pig valve would sometimes fail after ten years or so.
God bless Dr. Paul Kanaly of Oklahoma City. He decided to replace my valve with a metal valve. Yes... I said metal. It is coated with something similar to teflon. LOL No joke. The beating of my heart and the flow of blood keeps the valve moving in motion with the rest of my heart. Personally, I think it is a God deal in more ways than one. The story of how I came to get an implanted heart prosthetic is now mind boggling to me. Since I lived it day by day the reality of how close I came to meeting my maker at the time is very real to me.
Most of my life I was pretty healthy, and rarely went to the doctor. But, as a child my parents were told I had a heart murmur, and that I had to be careful with athletics and such. Being a kid I thought it was all nonsense coming from the doctors. Well, about the time I hit the age of 45 I was having numerous health problems and then the heart trouble started. *sigh*
I went to the doctor repeatedly telling him about the chest pains. The doctor here at home finally told me there was nothing wrong with my heart. In fact, he said I needed counseling. He, Dr. McB. had labeled me as a hypochondriac for all the complaining. I had even made trips to the ER on a few occasions with chest pain and they too treated me as a joke. It was frustrating.
There is nothing so scary as having chest pains day or night and not knowing what to do about it. Thank God my husband took me seriously during the first part of this ordeal or I would have lost my mind. He would haul me to ER and or the doctor and they would listen and even do EKG's. Nothing showed up or sounded abnormal. So I was patted on the head and sent home. The final straw came one night when the chest pain was so intense I could barely breathe when I woke up. Later at the ER they called Doctor McB., and he told them to give me some kind of cocktail and send me home. Apparently the cocktail was a mix of drugs commonly given to pregnant women to subdue them??? I refused the drugs and left.
Not long after that it hit again, in the middle of the night. My Husband and I decided it was useless to go to that ER. So, he took me halfway across the state (or so it seemed) to the ER at Carl Albert Indian Hospital in Ada. By the grace of God the doctor on call took me seriously. He said it could be my heart or my gall bladder or both. He put me on an aspirin regimen and told me to call his office and make an appointment. (This Doctor it turned out had a two year waiting list.) When I told the receptionist that he told me to call she made the appointment immediately. During the months that followed he and his staff treated me with dignity and professionalism. On more than one occasion he did an EKG and nothing showed. May God bless my Dr. Mason!~ My God is Able!~
One day he decided to try a test call an Echo Cardiogram or ECG. I learned from those tests that my aortic valve was severely closing. Because I do not live in the district they could only see me in the doctors office and I could not be referred out. So... back I came to the idiot doctor McB.to tell him because I needed his referral!! When I met with him he started the same old routine telling me there was nothing wrong with my heart. I had to set my foot down and tell him I was going to sign a release and have the test results faxed to him. He was so condescending and treated me like an idiot child. I went to the records and signed a release for the fax and left there feeling hopeless.
The very next morning I get a call from Dr. McB., who sounded almost in a panic. He said my tests showed severe damage and dysfunction in my aortic valve. NO KIDDING???
So, after months and months of this ordeal, He was finally ready to give me a referral and I went to see Dr. Kanaly the heart surgeon. Praise the Lord!~ Dr. Kanaly had the aura of a calm, peaceful, competent professional. He immediately showed me the "teflon coated" implant and said my valve was over 50% shut down. He also said I had a window of surgical success of three months. So, I knew it had to be done right away.
By this time I could barely walk down the hall without a rest. I would walk to the bedroom, stop and rest. Walk to the front room, stop and rest. My heart was pumping blood into the chambers and it was not pumping out fast enough so my heart was on overfill. It was very painful too.
In the few weeks leading up to my surgery, knowing the risks, I made my husband and my 11 year old grandson learn to do the laundry. :P Among other things.
The surgery was a success, obviously. I am so blessed to be here. Above all else I do believe that I was given a second chance to grow in my relationship with my God. The last five years have been a time of renewal for me. I am back in church, I have found what I sought for so many years. Amazingly, I found spiritual strength and so much more in my little United Pentecostal Church. Having grown up Baptist it is amazing the road I have traveled to get here.
