Please pray for Mike. Since mid-January when we had him in ER 3 times in 4 days and in ICU over night the same week, his BP has been in the 252/124, 180/110, 230/110, 200/105 range even though he's been taking his med's on time, correctly, and not missing any doses.

I know because I give them to him, and watch him take them. He's also been in severe pain.

This is a new presentation of an old problem similar to what presented when he first became ill. We are attempting to get continuation of care arrangements made with the specialists at Banner Baywood Heart Hospital in Mesa, AZ, but it's slow going.

There is some suspicion that there are now additional coronary blockages because for a year his Bp has been in the normal range as long as he takes his meds. There is also some suspicion that there is a new blockage at the location of one of his stents.

Some prayers of protection, guidance and peace would be very nice right about now.

Praying!!!

I'll be praying, Clio!

Halfstep Denise

I will pray too, Clio for your husband and your family.

Thank you everyone... This is a very difficult time... It's so similar to the initial presentations of his symptoms that started three years ago, and... well... this summer he seemed to be doing much better and I was so hopeful.

I find my prayers revolving around phrases of "Please Lord, just a little more time...." and always the thought tickles the back of my brain "even at the expense of eternity?" and of course the answer to that one is ALWAYS a resounding NO!

~Father in Heaven~ we do pray for *mike* You are able to touch him..heal him..make him renewed revived and refreshed in Your love a faithfulness.. may he rise up and praise You L-rd. May the promise of Your joy and strength come quickly to mike and the assurance of Your perfect peace sustain his every step. Delight to remove the statistics that would work against him and remind Him of Your faithfulness in truth. May mikes' wife Clio find her hope in You father; remind her that she and her husband have a faith united in Your love and trust Your ability to bring the healing they both require.

By the word of Your power even The NAME Jesus NAME.AMEN

Sincerely, CJ
HealthyHebrew@teachfitness.com
CEO/FOI International
Chaplain

~Father in Heaven~ we do pray for *mike* You are able to touch him..heal him..make him renewed revived and refreshed in Your love a faithfulness.. may he rise up and praise You L-rd. May the promise of Your joy and strength come quickly to mike and the assurance of Your perfect peace sustain his every step. Delight to remove the statistics that would work against him and remind Him of Your faithfulness in truth. May mikes' wife Clio find her hope in You father; remind her that she and her husband have a faith united in Your love and trust Your ability to bring the healing they both require.

By the word of Your power even The NAME Jesus NAME.AMEN

Sincerely, CJ
HealthyHebrew@teachfitness.com
CEO/FOI International
Chaplain

Thank you CJ.

I have peace, but I also have a deep love for my husband. I am at peace with whatever Abba decides, but I also am certain He won't mind if I ask for more time as well! So thank you very much for your prayers.

Will be praying too Clio.

Just a thought and I'm sure they've thought of this, but if his bp was normal before and now it's this high, one thing to consider is renal artery stenosis. Calcified and narrowing arteries to your kidneys "tricks" your kidneys into thinking that there is not enough blood flow to the kidneys, thus it compensates by elevating blood pressure. If he's had prior coronary stents before, this is definitely a possibility.

Hi Clio!

We're praying for Mike (and you!) over here. Tell Mike to hang tough! God bless and keep you both!

Praying. Please keep us posted.

Then it's time to adjust or change his medications!

Gerry

Ahhh Sid! Thank you! To my knowledge we have not tested for this... however given his history it could make sense. I have been told that he has a narrowing of the pancreatic and renal ducts, he has a history of stent emplacement, so renal artery stenosis would fit right in with those earlier issues.

I will run it past his attending when I talk to him in a few minutes.

Thank you for a very cogent suggestion!

Clio

Thanks Puddles. The more praying the better. He's a Baylor Medical Center.... Couldn't be in better place...

Clio

Thanks Naomi. It means a great deal. I'm marshalling all the prayers I can, from everywhere.

Three years and counting... but now that he's a Baylor I have confidence that we will get to the bottom of this and finally get him on the road to health again.

Clio

Uh... We have tried every med on the market for his hypertension. His body metabolizes extremely fast and develops resistance very quickly.

He's also on a very carefully balanced mix of 14 different drugs to keep him alive and prevent a stroke out.

Changing his meds is something done only very, very carefully; with much consultation, caution, and oversight.

