On Day Five of the Cardial Vascular Intensive Care Floor

When I awakened yesterday I was near exhaustion and literally crashing from the stress of the last four days. The Dr.s call this a 3 day heart attack. Diabetics don't feel pain like we do so the attack carried on for three days. There is much damage because of this. At first I really did not think we would make it this far, but my husband is a fighter. I went to the hospital later than usual but he was having a very bad day. The problem that his blood pressure is low. I have learned this is common for heart attacks. The thing that scared me is his pressure would go up and then drop suddenly. It would make me shake in my boots when it came up and then drop. So I stopped watching the monitor. He has several other problems going on also. Some long time friends came up and he rallied a little with their visit and prayer. Then he would fall listless again and sleep. I left shortly after our friends pretty down.  Of course most patients go through this much faster, but we are on the slow path. This was our most discouraging day and beginning to think maybe we wouldn't climb out of this.
I went to the hospital even later today. The stress is wearing on me as I have physical problems my self. I have to pace myself, no need for both of us to be in there. My friend said jokingly we could be in the same room together. I said if that were to happen I would want my own room, as I would be climbing out of bed to take care of him. It's just a joke.
Today when I walked in it was like a different day. He was actually sitting up in a chair eating and actually keeping down what he was eating. This was a vast improvement. A real turning point and we needed one. We're still not out of the woods, but looking better. I bought him a news paper and we watched the Sox game {3-1}. We actually had some normal conversation. I went home and actually slept. We have a long way to go, but this was a turning point. Even the nurses were smiling. It was a better day. The Meyer's

Another Twist In Our Ongoing Battle With Diabetes

Wednesday turned into on of our worst days, as my husband was very ill. It started on Monday when he went to the Dr. and came home with pneumonia. I asked him then, why didn't the Dr. admit him? He had no answer. Tuesday didn't get much better and I said tomorrow if you are the same we are going to the hospital. He half way agreed. We all know men hate the hospitals. We have been in a 31 year battle with diabetes. We now have a wing at the hospital fully funded by our family alone. He has two prosthetic legs and myriad other problems I'm not going into and I understand his hatred for the hospital. Wednesday it was worse no better. He also doesn't like paramedics or ambulances either. By noon he finally conceded. It took a neighbor and I to get him into the car. I knew it was serious, but still thought it was pneumonia gone worse.
Entering he mentioned chest pain. This is the first he mentioned this to me, although he had e-mailed it to our church members. I found this out later. The wife is always the last to know.
They took an EKG and immediately we were surrounded with cardiologists and many people. Within 30 minutes he was having an angiogram, and I am in a waiting room. He was having a heart attack. I called my son and tried to tell him, but I could not complete the call. I could not believe what was happening. I called him back and the other two. My daughter nearly drove off the road when I called, she told me later.
Eventually we were all there, It did feel better to have them with me. They came in and said there is a blockage and the Dr. is going to put in a stint. Everything should be OK. They should not have said that. We were relieved, but a few minutes later they came back in and said they could not get the stint in. I knew then we were in pretty deep trouble. I am a pastor's wife. I've been in many hospitals with church members having the same procedure and knew this was not good.  I said to the kids this is not good.
The Dr. came out and it was worse than not good.
I won't go into details but there are a lot of problems. So right now we are in limbo. If he stays the way he is he will eventually die. In essence right now it will take a miracle to keep him
I know God will guide us, he always has. We say Dad has nine lives. He actually thought we would go home and he could preach on Sunday. We have made it clear that isn't going to happen.
By night friends were calling from all over, word goes out fast. It did help to hear other's say it will be OK. I'm still not sure of that but it helps to hear it anyway.
The last two days have been worse with more tests and more Dr.s now added. I really don't know which Dr. I am talking to or what he actually does, but I guess they know more than I do.
In some ways it has been a precious time with our children. Adult children get very busy with their own lives.
We thank God for our beautiful children, and grandchildren. We don't know how much time we will have him, nor yet what the Dr's are planning to do. One thing I know with or without him we have a wonderful family God has given us.
God does give us more grace. Many say I am a strong woman, I don know. It is only the strength God has given me. We are still praying for a miracle and some of the Dr's are more hopeful than a few days ago, which is encouraging. We ask your prayers. The Meyer's