Hallelujah!

Today was my final cardiologist/doctor's appointment before returning to Chicago to finish my senior year! Hallelujah!

In the last week many things have improved and there are many praises:

- my nausea has greatly improved, but still remains from time to time
- Blood work findings have become more clear
- my surgery recovery is going pretty well, quite a bit less soreness and pain
- my immune system has remained relatively healthy!
- sleep has been a bit better
- Doctors have been able to stabilize my cardiac medications for the time being

I would appreciate your continued prayer for:

- I have pretty bad tendinitis in my left shoulder/armpit area from the ICD surgery, please pray for gradual movement and strength in this area as it is quite painful and immobilizing at times
- Strength for my overall body and spirit (I have lost a lot of previous physical strength, weight and endurance)
- My acceptance of this new lifestyle with an ICD
- A positive attitude for the coming weeks ahead out in Chicago

This week I had two doctor's appointments and some more blood work done. After carefully going over the heart transplant blood "workup" my specialists informed us that it looks like I have a "metabolic syndrome" developing (pre-diabetes). We spent some time discussing the different details and options that are involved and decided it would be a good intervention to begin a new medication to lower my triglycerides and cholesterol. My hemoglobin A1C, triglycerides, cholesterol, calcium, bun, and blood sugar have been quite high or very high. Many of these things are related to a development of diabetes and must be monitored closely to best treat any further development. We will let you know about any further information on this additional health "complexity" when we know more!

My next doctor's appointment will be in mid-February to meet with the Heart Failure/Transplant specialist in Chicago. Updates about this visit will follow later in the month of February. No more doctor's appointments...just blood work! Hallelujah!

For now, I am stable and praising God for every minute of it! I truly am looking forward to returning to Chicago to complete the semester and begin my student teaching! Saturday is just upon us! Please pray that God would give me strength to do more things on my own since the surgery, develop more endurance that has been lost, and energy during the long days ahead for my student teaching!

Updates to come again soon!
In Christ,
Heidi

Deuteronomy 10:21

He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.

Deuteronomy 32:3
I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God!