With problem #1 at the moment being their isn't a hypertensive drug on the market today that we haven't tried in the last 3-4 years.

Today's update -

My niece, the paramedic, took Mike into Baylor's ER last night. They admitted, had a cardiologist in today, and are running diagnostics on him. We are working with a local physician to complete the battery of tests over the next few days and determine a comprehensive course of treatment.

Hopefully, in the process we will also discover the underlying cause of his problems over the last three years.

Baylor is never where my insurance would have sent him, but now that he's there in an acute situation, they are covering his treatment with no complaints.

Please continue to pray that they will find the underlying cause of his continued acute angina, shortness of breath, extreme hypertension, etc. etc. etc.

Clio

Me too, Clio.

Dear friend Clio,

Be assured that it is never wrong to come to Abba Father in the Name of Jesus Christ our Savior and ask for the desires of our heart... It is not selfish to ask for more time to have a loving relationship which glorifies Christ... rest assured that as Paul said:

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16 (King James Version)

"Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass." Psalm 37:3-5 (King James Version)


Father in heaven, our Abba God, please bless and comfort Clio and Mike. May your purposes and glory be made manifest in this couple and their love for You and for each other. Oh Great Physician, please guide the hearts, hands and minds of the medical staff with your holy angels, so that Mike may find comfort, relief and healing from this burden. If this is not your will, then please fill them with the utmost grace and courage and peace. Father, thank you for considering our prayer and may the Holy Spirit translate this humble plea into the most beautiful language of heaven, and may we claim the Blood of Christ in this matter. In the Name of our Precious Jesus, thank you! Amen!

Clio, this has probably been looked into, but has Mike had the tests for phaeochromocytoma? (a hormone secreting tumor of the adrenal glands)

I continue to pray for you both.

Oh Clio, I am praying for Mike! That is such good news that the insurance is covering it. I am sure that is a huge weight lifted. I pray that you both feel our Heavenly Father's peace through this trying time. {{{hugs}}}

Still praying, hang in there.

I'm doing this as a quick reply, and will try and answer each of you who has posted since the last time I posted.

Nan, we haven't looked at the adrenal tumor angle, and I will now suggest it. We are scheduled for an MRI on Thursday, with follow up with one of Baylor's Gastroenterologists on Friday.... Oh my... I have lots to tell everyone...

Friday, as all this was coming to a head, I looked into airfare from Fairbanks to Dallas and resigned myself to staying in Fairbanks. All I could do was pray for Mike and keep in close contact with both him and his physicians by phone.

Abba appears to have had other plans! Someone I barely know... in fact I didn't even know her name until Friday, provided airline tickets, roundtrip, for me to be with Mike. Totally unasked for nor anything else. I hadn't even thought yet, to pray for a way to be with him, I was more concerned with praying *for* him!

What a glorious example of Abba knowing our needs before even we ask! Then my niece was able to collect me from the airport, be with Mike while I got to Dallas, put us up, provide us with vehicle for all the extra running around we've got to do... just be there in all the little ways.

The docs discharged Mike late last night and have definitively ruled out any continuing issues with his heart. They are comfortable that his stents are open and functioning properly, and that he's on some med's he really shouldn't be on that may be obstructing his path to a full recovery.

They have identified a working diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis with malabsorption... and have started him on the meds that will treat those symptoms. We are looking a potentially a pancreatic nerve oblation to permanently eliminate the pain, because it's clear from the telemetry that his BP is extremely volatile (probably related to his adrenal glands)and we need to control his pain as much as possible without additional meds for best long-term results.

I really feel like we're on the right path finally. For so long no one has listened to him when he says, but it hurts *this* way....

Anthony, I must thank you for your thoughtful reply. I have never been shy about asking Abba for the desires of my heart. He is ever kind about allowing me to crawl up in His lap and ask for what I want, while giving great comfort. But His Will is also paramount. And I have learned over the years to trust that He knows best. So even though I ask, when the question comes, "even unto eternity?" The answer is always "Thy Will Abba - for only You can see the end from the beginning."

And I would never so selfishly demand more time with Mike here at the cost of being forever unable to enjoy him eternally. We may not marry or give in marriage in heaven, but we are so close and such good friends, that I have no doubt we will choose to be special friends through-out eternity. And I would not jeopardize that for anything! Not even more time with him now.