During the days leading up to the surgery I felt so unworthy of God's grace that my prayer was not about me but about my grandchildren. I wanted to see them get just a little bigger. I have lived to see my first great grandson. I even take him to church with me. Praise the Lord!~
I have the Holy Ghost from my Jesus, to sustain me, comfort me, guide me, and love me. Oh!~ How I wish I could find a way to share this with others so they could understand what it is like to come through the darkness and into His beautiful light. Yes!~ My heart beats strong in more ways than one. My God is Able!~
God bless Dr. Paul Kanaly of Oklahoma City. He decided to replace my valve with a metal valve. Yes... I said metal. It is coated with something similar to teflon. LOL No joke. The beating of my heart and the flow of blood keeps the valve moving in motion with the rest of my heart. Personally, I think it is a God deal in more ways than one. The story of how I came to get an implanted heart prosthetic is now mind boggling to me. Since I lived it day by day the reality of how close I came to meeting my maker at the time is very real to me.
Most of my life I was pretty healthy, and rarely went to the doctor. But, as a child my parents were told I had a heart murmur, and that I had to be careful with athletics and such. Being a kid I thought it was all nonsense coming from the doctors. Well, about the time I hit the age of 45 I was having numerous health problems and then the heart trouble started. *sigh*
I went to the doctor repeatedly telling him about the chest pains. The doctor here at home finally told me there was nothing wrong with my heart. In fact, he said I needed counseling. He, Dr. McB. had labeled me as a hypochondriac for all the complaining. I had even made trips to the ER on a few occasions with chest pain and they too treated me as a joke. It was frustrating.
There is nothing so scary as having chest pains day or night and not knowing what to do about it. Thank God my husband took me seriously during the first part of this ordeal or I would have lost my mind. He would haul me to ER and or the doctor and they would listen and even do EKG's. Nothing showed up or sounded abnormal. So I was patted on the head and sent home. The final straw came one night when the chest pain was so intense I could barely breathe when I woke up. Later at the ER they called Doctor McB., and he told them to give me some kind of cocktail and send me home. Apparently the cocktail was a mix of drugs commonly given to pregnant women to subdue them??? I refused the drugs and left.
Not long after that it hit again, in the middle of the night. My Husband and I decided it was useless to go to that ER. So, he took me halfway across the state (or so it seemed) to the ER at Carl Albert Indian Hospital in Ada. By the grace of God the doctor on call took me seriously. He said it could be my heart or my gall bladder or both. He put me on an aspirin regimen and told me to call his office and make an appointment. (This Doctor it turned out had a two year waiting list.) When I told the receptionist that he told me to call she made the appointment immediately. During the months that followed he and his staff treated me with dignity and professionalism. On more than one occasion he did an EKG and nothing showed. May God bless my Dr. Mason!~ My God is Able!~
One day he decided to try a test call an Echo Cardiogram or ECG. I learned from those tests that my aortic valve was severely closing. Because I do not live in the district they could only see me in the doctors office and I could not be referred out. So... back I came to the idiot doctor McB.to tell him because I needed his referral!! When I met with him he started the same old routine telling me there was nothing wrong with my heart. I had to set my foot down and tell him I was going to sign a release and have the test results faxed to him. He was so condescending and treated me like an idiot child. I went to the records and signed a release for the fax and left there feeling hopeless.
The very next morning I get a call from Dr. McB., who sounded almost in a panic. He said my tests showed severe damage and dysfunction in my aortic valve. NO KIDDING???
So, after months and months of this ordeal, He was finally ready to give me a referral and I went to see Dr. Kanaly the heart surgeon. Praise the Lord!~ Dr. Kanaly had the aura of a calm, peaceful, competent professional. He immediately showed me the "teflon coated" implant and said my valve was over 50% shut down. He also said I had a window of surgical success of three months. So, I knew it had to be done right away.
By this time I could barely walk down the hall without a rest. I would walk to the bedroom, stop and rest. Walk to the front room, stop and rest. My heart was pumping blood into the chambers and it was not pumping out fast enough so my heart was on overfill. It was very painful too.
