Happy New Year! This is a much belated “on the road“ update from Larry and me – – in fact is not from the road, but from our home in Tennessee.
Here’s looking back---
The past six weeks have been a flurry and a blur of events, as it was also for you, I’m sure. We had our little family over for Christmas Eve. We always have a buffet of goodies to eat, play games, read the Christmas story, and open gifts. We made it through the yummy array of snacks, foods and fun and then…our youngest great grandchild, Nova, who is five years old got really sick---coughing, fever, etc. And due to not wanting to spread the “whatever” to the whole family, we shut down Christmas Eve and sent everyone home early.
Christmas Day found Nova, up and chipper, and so we went over to our our daughter, LaShawn's, and son-in-law, Liam's, for Christmas dinner. We played games and opened gifts. It was a special time with family. We also enjoyed some football and all sported our black hats for viewing.
New Year’s Eve, a few of the family came over as well, and we enjoyed pizza, snacks and laughs. In case you are wondering, no, we did not stay up to bring in the new year. In Tennessee, we celebrated East Coast time and as “old people", we were in bed sleeping before the new year rang in!
New Year’s Day, again some family came over, and we watched the New Year’s football games. Of course, Larry was glued in his chair and to the television set enjoying them as we all did. By this time we were all full of food, Christmas goodies, and energy was depleted.
On January 2nd, I admitted to the family I was not feeling well; I just knew “something was wrong“. I was having a hard time breathing, and the fatigue I was experiencing was horrible. I could barely walk or do anything so I called my doctor Amanda and told her “something is wrong. My body is screaming it." She said, "I’m sorry there are no openings until Marc,h" and then added, “Gloria, I will come to my clinic early tomorrow. Be here at 7:15 AM, and we will run some tests!" Praise God! Larry and I were there at 7:15 AM. They ran an EKG of my heart and she says, “It doesn’t look good. Let’s do it again." She ran the EKG again and said, "You’re right--something is not right. It does not look good. Let’s start running some blood tests." And that is what they did. She called me two hours later and informed me, “You need to get to the ER ASAP and if you have to, call the ambulance because your tests do not look good. I’m sending over your records and tests, and they will be expecting you." Thankfully, LaDawn was here. We rushed right over to the hospital, and it was a three day blur of testing: stress test, blood test, EKG, brain scan, x-rays, ultrasound, etc. The cardiologist came in and said, “There’s something we’re missing. I don’t know what it is, but there is something wrong and we’re gonna find it." With a lot of prayers going up, I felt at peace.
My cardiologist informed me, “We are going to do a catheterization of the heart that will show us if there’s a blockage in there," certain it would give us answers. I was rushed to have a catheterization. The test showed that two arteries were 95% blocked so they proceeded to put in two stents. There were complications going through my right wrist so they changed gears on the spot and went through the groin to put in the two stents.
Praise the Lord that is done! The following days I had a few complications and ended up with a hematoma in my arm and in my groin, but thankfully that is finally getting better. The body is starting to absorb the blood so I’m on the mend! What an ‘organ’
recital! LOL! I ask you for continued prayers as I continue to recover at home.
Our three children have been so wonderful to help us at this time and make sure we were taken to doctor appointments picking up meds, getting food, cooking food, running errands, etc. What a blessing!
Now, here we are already at the end of January 2025! We are looking forward to a wonderful year of God‘s blessings and good health. We appreciate your continued prayers for us as we continue to minister out of our home to dozens and dozens of hurting people every week. We need to be faithful to pray for our families, our country, and its leaders that they will listen to God and follow what He wants and instructs.
May this find you healthy and blessed. We love you, and remember God has promised He will never leave us nor forsake us. What a promise and an encouragement to all of us!
God bless you!
Larry & Gloria