In our last update we stated that Gene has had two transient ischemic attacks (TIA) and has been quite weak and with limbs feeling a little heavy and not quite normally responsive. It goes a bit beyond that. After about one to two hours of sitting and standing he becomes dizzy, his legs and arms become wobbly, and if he doesn’t lie down right away he would pass out. After fifteen minutes to a half hour of lying down he can get up and is able to function again for awhile. Nights are the most difficult. Sometimes he awakes with a start and head spinning and feels as though all systems are closing down. He calls Carol and she wakes up and keeps alert just in case they do close down!
He did some research on the web and discovered that there are no physical aftereffects of TIA as they are transient. So he called a doctor friend in the States and discussed it with him. The next day he called his cardiologist here in the Philippines and told him about these aftereffects. Both docs said the same thing – he has had a minor stroke. Gene asked why it didn’t show up on the MRI. Apparently, an MRI won’t show a minor stroke because of the small size of the area of the brain affected.
Gene is on medication to help with this. Not helping the situation is the low carb diet he is on because of his yeast overgrowth problem which has caused him to lose a lot of weight. So, he is trying some carbs now to see if he has conquered the yeast problem enough so he can tolerate the carbs. Please PRAY that he will now be able to tolerate some carbs and get his weight back up.
The “thinning” of Gene’s blood for greatest help in prevention of stoke is still lacking. So please PRAY that it will reach the proper “thinning” level.
Both docs say that the aftereffects of the stroke should eventually go away.
So, you could say that we really have some giants in our lives. A brain problem is much more difficult to contend with than heart attack, but both are giants. Gene has been reading through Deuteronomy, one his favorite OT books. Deut 9:1-3 says, ” Hear, O Israel: Thou art to pass over Jordan this day, to go in to possess nations greater and mightier than thyself, cities great and fenced up to heaven, A people great and tall, the children of Anakims, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard say, Who can stand before the children of Anak! Understand therefore this day, that the Lord thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face; so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them.” We are very thankful that it is our Lord God who is in control and goes before us in all the things He allows in our lives. Praise Him all who have breath.
Because of this medical situation which God has allowed in our lives, Gene has had opportunity to witness to Geof, the taxi driver who transports us between the town where our NTM guesthouse is and the city where we buy supplies and where the cardiologists are. He has also had opportunity to witness to two of the three cardiologists who are part of the team helping him and to the shop foreman where we occasionally have our off-road truck fixed. Most people here in the Philippines aside from tribal people are Catholic and find it difficult to believe in an eternal salvation attained without works. Please PRAY for salvation of the taxi driver, cardiologists, and the shop foreman.
Again, we are so thankful for your prayers and encouragement.