In the few weeks leading up to my surgery, knowing the risks, I made my husband and my 11 year old grandson learn to do the laundry. :P Among other things.
The surgery was a success, obviously. I am so blessed to be here. Above all else I do believe that I was given a second chance to grow in my relationship with my God. The last five years have been a time of renewal for me. I am back in church, I have found what I sought for so many years. Amazingly, I found spiritual strength and so much more in my little United Pentecostal Church. Having grown up Baptist it is amazing the road I have traveled to get here.
During the days leading up to the surgery I felt so unworthy of God's grace that my prayer was not about me but about my grandchildren. I wanted to see them get just a little bigger. I have lived to see my first great grandson. I even take him to church with me. Praise the Lord!~
I have the Holy Ghost from my Jesus, to sustain me, comfort me, guide me, and love me. Oh!~ How I wish I could find a way to share this with others so they could understand what it is like to come through the darkness and into His beautiful light. Yes!~ My heart beats strong in more ways than one. My God is Able!~
Monday, March 1, 2010
Book of Remembrances! Norma!~
Norma had surgery on her back over three weeks ago. She had four discs that needed repair work done. She was told that there was a 50/50 chance she might never walk again after the surgery but it had to be done. After the surgery she was doing well and was sent home in just a couple of days. (She is my daughters Mother-In-Law.)
A few days later she started running a temp so the medical professionals were called. They were told a fever could mean her body was trying to fight off possible infection. A couple more days passed and the fever was 103 and she was getting sicker. A friend of the family, who is a Nurse, said she needed to go to ER.
A week ago on Sunday morning she ended up in ER not knowing who she was or where she was at. She was admitted into ICU in critical condition. My daughter called and requested prayer, so I texted a prayer request to the Prayer warriors from church. The following day, on Monday morning, they did emergency surgery to try and clean out some of the infection.
After this surgery the surgeon who did the first surgery came out and told the family that he had nicked her spinal cord during the first surgery. Spinal fluids had been leaking into her lower back the entire time she was supposed to be recovering at home. Tests were run. For the first few days she did not respond and slept constantly without sedation. When they managed to rouse her, she responded with incoherent words or with random confused statements.
From Sunday throughout the week she was on the Prayer list with our church family. Our church family will pray and pray and use the power of prayer to seek his grace and mercy.
This Saturday, February 27th, she was coherent, was out of bed and took a short walk. She will probably be released today or tomorrow. My God is Able!~ Praise the Lord, for his mercy endureth forever!~
A few days later she started running a temp so the medical professionals were called. They were told a fever could mean her body was trying to fight off possible infection. A couple more days passed and the fever was 103 and she was getting sicker. A friend of the family, who is a Nurse, said she needed to go to ER.
A week ago on Sunday morning she ended up in ER not knowing who she was or where she was at. She was admitted into ICU in critical condition. My daughter called and requested prayer, so I texted a prayer request to the Prayer warriors from church. The following day, on Monday morning, they did emergency surgery to try and clean out some of the infection.
After this surgery the surgeon who did the first surgery came out and told the family that he had nicked her spinal cord during the first surgery. Spinal fluids had been leaking into her lower back the entire time she was supposed to be recovering at home. Tests were run. For the first few days she did not respond and slept constantly without sedation. When they managed to rouse her, she responded with incoherent words or with random confused statements.
From Sunday throughout the week she was on the Prayer list with our church family. Our church family will pray and pray and use the power of prayer to seek his grace and mercy.
This Saturday, February 27th, she was coherent, was out of bed and took a short walk. She will probably be released today or tomorrow. My God is Able!~ Praise the Lord, for his mercy endureth forever!~
Friday, February 5, 2010
Book of Remembrances! My roof!~
For the last three or four years we have tried to save for a roofing fund. Our roof has been on the house since we bought it 20 years ago. It seemed that every time we got it built up someone in the family had a financial crisis and the money would dwindle. It was very frustrating. But, you have to help your family right? With the economy like it has been the last year or so it has been crucial to keep all of us afloat.
