Dear Friends:
Just a quick update to report that the doctors' official diagnosis is cardiomyopathy. For information, check out Cardiomyopathy. Essentially, this means that the heart is failing to perform adequately.
My case seems to have been caught early, since my heart was not enlarged, so the doctors are hopeful that it may be restored to full, proper functioning through the course of medicine that I'm on.
Thank you so much for your prayers and your concern. Please know that we are grateful to you and to God for all you've done and all you are.
Blessings in our Lord Jesus Christ. Joyce
Photo: Rich & Joyce in Jerusalem, February 2005.
We appreciate your prayers for Joyce's health during these trying episodes!
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Back to work
Dear Friends:
Our MD visits today indicate healing is on the way -- although my heart function is less improved than they wanted to see. I feel better, though, and some indicators -- like blood pressure -- are strong.
What continues to bother the MDs is that they can't be sure what caused the heart failure. The biopsy and the MRI show completely normal heart conditions -- no cancer or viruses or other indicators that might point to a cause.
At this point, the MDs continue to hypothesize that the condition may have been caused by the medicines I've been taking for my multiple sclerosis, so treatment now centers on tinkering with the heart meds and remaining off the MS meds until the heart muscle strengthens.
I'm cleared to return to work and did so from home yesterday; I plan to go to the office tomorrow. Praise the Lord!
My prayer requests now:
* That the heart function improves significantly (if not, they may put a pacemaker in --yikes!).
* That MS not worsen in any way while I'm off those meds (right now, I have numbness and pins/needles in feet and hands, which seems to be related to the MS and not the heart).
* That the Lord continue to fill me and Rich with His joy and peace.
* That the Lord richly return the generosity you've shown to us 100-fold! You have all truly represented your Lord and Savior truthfully and beautifully!
All Glory to the King of Kings! Jesus Christ is Risen!
In His Grip, Joyce & Rich Swingle
Our MD visits today indicate healing is on the way -- although my heart function is less improved than they wanted to see. I feel better, though, and some indicators -- like blood pressure -- are strong.
What continues to bother the MDs is that they can't be sure what caused the heart failure. The biopsy and the MRI show completely normal heart conditions -- no cancer or viruses or other indicators that might point to a cause.
At this point, the MDs continue to hypothesize that the condition may have been caused by the medicines I've been taking for my multiple sclerosis, so treatment now centers on tinkering with the heart meds and remaining off the MS meds until the heart muscle strengthens.
I'm cleared to return to work and did so from home yesterday; I plan to go to the office tomorrow. Praise the Lord!
My prayer requests now:
* That the heart function improves significantly (if not, they may put a pacemaker in --yikes!).
* That MS not worsen in any way while I'm off those meds (right now, I have numbness and pins/needles in feet and hands, which seems to be related to the MS and not the heart).
* That the Lord continue to fill me and Rich with His joy and peace.
* That the Lord richly return the generosity you've shown to us 100-fold! You have all truly represented your Lord and Savior truthfully and beautifully!
All Glory to the King of Kings! Jesus Christ is Risen!
In His Grip, Joyce & Rich Swingle
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Joyce is HOME!!!
Thanks for all your prayers. Joyce was released from the hospital at a little before 5pm.
The heart medication has stabilized her heartbeat. She won't be entering any marathons anytime soon, but for now she's in the clear.
After all those tests they know several things that were not causing the irregular heartbeat, but so far they haven't determined what is causing it. After the MRI a woman wheeled her away (she is walking, but before she was released she had to be wheeled everywhere). This woman said Mt. Sinai Medical Center was a great place for Joyce to have been admitted because it is a complex with a wide variety of specialists. She said, "There are a lot of good minds here." So those good minds are going to be putting their heads together about what was ailing Joyce.
Next Tuesday Joyce will have a follow up visit in the doctor's office at 1pm EST, so we'll appreciate prayers:
Pray that the test results will reveal what caused the irregular hearbeat.
Pray the doctor will ask us the right questions.
Pray that we'll ask the the doctor the right questions.
Pray that in the mean time the heart medication will continue to work and that Joyce will be back to full strength very soon.
In Christ alone,
Rich
The heart medication has stabilized her heartbeat. She won't be entering any marathons anytime soon, but for now she's in the clear.
After all those tests they know several things that were not causing the irregular heartbeat, but so far they haven't determined what is causing it. After the MRI a woman wheeled her away (she is walking, but before she was released she had to be wheeled everywhere). This woman said Mt. Sinai Medical Center was a great place for Joyce to have been admitted because it is a complex with a wide variety of specialists. She said, "There are a lot of good minds here." So those good minds are going to be putting their heads together about what was ailing Joyce.
