SVT, Pacemakers, and Other Junk

I've never shared my specific health problems with any of my Lovely Lurkers. Partly because I don't like to talk about it, and partly because I'm not sure it makes for very interesting reading. ;-)

However ... I have some (potentially) good news, and an answer to prayer, so I'm having a hard time containing myself.

In a nutshell, I have:

A pacemaker. This is due to going into complete heart block after open heart surgery to correct SVT. I've had the pacemaker for 20 years, almost exactly, and am currently on my third pacemaker (they have to be replaced once in a while). I also have mitral valve prolapse, which has never been corrected.

Digestively speaking ... I have gastroparesis and celiac disease.

And last, I have ankylosing spondylitis (early stages).

Instead of going into detail about each problem, I'll let you decide whether you'd like to clicky on the linky's I provided.

Ok, so here's where the juicy stuff comes in.

I've had some consistent and bothersome heart issues come up within the last month. So when I had my three month pacemaker check a few days ago, I just mentioned what was going on, and asked if I should be checked. The pacemaker tech said that he wasn't seeing anything significant that the pacer recorded, and that it was up to me if I chose to see the cardiologist. His suggestion was to indeed make an appointment if the symptoms were bothersome.

But I walked away from that appointment, not scheduling anything. I wanted to wait it out. I don't like doctors. I don't like having to convince someone that something is wrong. I didn't want the stress of it.

I went home and have been praying about it for a couple of days. I had my heart surgeries in Texas, and I was contemplating whether I should call them to see if they had any suggestions ... someone who would know whether this was heart related or intestinal.

As I was running over in my mind whether to make that phone call, my phone rang.

It was my cardiologist. Good ol' Dr. S. himself.

I nearly passed out ... partly because I wasn't sure if he was going to tell me something really bad (why else would he call me???).

To make a long story short(er), he didn't think the problems I'm having should be swept under the rug and wants me to have a 48 hour heart monitor put on next week. This is to try and catch an episode, so they can then see if it's heart related, or more of a digestive problem. (Turns out, the pacer won't record any episodes shorter than about twenty minutes long. Since my episodes happen frequently, but not for long periods of time, it's not recording it.)

I hung up the phone rather stunned that it had been that easy to get this ball rollin'. It's a long story (much longer than the one I'm telling here!), but I've not had good "luck" with doctors in my area taking me seriously when I say there's a problem. Sure, I have lots of labels for my illnesses now, but it hasn't always been that way.

I told Dr. S. my feeling is that my symptoms are related to the gastroparesis (I've experienced heart related problems from it before). But he said he'd like to rule out anything cardiac before pursuing anything else.

Okay.

I can deal with that.

So I'm feeling blessed to have received that phone call this morning. It's a direct answer to prayer. I know what to do next. I have no idea what they'll find out, if anything. But I at least know what the next step is.

And that's a good feeling.

~Brenda

I'm Calling A Family Meeting

Everyone come sit down! I'm callin' a family meeting.

With my Lovely Lurkers, that is.

Don't worry. Nobody's in trouble (that's what my family always thinks when we call a meeting).

I just wanted to specifically address some comments that were made yesterday.

So here goes:

El Mommy said:

Hi! I came to your blog from MckMama's discussion boards. And I'm actually going to check out Piper's book. I've read some really interesting things from him before. Isn't it a good sign that we ought to read something when our first reaction is, "But I might need to change!" LOL Maybe I'll go to the library today ;-)

We go through one chapter per week of the book. I usually dread my preparation time for class, because I know there's going to be plenty of things pointed out to me that I need to change, so I know the feeling!!! Good for you for not giving in and reading it anyway.

Day Photo said:

went to your store and looked at your darling clothes! They are wonderful and you are very talented.

Linda

http://coloradfarmlife.wordpress.com/

Shucks!! If only I could claim that I made those clothes!! But I didn't. I just grabbed the real seamstress' button from her blog, and put it on mine. Mostly because I thought the button was adorable, and so are her clothes that she sews. It made me want to open an Etsy shop and sell some similar items.

Perhaps when I am no longer home schooling ...

Valerie said:

I actually found the Piper book on my 16 year old son's bed stand yesterday. He had just come back from a Christ in Youth conference last week, and I was excited to see that he was interested in reading that!

I think it's totally awesome that your son is reading the book!! Good for him. My daughter, Jessie, is reading The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer. It was recommended to her by one of her friends who not only reads Tozer, but C.S. Lewis and other deep thinkers/writers. Pretty hefty literature!!

Chris said:

Sounds like a great read to me. I am in the middle of Zorro's Field.....again, just can't get enough of it. From reading your blog I know it's the kind of book you would love. Thanks for your comments over at Johnson Family Farm, been so busy I have not had time to update in such a long time. Not much time for any blog reading either, I miss that too. Following you and hope to get back here soon. Thanks.

Zorro's Field. I've never heard of it, but I plan to check it out!! I hope you get a chance to update your blog soon. I still check it, and am standing on one foot and then the other waiting patiently for your next post!

Thanks to ALL my Lovely Lurkers for being faithful in visiting, commenting, and in general just making my day.

You guys/gals rock!!

~Brenda

Summer Reading

Anybody else in favor of pulling up a lawn chair, a glass of iced tea (sugar and lemon, please!), and a good book while we soak in some sunshine?

Me too!!

And I've tried to do a little bit of just that recently.

What am I reading?

Well, a couple of things.

First, I'm reading Don't Waste Your Life, by John Piper.

If you are searching for significance, and don't wish to waste your life ... read this book!

If you want to challenge your thinking, the way you spend your time, what it is you are living for ... read this book!

