The Cath Results

Just wanted to update everyone to this point in time. We are still in Alabama but we are staying with Jim’s parents. When we arrived Tuesday afternoon in Birmingham we were soon reunited with Randall and Cammie Evans and Kelly Coldwater. We shared a wonderful supper together and then read scriptures and prayed. We are so grateful for your words Randall they will stick with us forever. We arose Wednesday morning with little sleep due to time spent in prayer. He was supposed to have his surgery early that morning but a 2 year old arrived after us. Jim gladly told the doctors that we would wait. We were overwhelmed by all the family and friends that came to show their love and support. Thank you for all those who were there. It was a mini MSOP reunion. He went into surgery at 1 pm. We were updated about two hours in that there were 3 blockages due to scar tissue from his surgery in 1975.  At 4:30 pm the nurse told us that he was going to recovery. She told me that I could go and see him. So I went accompanied by his parents and mine. I was not allowed to go back and the doctor called me on the phone. The doctor stated that they were not able to do the entire procedures that they had planned due to his heart being substantially weaker than they had thought. They tried to balloon the blockages but could not stint them due to the areas being curved. There was also an increased risk if the stints were put into place. The doctor kept acting strange and I just asked him “Is he in heart failure?” He said “Yes.” He stated that the only thing they could do for him was to give him medicine to make it easier for his heart to work. He is not a good candidate for a pacemaker, ICD, heart transplant….. The only thing they have to offer is medication therapy. To say the least I was devastated. Jim just turned 34 years old a month ago. Everyone was shocked and tried to be strong for his return to the room at 6:30 pm. Jim was joking and having a good time when he got back and the doctor soon came around to tell him and all of us the news again. Then we meet the Advance Heart Failure team. They will be keeping track of us from now on. He could hardly breath because he was in so much pain. He would hardly eat or talk because it hurt. Thursday was a long day because we kept being reminded about what all they could not do for us. I wanted to scream I KNOW, I KNOW. The nurse was out to lunch all day it seemed because he didn’t get his pain medicine and didn’t even get breakfast or lunch. Of course, I got him food from the food court. Everyone went home by Thursday because we were supposed to go since they couldn’t help us anymore. Jim felt so bad that they did a chest x-ray and an EKG. Both came back good and we spent the night at the hospital. Friday he woke up feeling pretty good but not for long. His heart went into a dangerous V teach rhythm and he started coughing more frequently.  They did an ECHO and found fluid around his heart but not a substantial amount. They let us go around 12 pm and we went to his parents’ home. Within a few hours he was running a fever of 102.5 and coughing more. I called the doctor and he thought he might be getting pneumonia. He told us to go to the ER on Saturday if it wasn’t any better. Well it wasn’t better so I took him to a clinic that was open and he has bronchitis. He is extremely fatigued and just feels terrible. It makes me regret taking him to the doctor and the hospital and all. I know that whatever happens it will be alright. All he wants to do is preach. We got him a padded bar stool with a back so he can rest while he is preaching. We plan to go to church in Munford tomorrow morning and make it home to Philadelphia, MS by tomorrow afternoon. We are very anxious to see the brethren there and to be home. We ask for your continued prayers and support. Each of us knows that we are not promised tomorrow or the rest of today for that matter. May God continue to use Jim and our family to further his kingdom. We know that we can do everything our hearts desire for God because of His love and strength and because of you and your support and friendship. We love you all and thank you for all that you have done and for your prayers that mean SO MUCH.