A prayer request
For those of you who pray, I have a prayer request. I'm hesitant to even put this out there but, I know some of you have been keeping track of the progress of Kelli's sister Doreen. We are a praying family and we place a high value on the effectiveness of fervent prayer of righteous people. (Righteous: meaning saved by grace)
Last year Kelli's sister Doreen had numerous heart attacks and almost died. She had other health issues going on at the same time besides. She is diabetic as well and she had a secondary infection going on which required surgery to remove gangrenous tissue. The medical professionals did not expect her to live and where actually surprised to see her pull through. Doreen was quite young to be having these kinds of problems. She was 39 then and is now just 40 years old.
Doreen spent time in a nursing home as she recovered from her ordeal. This was hard on her mentally and emotionally to be bunking down with all the elderly people, most of them more than twice her age. But, in time she progressed and was allowed to come home.
After a long struggle with mounting medical bills, she finally got put on state aid which covered all the expenses. She also qualified for disability which is helping to pay her living expenses. It is impossible for her to work in her condition.
It has been an up hill battle all the way. Actually a roller coaster ride is more like it. She has had very good days and very bad days all along this journey. Both physically and mentally. But, as time has progressed her heart has deteriorated and a couple months ago she went to Illinois to live with relatives who have been taking her back and forth to St. Lukes medical center in Milwaukee for testing. The testing has been to see if she qualifies as a heart transplant recipient.
Apparently she did qualify and they highly recommended she be put on a heart pump until a donor heart can be found. I believe the technical description of the pump is called an LVAD. And recently they had a brand new version that they wanted to put in that has only recently been used in the United States. A miniature version of what has been used.
Doreen received this new heart pump last Wednesday. Kelli and their other sister had gone down to be with Doreen a couple days prior. Doreen was admitted into the hospital on Tuesday, and had an external heart assist pump put on her leg. If I understand correctly, shortly thereafter Doreen began having a severe panic attack.
To make a long story short they almost canceled the operation. During her panic the good part of her heart began to fail. But, they sedated her and the next day she was stabilized some what. They decided to go ahead with installing the new pump for fear that this would be their last chance. The surgery went on as scheduled. It was an open heart surgery.
But, here's the problem, as they have tried to bring her out from under sedation, she keeps going into panic mode just like before the surgery. So then they had to re-up the meds and keep her under for fear she will thrash about and injure herself. Finally today, 6 days after the surgery they woke her up and removed the intubation tube and she has gone right back to what she was doing on Tuesday. Completely freaking out. The doctors don't know what to make of it. It seems psychotic to them. Like it is a mental thing, because all her vital signs are doing very well. The surgery went well and everything should be good.
But, there are a multitude of things that could be going on. For one, from a spiritual perspective there could be something going on there. From what went on last Tuesday we all wondered if something demonic was going on. But, then there are all kinds of physical issues at stake as well. Doreen has been on a pile of meds with numerous doctors prescribing this thing and that. She has been completely out of whack since day one. It has been a total juggling act for them to get her balanced out, what with her bad heart and her diabetes and the infection that she endured.
The poor woman has had to take hand fulls of medications all this time, so in my mind I would never rule out some reaction going on with all the pills she's taking. But, at the same time I'm totally aware that there is a spiritual reality that most doctors would naively over look.
So this is what my sister in-law is going through as I write. The last word I got this evening was that she is pretty much going off her rocker. Physically everything is good except that she could hurt her self at any time.
Ordinarily I wouldn't put this kind of personal stuff out on the Internet but, right now the poor lady needs all the prayers she can get. This has nothing to do with what this blog is all about, but hey, it's my little corner on the web so I guess I can do what I want.
Thanks for the prayers!
Last year Kelli's sister Doreen had numerous heart attacks and almost died. She had other health issues going on at the same time besides. She is diabetic as well and she had a secondary infection going on which required surgery to remove gangrenous tissue. The medical professionals did not expect her to live and where actually surprised to see her pull through. Doreen was quite young to be having these kinds of problems. She was 39 then and is now just 40 years old.
