I am thankful for

so many things!

Tonight we had a Thanksgiving service at church. We were given a time where we could stand up and give a testimony or tell what we are thankful for. I wanted to stand up so badly, but every time I started to do so I'd feel the tears start to come. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to be understood through my tears, so I didn't say anything. :o( So, I will say what I wanted to say here:

I am thankful for my husband and for modern medical technology! For anyone that doesn't know, my husband Neal was diagnosed in March with an aneurysm in his aorta. His only real option was to have his aorta replaced. If he let it go he would be a walking time bomb, and his aorta could have ruptured at any time.

(Miracle #1 was that they found the aorta!)

On April 8th Neal entered the hospital and had a catherization. Other than the aorta and his defective aortic valve, his heart was very healthy. No blockages (Miracle #2).

On April 9th at around 5:30 in the morning, they wheeled my beloved off to surgery. It was one of the scariest moments of my life. We had enjoyed a wonderful time of prayer together around 3:00 in the morning. He told me that although he wanted to live, that he was also okay with dying. He was sure of his salvation through Jesus Christ, and everything would be okay.

The waiting room rapidly filled with my family and friends. It was a wonderful testimony to Neal that so many people came out to support him! There were even more people who were supporting us through prayer that could not be at the hospital. We are so thankful to all of them!

The next 8 days were an emotional roller coaster. His heart didn't start back on its' own, so he had to have an external pacemaker. The bottom of his heart wasn't working at all. I prayed and asked others to join me in prayer that his bottom half of his heart would start working. The doctor didn't give us much hope on Saturday. He was very discouraged. On Sunday morning Neal's heart was beating on its' own! Praise God! The top and bottom were not "communicating" but his heart could beat without the pacemaker. They took it off on Monday. He was discharged Tuesday. We had a couple of days at home and went back on Thursday for them to check his heart beat and see if the top and bottom were communicating yet. Not long after we arrived at the doctor's office his heart rate dropped into the 30's and they could not get a blood pressure. (Another Miracle -- it happened at the doctor's office). I immediately took Neal to the hospital and he received a pacemaker the next day. (Thank you, God, for modern medical technology!)

Friday night we returned home and that was the start of his real recovery. He spent two months at home before he went back to work. It was another miracle how God provided for our financial needs during that time!

Today Neal is healthier than he has been in years. He is stronger and working out more and more. His color is good, and he feels good. I am so thankful to God for giving Neal good medical attention, good friends, and a new lease on life!

I love him more than I can say, and if I could have said anything tonight at church, I would have at least said "Thank you, God, for my husband!"