update on my dad

Thank you for your prayers for my dad.

The quick update: God is good. Dad is flying home today, with a good long-term chance at a full recovery. If you're looking for more details, see below.

My whole family thanks you for your prayers. God worked through them mightily.
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Matthew Westerholm

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Praise reports:
(1) The doctors were able to get dad's pain under control and he slept comfortably that first night. The very next morning, he was moved to the better hospital in Quebec City.
(2) Dad was quickly moved from "intensive care" to "cardiac care", allowing Mom to be with him all the time.
(3) The larger hospital had a cardiac doctor who spoke flawless english.
(4) Things definately stablized quickly. A fever the doctors were worried about quickly went away. Fluid in dad's lungs went away quickly.
(5) We were very concerned about the percentage of damage done to the heart. A healthy heart evacuates 50% of its blood with each pump. Doctors become very concerned when that number is below 30%. Dad's heart was evacuated 36% of its blood one day after the attack: a good indicator of potential recovery.
(6) Dad said that he'll never preach on pain the same way again. This episode will probably generate a year's worth of sermon illustrations. :-)

Please pray for:
(1) Dad had an episode the second night where his heart rate went up to 180 bpm. It hasn't happened again, but needs to be watched.
(2) There is a new arhythmia in the heart since the attack. Please pray about how to best treat this.
(3) Dad's flight to Hartford today. He will be wheeled around all day, but won't have my mom with him.
(4) Mom's drive back home. She hasn't driven long distances for quite a while.