We have such plans for things we want to do together when eternity is ours to play in. And I'm sure our angels and Jesus smile at some of those plans and their naivete. But there are just some things we really want to do together...

I thank each of you for your prayers. Please continue to hold us in prayer. I truly believe that this entire trip is a trip of healing, and answers to prayer. I could not have set this up so perfectly, or even conceived of it to ask it of Abba, and yet He works all things together for good for those who love Him. Even health issues.

May Abba bless each of you, and cause His face to shine upon you, and give to each of you, Peace.

Clio

Clio, I can't imagine that heaven will be a place where our closest earthly ties will be destroyed :) May you two be together eternally!

Praise to the Lord for bringing circumstances together the way He has done! Thank you for your updates, too!

I pray that God's name will be glorified wherever Mike ends up!

Thank you for the update Clio, and I too will continue to pray for you both.

Thank you Gail and Nan. I just know this is a special gift from Abba. I keep seeing wonderful ripples of changes that are positive in nature everywhere I look from this situation.

It is such a blessing to be able to focus attention somewhere other than his heart.

Thank you for your continued prayers. We're in a bit of a waiting mode for tests scheduled for tomorrow.

Clio

Thanks Clio for the update! Still praying for Mike (and you!)

Clio, thank you for the updates. Shall continue to life you and Mike in prayer

How are things going?

Hang in there, you'll both have brand new glorified bodies soon.

I can't wait to get out of here.

Why do you suppose it is that when Abba blesses us, the evil one attacks even harder?

They were able to identify that this time it's not his heart, but his pancreas has quit making sufficient enzymes for him to be able to digest his food. He's on pancrease now, as well as some other meds that he has to take every 4 hours, some he's taking every 6 hours, and others twice a day.

We’ve been home since early Monday morning, and this has been the week from teh Adversary with Mike’s name all over it. The furnace quit in the garage, so the well-head pump froze. When the pump froze it cracked the casing, broke a pipe, shorted out the motor and pressure switch and nearly burned down the house. Then on Wednesday, my son decided to tell me that he had told his NA group that some things and that he's decided to tell his dad what he had done.

– to which his dad replied, you’re not welcome in my home… and don’t call me dad.

Now... I don't really expect that to stand, and neither does my son.

I am so proud of the growth and maturity my son is displaying after several years of counseling and therapy.

I have reassured my son that I am not abandoning him, and told him that his dad is going to make me choose him or my son. My son.. *tears* bless him, told me to choose his dad so there was some hope of re-establishing a relationship in the future. He’s going to write me letters at my office, so his Dad won’t see them, and realizes that it might be months or even years before a relationship between them becomes possible again.

I was praying for Mike this morning, or maybe in my sleep last night, crying as I did so. Anyway, as I was praying for him a vision of a large, heart-shaped stone or maybe block of ice, came into my mind. I seemed to be hammering away at it with a large sledge hammer. I could feel the vibrations in my hands and arms every time I swung, and I kept crying out Jesus help me. Soften his heart, take away his hardened heart of stone. (guess it was stone) and I could see a crack starting, and chips flying off, and then some outside agency would add more layers, and again I would chip away at this heart of stone. I finally gave up, and cried out, Jesus please do this, it is beyond my strength. But still I keep hammering away at his heart of stone. Not because I have any hope of breaking through on my own, but because somehow, I know Abba wants me to.

Please keep praying for us. I somehow know that although this feels like a dreadful blow, it is all connected with Abba’s promise to save my children, save Mike. But the walking out of it is dreadfully hard.

Mike told me last night in a very broken voice, to sell his gun, sell his tools, do whatever I want to with the cars out back, sell the gold dredge, sell it all and move him into a little apartment. Then he got himself into bed, put his bi-pap mask on, and shut me out.

I think it is true that a serious medical condition also has its effect on a person's emotional well-being. Mike might be saying things differently now than when well

But that doesn't make it any easier. I pray for peace to reside with you in your home...

:(

Clio..

Oh Clio, I continue to pray for Mike and you.

I can't reiterate what has already been said by Gail, Pam and Naomi. Just realize we are praying for this entire situation.

