As I drove away from the doctor’s office yesterday I felt like crying. And I did a little. I had just been to the cardiologist who gave me the results of 3 heart tests I had done two weeks ago. I already knew I have irregular heartbeats and was put on an alpha and beta blocker medication (switched from just a beta blocker), but the tests also showed my heart is weak and functioning at 35 % rather than a much higher percentage. So I was also put on another heart med, an ACE inhibitor. It will take several weeks and even months to regulate the dosages to do what we want them to do at levels I can tolerate. So I felt my throat tighten up and I silently cried out to the Lord as I drove away.

I am thankful to find out the problems going on with my heart. As I said in a previous update, I have had irregular heartbeats off and on for years and no doctor I mentioned it to, when it flared up, seemed to think it serious. Maybe it wasn’t back then. Apparently it is now. My cardiologist said she doesn’t know if the weakening of my heart is related to the chemotherapy I received (there are 2 drugs which I did receive that can cause heart problems). Before my cancer surgery last February I had heart tests done and they came back normal. My current test results are being sent to my oncologist. I see him tomorrow, Friday, March 27, at which time I also have another infusion of Herceptin.

I am not overburdened with this news but I am saddened. A feeling of mild sadness lays on me. I think it is similar to what the psalmist may have felt sometimes when he would say, “How long, Lord?”. I really can’t describe my feelings. I only know how I respond to my feelings, and that is to cry out to God, who hears. Sometimes I don’t even have words; I don’t even know what I am feeling to be able to form words. But that is ok, because he listens to my heart. I don’t need words. He gives me peace. I am praying and asking God to heal me of these conditions, strengthen my heart and regulate the beats.

Today I got good news after I went back to the cardiologist’s office for a test of the electrical impulses of my heart; I passed! The reading on this test was normal. It’s nice to be ‘normal’ in some areas! (We could get into an interesting discussion of what is normal….)

Please pray for me as I continue Heceptin infusions, start on heart medicines and fly to West Virginia on Saturday (28th). This last one is a lot more fun than the others! Pray I make all my connecting flights. I have a tight one in O’Hare airport in Chicago. Thanks again to John and Barbara in Taiwan for using their flight miles to buy my ticket! This is a wonderful gift. Bless you both.

Just to update you on previous prayer requests I made: my son Jeremy had a safe and good time in Denmark last week. He spent several days with people who have very little in the way of Christian influence, if any, in their lives and was able to have conversations about God, etc., and express his faith in normal life situations, like saying he’d prayed about something, or praying for someone’s situation (and God answered!). This is all very strange and unusual to Danes as a whole. The young couple who hosted Jeremy are very open to talking about God. They hope to visit CA in the fall and want to visit the church Jeremy attends because his description of what goes on blew them away. Few there attend church. ‘Church’ to them is for a few old people. Pray for A and M, Jeremy’s Danish hosts, that they will remain open to God’s spirit and come to know Jesus Christ and be his committed followers.

Monica’s eye seems to be improving. Joel N. continues with chemotherapy for cancer. Continue to hold them both up for healing and grace and thank you for praying for them.

A praise: our son Seth, a first year science teacher, completing his master’s degree in education, was spared a ‘pink slip’ from the school district. Many were going to be getting those and lose their jobs due to budget cuts. God protected his job, to the delight, amazement and joy of all of us concerned. This is especially significant in light of the fact that he is now the sole wage earner in the family. Melissa has been able to stay home with Caleb after she was laid off last fall. God is good.

Let me say that again. God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good.

Jacque