Doreen spent time in a nursing home as she recovered from her ordeal. This was hard on her mentally and emotionally to be bunking down with all the elderly people, most of them more than twice her age. But, in time she progressed and was allowed to come home.
After a long struggle with mounting medical bills, she finally got put on state aid which covered all the expenses. She also qualified for disability which is helping to pay her living expenses. It is impossible for her to work in her condition.
It has been an up hill battle all the way. Actually a roller coaster ride is more like it. She has had very good days and very bad days all along this journey. Both physically and mentally. But, as time has progressed her heart has deteriorated and a couple months ago she went to Illinois to live with relatives who have been taking her back and forth to St. Lukes medical center in Milwaukee for testing. The testing has been to see if she qualifies as a heart transplant recipient.
Apparently she did qualify and they highly recommended she be put on a heart pump until a donor heart can be found. I believe the technical description of the pump is called an LVAD. And recently they had a brand new version that they wanted to put in that has only recently been used in the United States. A miniature version of what has been used.
Doreen received this new heart pump last Wednesday. Kelli and their other sister had gone down to be with Doreen a couple days prior. Doreen was admitted into the hospital on Tuesday, and had an external heart assist pump put on her leg. If I understand correctly, shortly thereafter Doreen began having a severe panic attack.
To make a long story short they almost canceled the operation. During her panic the good part of her heart began to fail. But, they sedated her and the next day she was stabilized some what. They decided to go ahead with installing the new pump for fear that this would be their last chance. The surgery went on as scheduled. It was an open heart surgery.
But, here's the problem, as they have tried to bring her out from under sedation, she keeps going into panic mode just like before the surgery. So then they had to re-up the meds and keep her under for fear she will thrash about and injure herself. Finally today, 6 days after the surgery they woke her up and removed the intubation tube and she has gone right back to what she was doing on Tuesday. Completely freaking out. The doctors don't know what to make of it. It seems psychotic to them. Like it is a mental thing, because all her vital signs are doing very well. The surgery went well and everything should be good.
But, there are a multitude of things that could be going on. For one, from a spiritual perspective there could be something going on there. From what went on last Tuesday we all wondered if something demonic was going on. But, then there are all kinds of physical issues at stake as well. Doreen has been on a pile of meds with numerous doctors prescribing this thing and that. She has been completely out of whack since day one. It has been a total juggling act for them to get her balanced out, what with her bad heart and her diabetes and the infection that she endured.
The poor woman has had to take hand fulls of medications all this time, so in my mind I would never rule out some reaction going on with all the pills she's taking. But, at the same time I'm totally aware that there is a spiritual reality that most doctors would naively over look.
So this is what my sister in-law is going through as I write. The last word I got this evening was that she is pretty much going off her rocker. Physically everything is good except that she could hurt her self at any time.
Ordinarily I wouldn't put this kind of personal stuff out on the Internet but, right now the poor lady needs all the prayers she can get. This has nothing to do with what this blog is all about, but hey, it's my little corner on the web so I guess I can do what I want.
Thanks for the prayers!
posted by RL at 10:10 PM
6 Comments:
Your family has our prayers. Your SIL is especially in my prayers. Panic attacks are not something to take lightly, been there done that. And they certainly don't help the health issues. I would, like you, start to look at this as a spiritual issue with the severity of them. Anyway, prayers going your SIL's way, sounds like she desperately needs lots. God bless and take care.
I'm on the run this morning Russ, but you got the prayers from this direction. I'll get back on some of this later but will believe and pray during this days work. Your right about the spiritual dimension involved in the panic attacks and the prayers will be zeroing in on that.
Tom
God bless that woman! She is in our prayers. God bless your family and give them strength to endure these trying times. We can't always understand God's will, but we must trust in Him. His will is the way.
We are praying here as well. Any further news?
I'll be praying also. Can I have your permission to list her in my church's prayer list this coming Sunday? Good luck, panic attacks are normal for my mom; she also fights lupis, so we know how it feels to have a chaotic life between hospitals and keeping family calm.
God bless,
Hank
Hi Hank,
Doreen is doing much better now but, she still has a long haul ahead of her and needs much prayer. So yes feel free to put her on the list.
Thanks much!
1-24-10
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