Why the Frog ? FROG=
Fully
Relying
On
God!
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Many times in our lives we have things happen we don't fully understand. February 7,1997 began a series of events, that at the time, was just such a thing. My wife Regina and myself both came to the gate of life and returned. (no this is not one of those death memory things). I had come home from work and was feeling a little off. By the time I arrived home I was belching what tasted and smelled like rotten eggs. I knew that from before so I made sure we had Gatorade in the refrigerator. Sure enough it progressed until the diarrhea started. Usually lasts only 24 hours but this time it seemed it did not want to give up. The liquid-out was gaining on the liquid-in until Monday night - early Tuesday morning around 4:00 I began getting weak and about to pass out. My wife gathered me into the car and went to the ER - where they pumped two bags of saline into my system. I began to perk up and knew okay that was the end of it - been here, done that before - I knew the routine. I was released and went home. The weather was cold and drizzly and I was still shaking from my body heat catching up to normal. Every thing seemed under control. I had taken that week off to work on my school work but this really put a crimp in that. The diarrhea usually stopped after the IVs but this time it seemed it was not shutting off like it should. Something was still wrong but I didn’t worry because this stuff ran it's course in 24 hours - but it had been 96 already and it was still there. 8:00 o'clock Sunday morning bam! Went to the bathroom and didn't make it to the bed. Regina took my blood pressure and it was 83/57 - again she herded me into the car and drove me to the clinic, which had Sunday hours. They promptly stuck an IV in my arm and began pumping the fluid. Two bags later I had not rebounded - The Doctor called our hospital and arranged for me to be admitted. The Ambulance was there in 15 minutes and transported me to Medical City - North Dallas. They continued to push the fluid into my body - I had gone out twice by this time - the fluid was not just dripping it was running a steady stream. Test on top of test was run. Finally, they got me stabilized and after another day, and no diarrhea - sent me home. They were never sure what was wrong - they just knew it was not bacterial. Every thing seemed fine - Regina and I went to visit our daughter - about 20 minutes away. As we were leaving, to take her out to dinner, her dog ran out the open front door and into the street - he and a van met - not a happy sight. We gathered the dog up and into the car and went to our veterinarian's office - which at 9 in the evening was closed, but did have an emergency number. We called the number and the Doctor on call was there in 10 minutes - had told us on the phone he was 20 minutes away. By now we were all stressed out and upset. Guess I had still been down from what I had been through and was even more upset than our daughter. The diarrhea started again with a vengeance - Sunday - March 9 over a month since the first attack - my system was still not back to normal the stress had taken it's toll. Back to the Gatorade. The next afternoon we picked up the dog, he was sore but okay - he just needed to be watched closely for the next week. No break in my problem though I was giving it a good run ( no pun intended) for the money. Wednesday 3:20 AM - Coming back from the bathroom I failed to clear the runway to the bed and dropped short. Regina woke up - took my blood pressure - 89/57 - called the medical emergency number for our insurance. They approved admittance to the hospital and an ambulance. I told her I would not go in an ambulance - I could get to the car just fine on my own. I proceeded to go to the car without incident. We left the house heading to our hospital across town - 45+ minutes away. On the freeway, I heard a rattling on her side of the car but couldn't figure out just what it was. Very shortly - in a minute or two - she said, " I have to pull over - we have a problem." I thought maybe the car was acting up and that was what the rattling was. I ask what was the problem and the answer kicked my adrenaline into overdrive, "I am having a heart attack", was her reply. She had had one seven (7) years before so I had no reason to doubt her at all. She pulled over and was able to get into the passenger side of the car - I got behind the wheel - fully alert and conscious. I started the car moving as I dialed 911 on the mobile phone. I was patched through to the Dallas emergency unit and I told them what was happening and where I was . He ask what exit I was near and told me that the unit had been dispatched and was enroute. I told him the exit and the service station where I was going to pull in. We pulled into the station. I went to Regina's side and lowered the back of the seat. She was having a hard time breathing and was barely conscious. Two minutes later the ambulance was there. Her first concern, with all happening to her, was to inform the paramedics about my problem. They began preparing to transport her. One of them came to me and ask if I was going to be able to drive, I told him I could but he wouldn't let me until he took my blood pressure. It was normal. They sent me on ahead -to the Methodist Hospital which was within 5 minutes. I was to get her checked in before they got there - they beat me - they took another route. I called the insurance emergency number and told them my wife was taking me to the hospital and she had a heart attack- the operator knew instantly who I was and approved treatment for her and told me to get treated while I was there. By the time I got to the admittance office they were already working on her. They checked my Blood pressure and it was still normal. I told them I would be back after she was stable. They worked in ER for a couple of hours and stabilized her, sent her up to CCU. They had given her the same type medication they had used when she had her attack 7 years before - to dissolve the clot. After I was sure she was going to be alright I went back down to the ER and checked myself in - told them why she was taking me to the hospital. Again they took my blood pressure it was still 118/78 which is close to normal. They said they still wanted to check me out and run some tests. They took me back to an ER room - took my blood pressure again and it was 90/60 they stuck in an IV; pumped in two bags of saline solution. The diarrhea stopped just like it was suppose to before. They found I had an infection from the last bout but that it had cleared up and I should be alright. During this time our daughter was running from Regina’s room in CCU to the ER and back giving us each reports on the other. They released me after I stabilized and I went back up to CCU. Our insurance company wanted to transport her to Medical City so the next evening they did. The next morning, Friday - she went into the Cardio lab for cardio-catherization. The Doctor found the problem was in the same place she had had her other attack - her angioplasty (balloon) had began to break down. The Doctor put in two stints -look like a wire Chinese finger trap that opens up when they get it into place and it pushes the artery wall open. The Doctor came out and talked to me after she was finished and said that Regina had gotten initial treatment so fast that there was very little damage to the heart. Regina came home the next day and has been doing great ever since - me too... Coincidence - not a chance - Gods hand and Gods plan right down the line. He set all the things in place to get her treated - of that I have no doubt. First if I hadn't been so bad the first times I dehydrated she would not have been so quick to get me to the Doctor- I had had this before but never to the point I was critical before. Second if my daughter's dog hadn't gotten hit by the van I wouldn't have gotten upset enough for the diarrhea to start up again. Third if I hadn't woke up at that precise time and woke her up we would not have been in the proximity of the hospital when she had the attack. Forth the insurance company had authorized an ambulance but I for some reason refused to let her call one - I have never had problems riding an ambulance before. If I had gone in the ambulance she would have been following and would have had the attack alone in the car. If we had left five minutes earlier or later we would not have been where the proper exit was to get to where the hospital was. If I had not gotten sick again she would have had the attack at home while she was still in bed and would probably not gotten to the hospital in time or would have had serious damage. I could go on and on - so you see a coincidence here and there - fine, but this was the Masters orchestration - everything that happened had a purpose and it all worked together perfectly. God is a sovereign God of this I have no doubt; He is a loving God of this I have no doubt; He is a merciful God of this I have no doubt. He sent His Son who died to set me free of this I have no doubt. Had I have died or my wife had died we were ready - Jesus is our Lord and we would be with Him. I believe He had a grand purpose for what happened. He is going to use us and our story to show someone He is real and true. Perhaps that someone might be you . Everything I have written here actually happened and in the way I told it. It to me is a living example that God is in control. Jesus Christ the truth the way and the life - through Him is the Father - and there is no other way. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Chapter 3 - God is Still in Control
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