Also I think from what you said about Mike wanting you to sell this and that and move him into an apartment, he maybe realizing how hard this week has been on you and doesn't want to be a burden (and this situation with your son is prolly weighing on him as well). As Gail mentioned, medical issues can take a major toll on a person's mental health and well-being. He is so blessed to have you there!

I am praying for you and Mike, Clio! May God continue to pour his love and grace into your heart. Your road doesn't sound easy.

No... It doesn't make it any easier. And I know that he will feel differently as he adjusts to this additional blow.

So.. being the sneaky, loving wife that I am, I'm renting a storage unit. And all his tools, after being cleaned and packed away, are going there. Along with anything else I really want to keep. But I *AM* downsizing... dramatically.

I have enough pots, pans, bake ware, mixers, measuring cups, dishes etc. to furnish three complete kitchens and have done so. Mine, AND my two daughters, and sent 5 boxes to Value Village, the local second hand store.

Heh. And I plan on having a serious downsizing done by March 1st so I can realistically look for a smaller place.

He came out of it enough last night to talk to me, eat a little, and he's at least continuing to take his meds.... that's a huge improvement and something I was a little afraid wouldn't happen.

Abba is all the time good... and HE is working on Mike's heart.

Thanks Pam. Hugs help.

Still praying for you too, sweetie.

Thank you Naomi. Prayers are the best help their is. Wherever two or more... and there are many more here, gathered in His name.

Clio

He might be. He's also feeling like it's he and I against the world. I also think he's reaching a depth where he will cry out to Abba... because sometimes it takes a two by four to get him on his knees where the Holy Spirit can work.

I am reminded over and over in the last few days that I need to leave this in Abba's hands, for He knows what it best. I may not like the *how* of His working, but He knows best.

I gave my husband over to Him years ago, to ensure that "whatever it takes" we would be together for eternity... therefore I am at peace that though this hurts and is a trial nearly beyond endurance that His strength is made perfect in *my* weakness, and He knows the end from the beginning.

It is perhaps a sign of my weakness that I allow the pain to overwhelm me at times and I cry out for support that is more tangible than the sometimes intangible support from Heaven that must be taken on faith alone....

Clio

Thank you Taylor. Thank you very much. No... it's not an easy road.... but neither was what Jesus did for me. So, "why not me?"

I am thankful He trusts my faith enough to try me so hardly. It is through experiences such as these that our faith grows, for we remember that he saw us through before, and surely He will see us through again, for He changes not, and is faithful and True in all things.

Clio

I too have joined the prayers, Clio. And I know you are encourage and grateful and gladdened for even small positive actions from Mike.

Thank you Nan. I know that for each prayer lifted on our behalf it allows the Holy Spirit to work more freely in ways He might not be able to without that intercessory prayer.

According to the rules of this conflict, Abba must be asked when the one in need cannot ask for themselves... for whatever reason. But even so, free will enters into the equation.

For each one who is willing to stand in the gap with me for Mike while he cannot do so for himself, I am eternally grateful.

Clio

Clio, I have been keeping up on this thread every few days and praying....just not posting. I want you to know that I am keeping yours and Mike's situation in my heart and lifting you all up in prayer.
MG

{{{{{Clio}}}}} You and Mike both continue to be in my prayers.

Thanks everyone for your continued prayers. They are much appreciated, and deeply needed. Please pray for his mind, that he not listen to the lies of the evil one, but listen instead for the Holy Spirit and the truth of the Father.

Even the Psalmist was prone to the deep darkness of the soul that plagued him so deeply... Mike is subject to it now. Please pray for him.

Clio God Bless you and your husband.

Thank you everyone for your prayers.

Although the health crisis continues, the spiritual crisis reached a turning point last night.... for the better.

Abba Father is all the time good and hears the prayers of His children.

Please keep us in prayer.

Praise God

and I will.

We are praying Clio!

Thank you. Last night in a woeful tone Mike asked me what he should do about our kids... (long story there... painful too). I told him "Forgive them."

He gave me a really odd look.... but the message got through. He has invited them home to visit for the weekend.

Perhaps as he spews the poison from his spirit, the poison from his body will follow....

Thank you so much for your prayers everyone.

Perhaps...

I hope so!

Me too. I have found that there are so many parallels between the spiritual and the physical.

It will not be a miraculous cure, but it will ease much I am sure.

The peace that passes all understanding will surely cure ulcers! Of that I am completely certain!!!!