We are currently in Yuma, Arizona enjoying the warm sunshine. When we first arrived, the car thermometer read 107! Today, though, it is breezy and about 87--truly a gorgeous day. We're near the Colorado River and can walk along a trail that weaves through cactus, native foilage and trees. The desert is 
in full bloom--it's restful and each day Paul increases strength. Thank you for your encouragement, support and prayers.
Recently, I felt like it would be helpful to know how these next months would play out, so to expedite the answer, I decided I would just knock on the Door of the Future. The waiting room was full--seemed I was in good company. They called my name and I walked into a room where I laid my mental plans for the coming days on the table. I then sat and waited for God's endorsement. Naturally, I tapped my fingers and looked at my watch because this always speeds things up.
While I waited, I heard muffled voices in an adjacent room, "Your prescription to know the future may be filled for either 7 days, 31 days or 52 weeks. You will see both the good AND the bad. Be aware that side effects will include sleeplessness and anxiety."
"Do you have anything without side-effects?"
"No, I have nothing that guarantees the absence of side-effects; however, the side-effects are proportionate to the individual's level of T-flow. There is a heart analysis that can measure this."
A florescent bulb flickered and buzzed overhead as I strained to hear more. I couldn't make out what T-flow was and I was not interested in going through tests, I just wanted God's endorsement so I could get on with all the other things I wanted to do. I fidgeted in my chair and looked around restlessly. Outside the window, I spotted a robin sitting on the fence top--so content. I wondered why a bird-brain had such a bad rap...
Finally, a technician entered my room. I explained what I wanted: A view of the future without the side effects of sleeplessness and anxiety. I acknowledged that I did not know my T-flow and asked if there was an over-the-counter test I could purchase that would measure it as effectively as the heart analysis. He said there was actually a home-test that was natural, organic and cost effective because it eliminated insurance companies.
He handed me a pamphlet, "Understanding Your T-Flow" and explained that if my T-Flow measured low on the index, I could follow a daily health regimen so that a 52, 31 or even a 7 day prescription for the future would be unnecessary.
I thanked him for his help and as he was leaving, I opened the pamphlet.
T-Flow is released by the inner cardio-muscle, trustisamust maximus. Daily exercise strenghtens the muscle and increases the flow of Trustzyme, a protein enzyme that fortifies the heart and mind. For optimal Trustzyme-Flow (T-Flow), a health regimen must include:
I looked out the window. The robin stirred and flitted off--so free.
I rolled up my plans and walked out the door.
"Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?" Luke 12: 24
through the doors of our familiar house, we were greeted by some old friends, Routine and Normalcy. I had looked forward to seeing them again, but they looked different than I remembered--one of them must have either shaved his mustache or lost weight. When I got a little closer, I could see that one had actually grown a beard and the other gotten new glasses. And I exclaimed, "My, what changes you've made since December 1st!" And they returned, "The better to change you with!"
We've been in Idaho for just under 3 weeks now. Rest, the bright sun, blue sky, exercise and the absence of stress have been the perfect equation for increased stength. Although, Paul still has some days that are better than others, his foundation of stamina is growing. The doctor and he will develop within the next several weeks a reasonable plan for how and when he will re-enter his pastoral responsibilities.
Paul had a nuclear imaging adenosine stress test today. After the nurse prepped him for all the strange things he might feel, I (Nancy) could see that this test was not for the faint of heart.......hmmm....and so I asked myself, "Now, why do they perform this test after a person has a heart attack?" Paul walked very slowly on the treadmill while the adenosine coursed through his body. His heart pounded as if he were sprinting 400 meters, while his lungs thought he was lounging on the beach. An odd experience, to say the least.
nuclear imaging evaluates blood flow to the heart. During the test, a small amount of radioactive tracer is injected into a vein. A special camera, called a gamma camera (photo), detects the radiation released by the tracer to produce computer images of the heart.
Paul saw the cardiologist today and he reviewed Paul's angiogram with us. While Paul was in the hospital, the coronary angiography was the procedure that helped the doctor determine if Paul had a heart attack and what caused it. The doctor showed us 2 narrowed arteries that were considered the culprits--the left anterior descending artery and the circumflex artery. He also showed us where one of the ventricles appeared sluggish; he thought that this was injury resulting from the heart attack and that rest and time would aid its return to full strength. The doctor expected the tightness that Paul was feeling in his chest to soon dissipate. 
Paul is home from the hospital and is trying to rest with some good books. According to the doctor, sleep and rest are integral to heart repair. So, now it's just a matter of winding down the ol' brain. The doctor has also prescribed four medications to help the heart recuperate:
