And so the Tri-athlon Continues

It's hard to believe it's been five days since I posted here.

It seems like enough has happened in those five days to last a lifetime.

The first and most important thing to share is that Curt is resting in the cardiac unit at Motol Hospital. 


This photo is how I found him when I arrived yesterday afternoon - dozing with the Word of God open before him.

I made that red bookmark as a Christmas gift for him in 1976.

We are both overwhelmed by the expressions of love, notifications of prayer, and messages of encouragement that are pouring in from all around the world. We praise God for connecting us with each of you over the years. You have blessed our lives in warmth and richness that is difficult to describe. May He bless you lavishly in return for your graciousness to us in these needy circumstances. Amen

We know you are anxious for news and thank you for being patient. Here's a brief time line:

Sunday was a day of worship. I gained some special meaning for Curt from Acts 14:11-20. Read it to find out why. His supposed last day in the hospital was uneventful.

Monday was filled with one shock after another: 
Curt reporting severe chest pains,
me finding him alone in his room,
a trip to cardiology,
the placement of a stent,
a room in the cardiac care unit,
questions and questions and questions galore, and
no answers yet.

Praising and thanking God for saving Curt's life again and for surrounding me with His people; Pastor Farnick, Pastor Harsh, Bethany, Blanka, and others by mobile/cell. 

Tuesday morning powwow with attending physician clarifies diagnosis of arteriosclerosis and the connection to the abdominal surgery. Evidently a blockage in the artery that brought fresh blood to the intestines caused a large portion of it to die. This is what led to the various symptoms and eventual arterial bleeding.  We breathed a joint sigh of relief that none of these details can be applied to me and my health.

Our pastor read 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 over Curt. Read this passage to discover another totally accurate and powerful message.

Later that night, unbeknownst to me, Curt had further bleeding and needed a transfusion. They had difficulty finding the source of the blood. They had difficulty stopping the bleeding from the femoral artery they used to insert the cardio-scope. They conferred with the abdominal surgeon and performed a colonoscopy to check for bleeding points there. They discovered he has/had bleeding ulcers and cauterized them. He was put on a 36 hour fast.

Wednesday I was pleased to find Curt stable and responsive. He shared the above details and we praised and thanked God for saving his life yet again. The day nurse that is assigned to Curt said with a lovely smile on her face that he is a nice patient. There was a bit of joking back and forth as she drew more blood - the poor guy.

Curt opened an envelope filled with colorful drawings and heartfelt messages from the children of friends in Norway. He cherishes such expressions of love and we are beginning to realize that they are being multiplied by God far and wide. Once again we are humbled.

Thursday, today, brings the news that hospital policy dictates patients must remain in the hospital one week after an infarction. That means Curt will be there until at least Monday. The ICU staffs are quite professional and the setting is more conducive to recovery than the general wards. For that reason I will be watching for that move. PLEASE PRAY with me.

Everyday I find it's not enough for me to speak to any of these doctors and staff with the words, "Thank you for saving my husband's life."  They seem somehow inadequate to share the Truth. Instead I purposefully hold a hand firmly with both of mine as I look into a set of serious eyes and testify over and over again, "I want you to know that God brought us to Prague. God brought us to Motol. God chose you to save my husband's life. Thank you! May God bless you."

Coming days will be filled with plans to bring Curt to the USA. It's become clear that we both need the support of our children and grandchildren during the healing process. It is our plea to the Lord to provide a full recovery and carry us back to our beloved Prague as soon as possible. Obviously we need to make numerous decisions and make our way over countless hurdles. All of that may seem overwhelming to you, and in many ways it does to us as well.

We are learning more fully through this excruciating process that we do not need to know the future. We merely need to trust the One who holds it in His hands. May He draw you into such a deep and abiding faith by His all-sufficient grace. Amen

As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; 
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:36-39