BUMP in the road...

Words for today.... Everyday do your best, God will do the rest!!

A BIG THANK YOU to all of you who have left encouraging comments and/or emails. Your encouragement helps to get me through each day as I take this journey one day at a time!

So, this has been a very stressful 4 1/2 days!!

You ask why?, well on this past Friday, late afternoon, I received a phone call from the office of my cardiologist, Dr. Rajendran Sabapathy (brother of my psychologist), informing me that I need to be seen ASAP! So, I asked the nurse why and why after 4 months(I had a 2 part stress test back in May and as far as I knew everything was fine and the clearance for surgery was faxed to Dr. Hoehn).

Explanation given:

Nurse: "All I can say is that the second part of your stress test came back irregular and the problem needs to be resolved ASAP and prior to surgery."

Me: "Ok, so why am I just now being notified after 4 months of having the stress test, and, can you give me more detail as to what the irregularities are?"

Nurse: "I can't go into detail, you have to see the doctor."

Me: "Ok, again, why is this an emergency after 4 months, and what does this do to my scheduled surgery date?"

Nurse: "Mr. Hatmaker, I can't go into detail, you will have to see the doctor, can you come in today(Friday)?"

Me: "There is no way that I can come in today and does this mean that my scheduled surgery date will be moved?"

Nurse: "Yes, it is possible!"

So, the conversation continued and I continued to get angry as well as nervous, scared and anything else that you can think of! I spent the last 4 1/2 days worrying about what could possibly be happening and why now! I mean, everything to this point has gone as planned and I had even received clearance from Dr. Sabapathy that I could proceed with my surgery.

I have been feeling great and walking 4-5 days a week, several days I made it 2 miles and felt refreshed! However, I have noticed that when my heart rate is elevated or I am stressed, I have some fluttering. Well, me being the stubborn person that I sometimes can be, I blew it off as my body and heart adjusting to the changes that I am putting it through, when I should have notified Dr. Sabapathy of the changes!

So, today(Tuesday morning) finally arrives and my wife and I began the trip to Liberty Hospital at 6:45am. We arrive at 7:30am, I check in and fill out more paper work. I am tired of signing my name and filling out the same information over and over again, but hey, they have to have it. Finally at 8:30am I am taken back to my room, by this time I am irritated, my blood pressure is 153/98 and the nurse is tip toeing around me...SHAME ON ME for making her nervous!! Oh, by the way, she happens to be the one that called me on Friday to give me no explanation!

Did I tell you that I have been fasting now for nearly 48hrs....yesterday I had to give blood for what I thought would be my last pre-op clearance and on Friday, the nurse informed me that I needed to fast in the event there would be blood drawn on this morning. Well, I went to my room, I undressed(don't get excited, it was only my shirt and t-shirt! HA!), put on a gown, and waited another HOUR before Dr. Sabapathy came in the room.

So, remember I said I was angry, nervous and upset as well as hungry......so, I started in on Dr. Sabapathy before he could even tell me what the problem was. You see, my focus was not on the problem, but I needed to know why it took them 4 months to notify me of a problem....then I heard a voice within say LISTEN!!!

You know, at that point I was more interested in finding out why someone dropped the ball, but, because I listened to that inner voice, and LISTENED to Dr. Sabapathy, I was given an explanation that made me then begin to feel at ease in knowing that Dr. Sabapathy has my best interest at heart.

I knew I wasn't crazy, and he confirmed that he did send a clearance letter to Dr. Hoehn back in June, but Dr. Sabapathy pulled my chart again and began to review it!

It may seem strange to some that he would pull my chart again after 4 months, but you see, it isn't strange to me that he pulled my file to review. Remember, I have said all along that God is walking by my side throughout this journey. God is in control and although it may be strange to some that he pulled my file 4 months later, but God knew there was a problem and we need to take care of it!!

Dr. Sabapathy began to inform me that being a diabetic.... I quickly corrected him and said that I am not diabetic, that I am borderline and take the medication as a pre-caution.

