(in comments from Trine):
Update for you: I just got a call from one of Matt's sisters. Not to alarm anyone but Joyce does have a low grade fever which could or could not mean some type of infection, though they don't know where. It could be something as "minor" as a bladder infection. Either way, these days in recovery are going to be tough and she is not 'out of the woods' yet. The other word we got was that she may potentially need a pacemaker. Her heart rate appears to be slowing too much when they slow down the temporary external pacing. They are bringing in a specialist. She says she doesn't have any pain and considering that her breast bone is in two pieces currently being held together by staples and her heart was just operated on, I'd say she's pretty heavily on pain meds. Therefore, she isn't really remembering much when people visit but she is doing okay.
In other words, thanks for the prayers so far and if you could spare a few more that would be great!
I'm going to tell you a little story and end with a prayer request. Skip to the end if you've heard this one already:
My hubsie used to run with a weird crowd of peeps back in the high school days. They were mostly jocks and party guys who's parents had some dough, and lived the good life. He did have this one, odd feller friend named Matt. Matt was the youngest of ten farm children and had tons of fun raising his pigs and working on the farm. Matt was mostly cared for and tried to escape from his older sisters (and did a fair job at it) throughout his youth. He had a hard, but interesting life out on many acres of beautiful land. Rolling hills, peaceful pastures, swampy backwoods were his life. To get "into town" for football or wrestling practice, he had been known to drive the farm truck before he had his official license. See, farm kids could drive work vehicles (under age 16) around town if it was "official farm business". So, to get out of any potential troubles in that regard, he would throw a few hay bales in the bed, just in case. Him and Butch have all kinds of goofy stories about their adventures on the farm. Some of them involving beer and uneven lines in the fields...but that's a story for another day.
Matt's parents were very special to Butch. He almost looked to them as other parents and loved them very much. Matt's dad passed away a few years ago but I can't really talk about that without getting very sad. All I can say is that I miss his grin and his ginormous hands until I see Matt's hands and Bubby's grin.
Matt's mom, Joyce is an angel on earth. She is simple, wonderful, sweet, and loving. She's also very wise in many ways. I could go on and on but one thing that could illustrate the impression she has had on Butch is that I pretty much had to pass muster with Joyce before our relationship could continue (I met her only a few weeks after I had met Butch!). I knew it was a "test" when I met them. It's a good thing I came from a farm family environment because I felt right at home with that nutty bunch! I think back to that first meeting and how she hugged me the moment we met...I could never imagine that we could be REAL FAMILY someday and that Joyce and I would share genes with some of the most loved children in the world!
Trine sent me this email today:
As most of you know, Joyce (Matt's mom) went in for a routine check-up last week and the dr. found what he thought was a 'minor' blockage in one of her coronary arteries, so she was slated to get a stent put in early this week. Well, yesterday they found that she had at least 3 maybe 4 arteries with serious blockage thereby requiring open heart surgery. Her surgery is scheduled for 11am today. She is at Abbott. She is feeling really good (didn't have any symptoms or signs that she recognized anyway) and some of Matt's siblings were there until late last night and all 10 will be there today before and after the surgery. The surgery is said to last at least 4 hours. I don't know any other details but I will update you as we hear news.
Please say a little prayer that God is watching over Joyce and her doctors and keeps her safe. I don't know about you but I would be DANG scared knowing I had to have this procedure. But she's one tough cookie and I'm sure she'll be fine for her surprise 80th birthday party coming up in July!
She IS a tough cookie and has survived a few other major surgeries and uncomfortable procedures (Matt was 13 pounds for pete's sake!) but please, take the time to pray for her today! She might be tickled to know that people from all over the world prayed for her during this scary time!
Thank you!
*We just received word that everything went well. She had to have a triple bypass and as far as I know, no other procedures. She is heading to the ICU soon.
I just spoke with Matt and I'm going to be leaving work to head to Abbott shortly.
Thanks for your concern and prayers!
Katrina
