Update on my heart failure (June 2017 – revised in July)
Since my Cardiac Arrest my Doctors have been closely monitoring the progress of my heart. I’ve have reasonable strength, but only for a short while. So last week my Cardiologist told me to walk longer, to increase my “endurance.”
But since my heart is now “Pacemaker reliant,” I was apprehensive to walk too far (lacking confidence in my heart).
Therefore this week I increased my walks up to 50-minutes each, and my blood pressure, and heart rate is reasonably good.
Hopefully Lord willing this Systolic Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathy will improve over time. But then again, it may be the Lords will for that (or the Pacemaker) to be a ‘thorn in my flesh.’ If so, then praise the Lord for that too.
“And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). (more about this “thorn in the flesh” in comments below).
Your prayers have been much appreciated. 🙂
UPDATE JULY 2017: I am thankful that there has been improvement in my heart. Since my Pacemaker / ICD / defibrillator was installed, my heart rate was preset at 60bpm, and it does not go higher or lower, and that makes me so tired. So today the Heart Institute altered the settings in my ‘sensor’ to DDDR mode. Now my heart will beat a little bit higher & lower, but somehow that changed much more as to how my heart works (too confusing, more details here). They are also setting me up with a remote monitoring device in our home, that will transmit my heart rate and rhythm to them, via our phone line. This remote monitoring reports much more than that, and it’s like having my Doctor check me daily. Scary stuff, but am very thankful for it. While leaving the hospital today rather than the elevator, I took the stairs in the parking structure, what a difference. They also took me off one of my heart meds called “Amiodarone.” This medicine was necessary, but they advised it is “very toxic.” Therefore I am thankful that I am off it. Lord willing time will tell if I endure the side effects from it. Either way in all things may I rejoice.
UPDATE AUGUST 1st, 2017: I have completed my Cardio-rehabilitation. I am thankful for my two cardio nurses.
UPDATE AUGUST 2nd, 2017: I just got my new sophisticated device that will ‘wirelessly’ monitor my heart while I sleep, and then send those EKG transmissions, heartrate (and other Intel) to the hospital. On the other end, my Cardiologist, Nurse Practitioner, or Electrophysiologist can then ‘reconfigure’ my implanted bionic ICD / computer to cause my heart to beat differently, or make any other changes needed. Or they may call me to come in for further examination. I’d prefer not to need any of this, but I rejoice that He has willed this for my life. The Apostle Paul had what was called a “thorn in the flesh.” This “thorn” (skolops) was given by a Demonic power sent by Satan himself. When Paul pleaded to the Lord, to take it away, the Lord did not; and for good reason. No doubt Satan tried to ‘take me out,’ by stopping my heart three times in January, but it was the Lord’s will that I live. Therefore I believe this whole ordeal is the Lords will, that I have this “thorn in the flesh” for the rest of my natural life.
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Bill Rhetts
An ordinary sinner saved by an Extraordinary Savior. Radically saved, and radically changed, by a Radical God. For more details, see the above 'About me' tab.
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What was this ‘thorn in the flesh’ that Paul had?
“7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.”
In verse 7 Paul said he had a ‘thorn in his flesh, which was given to him by a ‘messenger of Satan.’
This ‘thorn’ comes from the Grk word ‘skolops’ (skol’-ops), it is a ‘noun masculine,’ and is used only one time – here.
This translates to, and is described as something that is ‘withered at the front,’ such as a point, or prickle, or a bodily annoyance, or something like a ‘pointed piece of wood.’
This ‘thorn in his flesh’ could have been a medical infirmity, but it could have also been a particular ‘temptation of sin.’
This phrase ‘messenger of Satan’ is most likely referring to a Demon sent by Satan.
Though Satan sent this Demon to him, God decreed this to occur; to keep Paul humble.
Next in vs 8 Paul pleads to the Lord to remove it.
Vs 8 says ‘For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
Then in vs 9 “And He (God) said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
In this next vs, vs 10, we see how Paul responds to this trial.
Vs 10, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”