Open Hearted Praise instead of Open Heart Surgery

Just a quick note to update those you who have been faithfully praying for my heart valve replacement. I just got back from a follow-up visit to my primary care physician who has been in contact with the thoracic surgeon and between the two of them they think they figured out what happened and why I didn't have to have my heart valve replaced at this time.

Basically this is what they think (as interpreted by me). Since I was a child I’ve had a rapid heartbeat, over time the extra beating of my heart has caused the aorta side of my heart to enlarge. Once this happened it became muscle-bound. (I know the idea of any part of my body being muscle-bound is making many of you smile, so just stop. Now.) Anyway the extra muscle was preventing the blood from other parts of the heart from entering the chamber and causing it to appear that my heart valve was at fault. In preparation for surgery my doctor put me on a beta blocker which was designed to reduce the rapid beat of my heart. After a few months of being on that medication that side of my heart muscle shrunk and the blood flow came back to an acceptable rate. Though I do have a congenital defect in my heart valve, it does not need to be replaced yet.

For those who might not see this as an answer to prayer let me go over a few things.

First, originally I was supposed to have the surgery just two months after arriving in the emergency room in February. Had we secured the money, or had insurance I would have had the surgery and probably got a new valve or at least a big nasty scar before they saw my heart was okay. The beta blocker had time to work because the surgery was delayed.  Second, I went into the hospital a full 24 hours before the surgery was scheduled. They took me off all medication for about 36 hours, had they not done that my heart would have still been under the influence of the medication and they would not have thought that something else was happening when they took me into the operating room. Third, they didn’t have to do another echocardiogram. One doctor has already told me that is not a standard procedure. If they hadn’t taken just one more measurement, my heart would be part pig and I’d be looking for another valve replacement in only 10 to 12 years.

I call these “Miracles of Coincidence.” An atheist wouldn’t see these as proof of God’s existence but a Christian sees the providence of God in every step. Just one step of these “coincidences” missing and the outcome would have been so very different. The steps along this process whether we see it or not are directed by God and initiated through prayer. Thank you so much for your initiative and Praise the Lord for His miraculous providence in all our lives, whether we see it or ignore it still He is at work in all our lives.