After Hurricane Katrina the cost of roofing materials and replacement costs in some cases tripled. We heard that the cost of oil was part of the problem. Either way, we were fighting a loosing battle with the problem of our roof.
Early one November morning last fall I took my granddaughter to school. On the way home, I topped a hill and felt strongly that I needed to pray about the roof of all things, and turn the situation over to God. So, I did, in a simple and quiet request, I asked him to help us figure out how to find the funds to replace our roof.
I came home and got on with my day. About four hours later my doorbell rang. When I answered it there was a very pleasant and cheerful young man standing there in a shirt with a business logo and a clip board. He told me he was with a roofing company and they were doing a door-to-door visitation to ask if residents would like a "free estimate" for roofing. I tell you truely it really happened. I thought, ok. WE didn't have the money and I knew that, and I told him so. He then said that I would at least have some idea how much it might cost. So, I gave him the go ahead.
After about 15 minutes he knocked on the door. He handed me an estimate and the cost just blew my mind. It was around $11,000. Whew!~ Then he told me that I had quite a bit of hail damage and I might want to talk to my insurance company. That because of the damage, insurance might cover part of the cost.
I talked to my husband that night and we decided this might be part of the solution. So, the next day I called our carrier. The very next day the insurance rep called and had someone here the following day. By the following monday I had an estimate from them. It was for about two thirds of the total cost. We decided it was now or never.
I talked to a lady at our church about doing our roof, but, they were booked and busy and we really needed to get it done soon. Winter was coming and if it was a bad winter (and it has been), we would be in trouble. And, Spring follows winter with stormy weather. Soooo, I called the young man, and he came and we talked. The roofing company ended up doing our entire roof for the amount that the insurance company estimated. We got a 35 year roof for the money from the hail damage check.
I serve a God who is Able!~ He answered my prayer in the same day within hours. I think that using our fund for helping others had something to do with his timely response. We used the money for unselfish reasons and it came back pressed down and running over.
St. Luke 6:38 "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give unto your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."
A non-believer might call it a coincidence, or just plain dumb luck. But, I know, as in times past, a prayer with sincere intent was heard and answered. I am humbled to share this with anyone who might read this post. My God is so good. I have a roof just because I asked for help without clamour and waited.
After Hurricane Katrina the cost of roofing materials and replacement costs in some cases tripled. We heard that the cost of oil was part of the problem. Either way, we were fighting a loosing battle with the problem of our roof.
Early one November morning last fall I took my granddaughter to school. On the way home, I topped a hill and felt strongly that I needed to pray about the roof of all things, and turn the situation over to God. So, I did, in a simple and quiet request, I asked him to help us figure out how to find the funds to replace our roof.
I came home and got on with my day. About four hours later my doorbell rang. When I answered it there was a very pleasant and cheerful young man standing there in a shirt with a business logo and a clip board. He told me he was with a roofing company and they were doing a door-to-door visitation to ask if residents would like a "free estimate" for roofing. I tell you truely it really happened. I thought, ok. WE didn't have the money and I knew that, and I told him so. He then said that I would at least have some idea how much it might cost. So, I gave him the go ahead.
After about 15 minutes he knocked on the door. He handed me an estimate and the cost just blew my mind. It was around $11,000. Whew!~ Then he told me that I had quite a bit of hail damage and I might want to talk to my insurance company. That because of the damage, insurance might cover part of the cost.
I talked to my husband that night and we decided this might be part of the solution. So, the next day I called our carrier. The very next day the insurance rep called and had someone here the following day. By the following monday I had an estimate from them. It was for about two thirds of the total cost. We decided it was now or never.
I talked to a lady at our church about doing our roof, but, they were booked and busy and we really needed to get it done soon. Winter was coming and if it was a bad winter (and it has been), we would be in trouble. And, Spring follows winter with stormy weather. Soooo, I called the young man, and he came and we talked. The roofing company ended up doing our entire roof for the amount that the insurance company estimated. We got a 35 year roof for the money from the hail damage check.
