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.