Annus Horribilis

Thank you for your prayers and thoughts. I have read about the power of prayer circles and how effective they can be. I never thought I would be the one to have to test it out. sigh...
What was it the Queen called it? Annus Horribilis? yeah... one of those...

Rebel has an enlarged heart that is not pumping well. Old people's heard condition. Not something seen often in a young woman of 19 years. The cardiologist figure it must have been brought on by a virus and who knows how long ago. Some people will get a cold, and Rebel was unlucky to get a serious attack of the heart. We are hearing everything from regeneration of the muscle and recovery to heart transplant. Not sure where things will go so far. She is doing all right and has an amazingly positive spirit.

The spousal part is being set aside as I deal with this latest in our lives. The spousal unit has been, as expected, keeping things close to his chest. So much so... he has not even talked to his own family. My entire network everywhere is being mobilized. He didn't even call his sister. So I did so in covert mode and have even spoken with the favourite aunt who has been in the know for some time. These things happen for a reason. I don't know what it is yet... but I do know, that this man, won't even help pull the family together in this time of need. He can't; he doesn't know how.

I feel sorry for him.
He needs prayers as well.
I do not understand this at all.

Not at all.

-------------------------------


Additional update info:

9:25am Thursday, Jun 14
Thanks for the notes on the wall and the messages.
Rebel has a serious heart problem. Her heart is not pumping blood the way it should. Most hearts pump blood at a 60% capacity, and Rebel's is only pumping at 15%. This isn't really good. The docs don't know what caused it. Their best guess is a random viral infection that she probably didn't even know she had that instead of giving her a cold, got into the muscles of her heart and the lining around it causing her heart to enlarge.
She is at the Hospital. She has a phone . She is allowed visitors... only two at a time. She is in the new wing of the hospital... in a semi private room.
Rebel will be seeing the wonderful specialists at the Heart Institute.
She is comfortable - no pain.. They have her on a regime of drug therapies and we shall see how it goes.
Please keep Rebel in your thoughts and prayers. She has a looooooooog road to go.

8:10am June 15
Rebel has a very positive attitude and is doing everything she is told to do.
She has this needle shunt stuck in her hand that the nurses use to inject meds once a day. The thing is driving her crazy. I think she asks every nurse and doctor who comes by if it can be removed. They kind of look at her and say ....whatever..

The meds seems to be helping already. Rebel is breathing a whole lot easier. Her heart is not pounding rapidly either. She is noticing the changes. Anytime there is a change in her heart rhythm though the blood pressure cuff is on her. 21 century medicine is a good place to be. She is monitored by the Intensive Care Station heart monitors but is not in the ICU. She is on a device that works with radio monitoring. If you have a cell phone - it has be turned off when you're visiting cuz the phone throws the device off kilter.

With this small improvement, Rebel has found even hospital food tasting good. Getting her appetite back seems to be the biggest thing for Rebel. Never mind her friends who are bringing her fast food. (ahem... the nutritionist is not impressed!) Though those will be few and far between now. Reading labels and sodium and fat content on labels and in restaurants is her new reality.

The Heart Institute is expecting to see Rebel on Monday. She will be spending the weekend at the hospital

Please continue
to remember Rebel
and her family in your prayers.