So after I interrupted him once again, he quickly corrected me and informed me that there is no such thing as a borderline diabetic, if you take medication for diabetes, then your diabetic!! So, he continued to explain to me that being diabetic and the stress on the heart muscle that is showing up on the stress test results give him reason to schedule me for a heart catheter. I asked him to explain further and he told me that he would feel at peace knowing that he made 100% sure that there was no problems with my heart prior to having my surgery. He says that a guy my size and the peck muscles around the heart wall, compromise what he is able to see, so, he is taking that extra step to make sure that there are no issues.

A quick side note....no blood drawn! Can you see my face turning FIREBALL RED?!!

If Dr. Sababpathy finds a problem during the heart catheter procedure, he will fix the problem immediately, this may entail the placement of a stint. He says to me that we need to do this very quickly so that we can proceed with my scheduled surgery date.

So, the scheduling secretary comes in and says to me, "when do you want to have this done?", my response was "ASAP" being that I am anxious to get to the September 28th date, and begin my HEALTHIER, HAPPIER life!

Well, to my surprise, she came in the room 15 minutes later and said..."Dr. Sabapathy will see you at 7am tomorrow morning at Shawnee Mission Medical Center."

WOW!! Then fear set in, I walked out of the room and into the waiting room with my head down and my mind racing! I was moving so fast that I didn't even notice my wonderful friend, and, as I call her, my ANGEL, waiting in the waiting room for Vern and I. Mind you, I left Vern lagging behind me until I heard her voice, in high pitch and happy, say "Hey Robyn!" I stopped, turned around and there to my surprise was my heaven sent ANGEL!

Have you ever been in such stress and fear, but when you see or hear the voice of a certain person, you immediately relax and feel peace over take you? Well, when I heard Vern say "Hey Robyn" and I turned to see her glowing, smiling face, PEACE fell over me!! Robyn surprised me and by no co-incidence! When God is in control, there are no co-incidences. You see, Robyn was there to see her father who is undergoing radiation for cancer at Liberty Hospital, and, she knew that I was going to be at Liberty Hospital this morning, but, she had no idea which building or my doctor's name. I feel she was lead by the spirit to be where she needed to be and at the right time!!

I have had my moments today, but God has shown me too many times today that He is still travelling along side of me through this journey and He will never leave me!! You see, he put it on Dr. Sabapathy's mind to look back over my chart... he will do the procedure to make 100% sure that I can withstand the surgery....God sent His angel to brighten my spirits and to blanket me with His peace and love!

THANK YOU Robyn for following your heart and being in the waiting room when Vern and I came out!!

THANK YOU to my wife for cancelling her business trip to be by my side during this process, you know that you are my ANGEL as well and we share everyday life together! I LOVE YOU!!

People, this is just one more example that when you live for Christ Jesus, He will take care of you!! I BEG each of you to search deep within your heart, your spirit, your mind, your body and soul and ask yourself, "do you have peace in knowing that if the heaven's opened up today, that Jesus will open his hands and say to you, "Well done my good and faithful servant!"? "

My prayer is that each of you that read this blog will find that inner peace!! If you are struggling with an addiction, whether it be food, alcohol, drugs, shopping, etc., PLEASE take control of your life today and ask God to help you through your journey to defeat your addiction and let the devil know that he is a liar and you will become a HEALTHIER, HAPPIER you!!

This is just a small bump in the road, but it's a bump that I have to say that I am glad that I am crossing it!!

I am counting this as a blessing, for if I were not taking this journey to a HEALTHIER, HAPPIER life, I would not have had the stress test and therefore the outcome may have been fatal! I am thanking Jesus for this blessing and thanking Him for his grace and mercy!!


On a lighter note, I want to give a SPECIAL THANK YOU to my first babysitter who has always found a way to keep in contact with me and encourage me throughout the last 39 years of my life!! Lisa Smith Clark, THANK YOU!!

I ask that each of you that read this blog, please continue to encourage me, pray for me and my family and friends!!

Also, I ask that you pray for Robyn's dad, pray for his strength, healing and peace during this time of treatment, and pray for Robyn and her family as they walk this journey with him!!


Remember,

YOU ARE #1 IN YOUR LIFE,

so be sure to take care of you FIRST!!!

Isaiah 41:10 - Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Have a wonderful, blessed day!

Tony

P.S. - I will try to update with the results of the heart catheter as soon as I can!!