Hospital Day #9 - 12/7/23 - Patience is a fruit of the Holy Spirit

Hospital Day #9 - 12/7

Patience is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.  Apparently, God is giving us a bushel-full of that today 🤣

Brittney’s blood pressure is still too low (70s-90s/30s-40s)…so we’ll be at UL hospital at least thru tomorrow (like a 7 day cruise!!). 

Thankfully her resting heart rate has sped up (from 40s up to 70s/80s) and she is feeling much better. She has been able to get out of bed and walk around the room some and was disconnected from her IV meds. We are grateful for Brittney to be strong enough to have left the ICU today and moved into a step-down unit.

We are thankful for the cautious care here at UL; Brittney’s situation has been quite life-threateningly serious and rare.  But God has kept her alive and she is still vertical (halfway at least in the hospital bed) and kickin’ (me…when I touch her foot IV or make bad jokes)!  

Thank you for all of your amazing prayers, love, and kindness!

Ways to pray:

• joy and peace in the waiting, especially for our girlies
• wisdom for our medical care team in this season
• for a restful night and to be home tomorrow  :)

Colossians 1:10-12 “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; [11] being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; [12] giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.”

Here’s a video of Alia upon a hospital release a 7 years ago today… hopefully we will be singing like this tomorrow!

Hospital Day #8 - 12/6/23 PM - Some Setbacks

Hospital Day #8 - 12/6/23 PM

Unfortunately Brittney had some setbacks today, but we hope and pray to improve enough to be home tomorrow!

Please pray for:

• her heart rate and blood pressure to rise into, and stay in, the “normal” range 
• for wisdom for the doctors to find anything that needs to be found
• for Brittney to heal and feel better & stronger
• for no strokes or setbacks
• for us and our girlies to have patience as we wait

Picture note: these are the only buttons of Brittney’s that I am allowed to push until we are home 🤣

Brittney is improving! We are still in the ICU which isn’t the best for sleep but is great for care!

Brittney is passing her neurological tests with flying colors so we are praying to be able to make it home today.  

Thanks for all of your prayers, love, and encouragement! God is answering your prayers in amazing ways!

James 5:16 “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” 

Hospital Day #8 - 12/6/23 AM - Brittney is improving!

 Hospital Day #8 - 12/6/23 AM

Brittney is improving! We are still in the ICU which isn’t the best for sleep but is great for care!

Brittney is passing her neurological tests with flying colors so we are praying to be able to make it home today.  

Thanks for all of your prayers, love, and encouragement! God is answering your prayers in amazing ways!

James 5:16 “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”

Hospital Day #7 - 12/5/23 PM - A Post-Operation Summary

Hospital Day #7 - 12/5/23 PM POST-OP

Brittney’s surgery went great and she is resting now! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

Her surgery was very challenging and took a little longer than planned.  Several angioplasty balloons popped 😳 her right carotid was “nasty” and took 3 stents (4 stents total).  But God opened up her 100% blocked left vertebral artery! 🙌🏻 ( but is still very “nasty”)

So she should be ICU tonight and home tomorrow.  Blood thinners and followup angiogram procedure in 6 months and more testing ahead.  But these four stents should make a big difference!

Thank you so much for your prayers!!!

We can’t thank you enough for your prayers during this very serious surgery. We appreciate continued prayers as she recovers and heals.  She’ll spend the night in the ICU for observation and prayerfully we’ll head home tomorrow!

2 Thessalonians 1:3-4 “We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. [4] Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.”

Picture above of her 100% blocked artery (looks different now that God opened it! praise the Lord)

Hospital Day #7 - 12/5/23 PM - Pre-Operation Details

Hospital Day #7 - 12/5/23 PM PRE-OP

Brittney’s surgery to repair her carotid & vertebral arteries with stents just started! It will probably take 2-3 hours and then she’ll spend the night in the ICU.  We are so grateful for your prayers!

She has been very nervous, weaker and more tired recently.  But still no signs of stroke! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 She is just ready to get the surgery done and to feel better 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Here is what they are doing regarding all (4/4) of the arteries that supply blood to her brain (diagrams attached may be helpful too):

• 1-2 stents (& angioplasty/balloon expansion) in her torn & 60% blocked (with pseudo aneurysm) right carotid artery (side of neck into brain)
• 1 stent (& angioplasty/ballon expansion) in her torn & 73% blocked (with pseudo aneurysm) right vertebral artery (from top section of spine into brain)
• Her left vertebral artery is 100% blocked and inoperable - but we’re praying that the Lord reopens it over time!
• Her left carotid artery is irregular with a small tear and pseudo aneurysm, but currently has no blockage so no stents are needed at this time 

Here are some ways to pray:

• For a successful angioplasties (balloon expansions) and emplacement of the stents
• For no strokes or brain damage during or after surgery
• For skill, wisdom, and discernment for the doctors and nurses to see and do everything that needs to be done
• For Brittney’s full healing and recovery with no future complications, arterial tears, blockages, aneurysms, or strokes
• For peace of mind and God’s comfort for our daughters during the surgery, recovery, and into the future

Thank you so much for your encouraging words, love, and prayers!!

 Philippians 4:6-7 “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. [7] And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Hospital Day # 7 - 12/5/23 AM - Brittney's Pre-Op Theme Verse

Hospital Day # 7 - 12/5/23 AM

Brittney wrote this…

We’re ready! God is with us! Thank you again for all the prayers! Jonathan Logan Carl will be posting updates here and on his page! The procedure will take 2.5 hours and I will be away from Jonathan for about 5 hours total.

Hospital Day # 6 - 12/4/23 - Brittney's Thoughts

Hospital Day # 6 - 12/4

Brittney wrote this…

I don’t even know where to begin…the last two weeks have totally rocked my world. Never did I ever imagine being in the position ready to have surgery tomorrow at 10:00! I’ve never been one to put my health first, there’s too many others to care for. I have been forced to do that and I’m so thankful I did because there’s a good chance I wouldn’t be here today had I not. I listened to the still small voice urging me to do various things (and the not so small voices through friends and family who know me and that I need nudging sometimes). 

Thank you for all the prayers, texts, calls, verses, songs, flowers, cards, so many things you have done on my and my family’s behalf! I’m not going to lie, Satan is a booger and keeps creeping in my thoughts, but God is so much stronger! He has carried me and made all the steps work together to be where we are now. He is so good and I am so thankful! 

We covet your prayers tomorrow at 10:00 please! Pray for the surgeons, for my family and their concerns, for our precious girls as they are worried about mom, for my hubby who has been by my side advocating and researching as he always does to make sure every detail is covered, for my arteries to cooperate and it to be an easy fix and recovery and for my nerves to calm for a good nights rest and complete assurance in the God who made our bodies so intricately detailed as well as drs skilled to treat them! We have an amazing God and He is holding me in the palm of his hand! I love all of you so much and pray you feel the hand of God holding you no matter what you are going through and please listen for his still small voice! 

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

And he said, "Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.

1 Kings 19:11-12

Hospital Day # 5 - 12/3/23 PM - Four Affected Arteries to the Brain

 Hospital Day # 5 - 12/3 PM

Brittney’s procedure went well.  🙌🏻 

She is resting now.

All four of her arteries to her brain are affected; one completely blocked (non-repairable), one 73%, one 60%, and one irregular.  Short-term plan is for 2-3 brain stents on Tuesday morning or Wednesday afternoon depending on scheduling.

These blockages weren’t caused by high blood pressure or plaque build up.  This is likely something she was born with (fibromuscular dysplasia, FMD) that led to the arteries tearing.

She is very blessed to have no brain damage or strokes given the seriousness of this!!!! Thank you for your prayers!

Ways to pray:

• scheduling of her brain stenting procedure
• good rest & no strokes or setbacks
• peace and comfort for our daughters during this separation and waiting
• wisdom for the doctors as they coordinate for the surgery

Ephesians 3:20-21 “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

Hospital Day # 5 - 12/3/23 AM - A Diagnostic Brain Catheterization

 Hospital Day # 5 - 12/3 AM

Brittney is back for her diagnostic brain catheterization procedure now; we should know more in about two hours.  

There are 4 major arteries supplying blood to the brain.  It seems that Brittney has serious issues with 3 of those arteries (one blocked) and irregularities in the 4th.  God is answering your prayers as she hasn’t had a stroke yet and there are no signs of brain damage.  We are so thankful to God!!

Thanks for your continued prayers!

Ways to pray:

- for protection from stroke and complications

- for the doctors to see everything that they need to see

- for wisdom in their recommendations and for our decision making for next steps

- for complete healing in the days ahead

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Note: I included the brain diagram because it is amazing how God designed the vascular system of the brain…to include ways to reroute blood around some blockages! God is good!

Hospital Day # 4 - 12/2/23 - An Urgent Prayer Request for Brittney

Hospital Day # 4 - 12/2/23

(we didn’t share the first hospital stay of 3 days at Baptist Health Hardin)

Urgent Prayer Request for Brittney

2.5 weeks ago Brittney was hospitalized for a few days for abnormalities/narrowing in her carotid arteries (takes blood to your face/brain) and tearing in her right carotid artery. She was released home on blood thinner with no clear answers why this happened.

Today she returned to the Baptist Hardin ER with worsening symptoms and was transferred to the UL ER due to worsened tearing in her right carotid artery and a new blockage in her vertebral artery (takes blood to the back of your brain). We are currently awaiting a report from a neurosurgeon on next steps.

We appreciate prayers for:

- Wisdom for doctors & nurses

- Protection

- Complete healing

- Pain relief

- Peace