I don't want to get to the end of my life, not able to think of a single thing I did for Christ. This book teaches me that a life lived for self is a wasted life. A life lived for Christ, magnifying Him and glorying in His presence is a life well lived.

Ah hem! Excuse me while I just step up on my soapbox for one moment ...

I'm sure you've heard the news that Michael Jackson died this past week. While I feel for the family, I feel even worse for MJ.

Why?

Because I think he's a perfect example of a wasted life.

Was he talented?

You bet!

Was he rich?

You bet!

Was he, at times, a giving person?

Probably!

Was anything that he did for to the glory of God? Did he ever desire to exalt Christ above himself?

I'm not seeing it!

That's an example of a wasted life.

Why do we, as American's, idolize people like MJ? Perhaps because he's a little more "tangible" than Jesus? Because we can see him with our very own eyes?

I'm a firm believer that you can see Jesus too, with a little faith.

Where can you get some of this faith, so that you might see Jesus?

Romans 10:17 says that Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.

Meaning ... read your Bible.

In addition to reading your Bible, go to church. Be around others who have faith, so that your faith can grow.

Deep breath ...

Hopping off my soapbox ...

I'm also reading A Distant Music, by B.J. Hoff

This is my light summer reading. I love to read books based on the late 1800's, early 1900's era. If it's a Prairie story, all the better. This particular book isn't about living on the prairie, but a mining town. Life is hard, and life is not always peaches and cream in this book. But the children that attend the one room schoolhouse, with Jonathan as their teacher, are indeed blessed.

I'm only about a third of the way through, but I am hooked. I love reading how many of these children are not wasting their lives. They're modeling their lives after Jesus, with the fine example of Jonathan right before their very eyes.

One little girl in the book was puzzled as to what to do in a very difficult decision. She asked her friend what she would do, and that friend said that she would do what Jonathan did ... because Jonathan always did what Jesus would do, and her ultimate goal was to always do what Jesus did.

And that, my Lovely Lurkers, is the way to not waste your life.

Do what Jesus would do. Glorify Him while you're doing it.

~Brenda

Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. ~Psalm 34:3 (emphasis mine)

MckLinky - Favorite Photograph

Ok, scratch that last post. This is a quick way to post a photo. In between calculating receipts, of course.

This photo is of my niece, who is, in my opinion, incredibly photogenic. I love taking pictures of her.

I'd Rather ....

You know those bumper stickers that say ...

I'd rather be fishing.

I'd rather be boating.

I'd rather be skiing.

I'd rather be golfing.

Well, I'd just like to say that today ...

I'd rather be blogging.

I hear the laundry calling my name. I hear bills calling my name. I hear baseball games calling my name.

And so, my dear Lovely Lurkers, I may not get a pictorial post in today.


For pictures are sweet,
Moreso than treats,
But I must accomplish my feats,
Before I post my sweet treats.

But I will return,
As soon as tides turn,
So make yourself at home,
Pull up a chair and roam!

There's lots of other posts,
To keep you on your toes,
So relax, enjoy, and roam,
Until order once more graces my home!

Wow. After that poem, I'll bet you're hoping I stick with the pictorial posts more often ...

~Brenda

That Time of the Month

I gotchya' with that title, didn't I?

I'm not talking about THAT time of the month. I'm talking about the time of the month that my house usually gets filled with these:








Ben gave the roses to Ashlee last night, because it's their "eighth month anniversary." Then he brought the yellow flowers this morning, because ... well ... just because.

I just loooove fresh flowers around the house, and if it takes someone doting over my daughter to get some, then so be it. My budget certainly doesn't allow it, nor do I have a very green thumb.

Mind you, I didn't let Big Ben get off without a little teasing. I answered the door this morning when he came to give Ashlee the flowers. Without missing a beat, I said with mouth wide open, hand on my chest, "Oooohhh Ben!!! For meeeee? Thank you SOOOO much. That was SOOOOO sweet of you!"

Hey, if the guys can't put up with a little grief, they don't deserve to take my daughter on a picnic.

Truthfully, Ben was gracious as usual and simply handed the flowers to me, showing every pearly white he possesses.

Having said that, I also identify with Jim Bishop when he said ...

“Watching your daughter being collected by her date feels like handing over a million dollar Stradivarius to a gorilla.”

Amen and amen.

~Brenda

Time In A Bottle

Anybody have some bottled time they could spare?

Yeah, me either.

This is mostly my own doing, because I tend to "sign up" for more than I can handle. Such is life these last two weeks, but I hope to get back on track very shortly.

Why do I sign up for more than I can handle?

I think it's twofold.

First, I like to do a lot of things. I like to blog, quilt, cook, have guests over, volunteer for any real need that I see pop up, scrapbook, quilt, never miss a single baseball game that Andrew plays, have shopping dates with my girls, cook for the friends my kids bring over, keep my house clean ...

You get the idea.

Second, with the health issues that I struggle with, I tend to overcompensate. Laziness is one of my pet peeves. A trait I loathe. And I don't want to be lazy. Struggling with fatigue automatically makes me feel lazy, and I end up pushing myself hard to simply fight that feeling with all my might.

I bring all of this up, because I've been struggling with blogging time. Truthfully, blogging is normally at the top of my list, because I feel it is imperative that I do so. Not just to (hopefully) have influence on others, but because it's so therapeutic. So I'm hoping to get back to the ol' drawing board soon and post some high quality posts in the near future.

But what I really logged on to say today, is that I am thinking of all of my Lovely Lurkers, and praying for each of you. I don't know many of you personally, and some of you I know quite well. But God knows each of you, what your struggles are, and where you are headed in life. So I pray that He will have preeminence in your life.

Not just today, but every day.

May it be so for you and for me.

~Brenda