Next Tuesday Joyce will have a follow up visit in the doctor's office at 1pm EST, so we'll appreciate prayers:
Pray that the test results will reveal what caused the irregular hearbeat.
Pray the doctor will ask us the right questions.
Pray that we'll ask the the doctor the right questions.
Pray that in the mean time the heart medication will continue to work and that Joyce will be back to full strength very soon.
In Christ alone,
Rich
MRI Scheduled for 3pm EST
I had been praying that they do an MRI, since it's a noninvasive test, and it can shed more light on what's wrong. We would love for any able to pray during that hour as the Lord leads.
And pray specifically for the doctors to accurately diagnose all the tests.
The cardiologist said she'll probably go home tomorrow. We're praying that it's early in the day as I fly to Ohio (RichSwingle.com) in the afternoon.
Thanks for your continued prayer support!
In Christ Alone,
Rich
And pray specifically for the doctors to accurately diagnose all the tests.
The cardiologist said she'll probably go home tomorrow. We're praying that it's early in the day as I fly to Ohio (RichSwingle.com) in the afternoon.
Thanks for your continued prayer support!
In Christ Alone,
Rich
Can't sleep I'm so filled with joy!
I've just been praising God for all the prayers that have already been answered.
People are praying from coast to coast and from as far away as Brazil, Germany, and Singapore. Prayer networks are lifting her up across the land.
The following are specific answers to prayer (not all published to this site previously):
The exploratory surgery went flawlessly.
The pain in her back has disappeared.
The pain in her shoulder is all but gone.
Her sweating has subsided significantly.
Her pulse is stronger.
They've decided to do an MRI.
Neither of us have any fear.
She continues to be filled with joy and hope.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your prayers and encouraging notes at the Guestbook.
Please keep praying. She could get called for the MRI any time after 7:30 this morning (Tuesday 3/15). Pray that all goes smoothly. Doctors are unclear about when she'll be released from the hospital. Pray they would choose the right time.
Okay, I think I can sleep now.
In Christ Alone,
Rich
People are praying from coast to coast and from as far away as Brazil, Germany, and Singapore. Prayer networks are lifting her up across the land.
The following are specific answers to prayer (not all published to this site previously):
The exploratory surgery went flawlessly.
The pain in her back has disappeared.
The pain in her shoulder is all but gone.
Her sweating has subsided significantly.
Her pulse is stronger.
They've decided to do an MRI.
Neither of us have any fear.
She continues to be filled with joy and hope.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your prayers and encouraging notes at the Guestbook.
Please keep praying. She could get called for the MRI any time after 7:30 this morning (Tuesday 3/15). Pray that all goes smoothly. Doctors are unclear about when she'll be released from the hospital. Pray they would choose the right time.
Okay, I think I can sleep now.
In Christ Alone,
Rich
Monday, March 14, 2005
Joyce just took a walk
Joyce was sitting up eating lunch shortly after the procedure. Later they took her for an echocardiogram. It's the same technology as an ultrasound. They let me go in, so I could see her heart pumping and her valves working. That's all I took away from the test, but I'm trusting the doctors will learn more than that.
Next they want to do an MRI. We're guessing that at this point they'll probably do that tomorrow (Tuesday, 3/15).
Her doctor dropped by and said they're exploring a number of different causes and treatments. He said it may be a long road, but seemed very optimistic.
Pray for the MRI to go flawlessly. It's noninvasive, so there's no danger involved, but we want to make sure that with every test they get all the information they need the first time around.
Pray for Joyce to continue to be joy-filled and a shining witness to everyone here.
In Christ Alone,
Rich
Next they want to do an MRI. We're guessing that at this point they'll probably do that tomorrow (Tuesday, 3/15).
Her doctor dropped by and said they're exploring a number of different causes and treatments. He said it may be a long road, but seemed very optimistic.
Pray for the MRI to go flawlessly. It's noninvasive, so there's no danger involved, but we want to make sure that with every test they get all the information they need the first time around.
Pray for Joyce to continue to be joy-filled and a shining witness to everyone here.
In Christ Alone,
Rich
Joyce is out of surgery
The procedure took less than an hour and there were no complications. Please pray against infection and diagnostic direction for the doctors. She feels an odd sensation in her back. Please pray that it normalize.
Thanks for your prayers!
Thanks for your prayers!
Joyce is going into surgery
She'll be in for an hour or two: 10-11 or 12 EST. We appreciate your prayers!
Friday, March 11, 2005
Joyce was admitted to the hospital
Please pray for my wife, Joyce. She's been admitted to the hospital so her heart can be monitored. They're going to do two exploratory surgeries on Monday--a heart cathetarization and a heart biopsy--to determine the cause of her irregular heartbeat. We have every reason to believe both procedures will go smoothly, but we appreciate your prayers.
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