When Your Husband Has A Heart Attack

If you follow me on facebook, or if you know me in real life, then you probably heard that my husband had a heart attack this past week. He was at a church conference at the Bible college where our son, Joel, goes to school. The heart attack struck during the morning session, and Joel rushed his dad to the hospital. We found out later that this was a major heart attack, and that when they checked him out they found a 99.5% blockage in the left main artery. They call this kind of blockage a widow maker. Thankfully, it didn't make me a widow. They were able to put in a stent, and he is now doing well. I'm writing this on Thursday night. He's been discharged from the hospital, and we will be driving home in the morning.

I could write about everything that happened during this time ... like the only flight I could find from Detroit to Kentucky had a layover in Baltimore. Or how I couldn't find the car in the hospital parking garage and we trudged through eight of the ten levels before I found it.

Nah.

I could write about my thoughts and feelings and all that I personally went through during this week.

Nope.

I think I'll just list some observations and happenings. Some are funny. Some are serious. It's little snapshots of my week. Get a laugh; learn a lesson--take it however you see fit. (I'm very zen right now.)

1. We know a lot of praying people.

2.  There were people in over twenty states and four different countries praying for us. 

3.  We could see God's hand in every detail this week. He made it clear.

4.  I remembered to take all the weapons out of my purse before I went through airport security this time.

5.  I wasn't near my phone Tuesday morning so I didn't actually hear about the heart attack until after Terry had been through surgery.

6.  I got to use my new Thirty-One bag for the trip. #findingjoyinthelittlethings

7.  When you talk on the phone while driving, you might miss your turn and accidentally take a tour of the UK campus.

8.  It's a good idea to take a picture of your parking spot and parking level in the hospital parking garage.

9.  Hospital food is better in the South.

10. The people at Clays Mill Road Baptist Church and Commonwealth Baptist College in Lexington, Kentucky, are incredibly awesome! 

11. Some of them came at different times during the week to visit my husband in the hospital.

12. Terry, Joel and I all got multiple texts and calls from people at the church and college, checking on us, reassuring us that they were praying for us, and offering any help they could.

13. One couple drove three hours round trip to pick me up at the airport.

14. Several people offered me a place to stay if I needed it.

15. Our church people prayed, messaged, offered help and encouragement and reminded us of how much they love us. 

16. Our son Joel is awesome, and I'm glad he was here. He helped save his dad's life by getting him to the hospital quickly.

17. God allowed the heart attack to happen while Terry was here at the conference instead of during the six hour drive down here on Monday.

18. Facebook can be used for good things ... such as updating a lot of people at once. And for a lot of people to reassure us that they were praying.

19. I'm very glad my husband is okay.

20. God is good. All the time.

I don't do well with airing my feelings in public, particularly on the worldwide web which is why I sometimes come off as flippant or sarcastic. In all honesty, this was a very hard week and a very scary one. But in the midst of everything, God's presence was very clear.

He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
That shadows a dry, thirsty land;
He hideth my life in the depths of His love,
And covers me there with His hand,
And covers me there with His hand.

Thanks for praying. Please don't stop.