I serve a God who is Able!~ He answered my prayer in the same day within hours. I think that using our fund for helping others had something to do with his timely response. We used the money for unselfish reasons and it came back pressed down and running over.
St. Luke 6:38 "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give unto your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."
A non-believer might call it a coincidence, or just plain dumb luck. But, I know, as in times past, a prayer with sincere intent was heard and answered. I am humbled to share this with anyone who might read this post. My God is so good. I have a roof just because I asked for help without clamour and waited.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
His Mercy endureth Forever!~ and Christoper!
My nephew Christopher age 38 walked up to Taco Bell one summer afternoon two years ago to meet his younger brother and walk him home from work. It was payday and he knew Charles would want to go to the bank. !! As they left TB, they walked a shortcut through a field behind TB. Chris and his brother Charles are both American Indian. There was a guy and some girl in the field and both appeared to be drunk. But, Charles knew the guy because he also worked at TB. The guy, also AI from another tribe evidently , as best as has been determined by police... was ready for battle. He assaulted Charles and when Chris tried to help his brother the guy took a baseball bat to his head.
I honestly don't the specifics about why this happened. But, it happened. Maybe Charles and the guy did not get along at work, who knows.
He was taken to Shawnee hospital and was transferred to trauma center in OKC. He was seriously injured and over the next few days the pronosis was very bad. His head was swollen, badly bruised and looked like a football. His skull was cracked almost all the way from one temple to the other. Severe concussion!~ Doctors said he had Left Brain Damage, that would basically leave him mentally handicapped. We were told he would need months of therapy, if he regained consciousness. His mother was told he would need to apply for his disability benefits to help cover medical expenses.
Four days into the hospital ordeal, church members was praying around the clock. Our Pastor was a real source of strength. Sister LaBeff came on her lunch hour on the 4th day, and we formed a circle around his bed praying and laid hands on him. Later in the day I brought my sister, his mom back to Shawnee for some much needed rest.
At 4:00p.m., his brother Mark called on his cell phone from the hospital and said, Chris was sitting up in bed, drinking a Dr.Pepper and talking to his little girl on the phone. My God is Able!~ Sometimes he moves in a mighty way and I am so thankful he returned Chris to his three children.
I honestly don't the specifics about why this happened. But, it happened. Maybe Charles and the guy did not get along at work, who knows.
He was taken to Shawnee hospital and was transferred to trauma center in OKC. He was seriously injured and over the next few days the pronosis was very bad. His head was swollen, badly bruised and looked like a football. His skull was cracked almost all the way from one temple to the other. Severe concussion!~ Doctors said he had Left Brain Damage, that would basically leave him mentally handicapped. We were told he would need months of therapy, if he regained consciousness. His mother was told he would need to apply for his disability benefits to help cover medical expenses.
Four days into the hospital ordeal, church members was praying around the clock. Our Pastor was a real source of strength. Sister LaBeff came on her lunch hour on the 4th day, and we formed a circle around his bed praying and laid hands on him. Later in the day I brought my sister, his mom back to Shawnee for some much needed rest.
At 4:00p.m., his brother Mark called on his cell phone from the hospital and said, Chris was sitting up in bed, drinking a Dr.Pepper and talking to his little girl on the phone. My God is Able!~ Sometimes he moves in a mighty way and I am so thankful he returned Chris to his three children.
HIS Infinite Mercy!~ and Todd!~
Sometimes when I have battles between good and evil raging in the lives of people around me I take time for Remembrance. I get into gratitude and think of all the things I am thankful for, that God has done in my world. Today I am thinking back a few years to when my grandson Todd was so horribly battered in a four wheeler accident. I look at how bad the wreck was, and what he had to endure in the weeks and months that followed. Broken ribs, broken jaw, knocked cross eyed, surgeries on his eyes, and more surgeries on his jaw when he gets older. I see him now at the age of 15 years old, playing football like an NFL pro and I know My God is Able. He answers prayer! So today I will post a few Remembrances. It will remind me and strengthen my faith.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
