The “Pacemaker Doctor” showed up.

We are now almost 3 weeks into the 48 Hours that changed our lives, or “rocked our world” as my Grandson says. On a Sunday morning at 7:30, Judy, my wife of 53 impactful years, fainted while standing at her bathroom sink. The result was a nasty gash just above her nose. Oh yes, we were packed and heading to Germany that afternoon.

A trip to the emergency room, stitches, and the fainting part of the investigation began. Tests, AFIB, more tests, heart valve problem, more tests, more heart valve problems. Conclusion after that 48 hours: Open heart surgery, two valves to be replaced, another one repaired and an oblation: correction of an electrical connection that controls the “firing” of the heart.

Return home, two week wait, and then the surgery earlier this week. All went well, but an external pacemaker is still driving the electrical impulses of the pumping mechanism in Judy's heart. This is what lead up to the arrival of the “Pacemaker Doctor” yesterday. And yes, as you might expect, a new internal pacemaker to be inserted either today, or after the Monday holiday.

This is the context for the Heartwarming Lessons we are learning as a result of all this scary, but necessary, activity. I think focusing on what is being learned is just one of my coping mechanisms. So hopefully, there will be some value for you in them too.

In case you presume that I thought these up all by myself, no way! Judy was an active participant in identifying these lessons

Heartwarming Lessons From Our Journey:

1. Heart operations hurt a lot- think about that for a minute
2. Your heart can be healed, better than before
3. How hospital personnel and other people treat you, impacts your heart
4. Sometime doing what you don’t want to do, is the very best thing to do- like a heart operation
5. When in cardiac recovery, beeping things are scary
6. Not knowing is really hard, so faith is critical
7. Low deductibles are heartwarming
8. After an operation, smooth stuff goes down easier
9. Prayers are life saving and certainly heartwarming
10. Life touches your heart

Well, I’m sure there will be many more lessons learned. Some of them will have even greater meaning or substance. But these 10, and their implications for all of life, are worth a moment or two of reflection.

One more lesson that occurs to me is this: There is warmth and concern available in a caring community that embodies the message Jesus brought to life. Being embraced, cared for, and prayed for by that community is what the world needs to see more of from our Christian community. That caring, along with God’s grace, will change the world. It certainly has impacted my heart.

If you have lessons learned from a heart related experience, please share them with us.

As we travel with Trusted Advice Along The Way,

Bruce