From Mr. & Mrs. C-Bug

Wednesday December 3, 2008 9:45 PM (I think)

To all friends that may or may not know about Cindy’s medical issue that took place Thanksgiving Day at my nephew, Doug Marnell’s house in Lubbock, following is a brief summary.

Around 2:00 PM last Thursday the right side of Cindy’s body went limp and she became incoherent while sitting at the computer surfing the web for water sandals for our trip to Hawaii on 12/5. After a low dose aspirin and an ambulance trip to U.M.C. ER in Lubbock, a two day stay in U.M.C. ICU with CTAs, MRIs, MRAs, sonograms (No she is not pregnant) echocardigrams and various other acronymical tests performed it was decided that she needed to be in Dallas at UT Southwestern-St. Paul where the medical skill level and facilities are top notch, so we hopped a Aero-Care Beechcraft ER in the sky (no SWA Rapid Rewards on this flight) and screeched down at Love Field about 1:30 AM Sunday. Many of the sharpest medical minds in the country tested, retested, drew what seemed to be several gallons of blood to run dozens of tests over the course of several days, examined, poked, prodded, then cussed and discussed why a very healthy (perfect cholesterol, perfect blood pressure, all tests-negative) woman of 48 years would be having decreased blood supply to the left side of her brain, then finally determining after an angiogram/arteriogram four vessel check today at 3:00 PM that she needed to take aspirin, go home and call them in six months. (It’s a little more complicated than that with a little more than aspirin required for about six months to be sure her blood is thin so it can flow through some tight spots, but that’s about the long and the short of it.)
We’re told that Cindy will get released tomorrow or Friday.
I will say that Cindy is talking a bit slower than she typically has in the past and having to think some before she speaks, an attribute that all of us should hope to have especially the guys, me being the chief offender. Also, I’m excited about possibly having a very short window whereas I can appear to be smarter and more athletic than Cindy based on her having to relearn some speech and balance function but I can assure you she is still “all there” and will soon resume her role as the brains and sports figure in our family.

We saw God’s Hand in this experience and how he counteracted the evil one’s plan of deception and destruction with a strategic plan designed just for us of putting Cindy in the right place, at the right time with the right people. What Satan meant for evil God turned to good remembering that in every adversity there is a seed of equal or greater benefit. (We’re up to eight at this point and still counting)

Thanks Mary Ann, you prayed a solid right-on prayer as our ordeal kicked off that set the tone for recognizing God's Direction. We're praying for your nephew.
Thanks to all of you who stopped in whether in Lubbock or Dallas, called, sent flowers and especially prayed for Cindy and our family.
Thanks Margie, Betty & Beth for all the errands and general help you provided.
Thanks Gabe and Brooke for taking care of business without missing a beat.
Thanks Donna for feeding the dogs, picking up mail, delivering Cindy's Christmas present components and keeping the house contractors moving on schedule.
Doug and Claudia, the physical nourishment and practical provisions for the hospital room while in Dallas was greatly appreciated. You make a great sandwich!!
Jimbo and Kirk/Tammy, Aloha...............as you know, we’re not making it to Hawaii to see you next week, but we will reschedule.
Thanks Tori, Rachel & Bob for being my medical advisory panel schooling me on medical terms, procedures and the relevant questions to ask some really smart people.
Thanks Victor for instructing me on insurance protocol. (I have a feeling we have some more work to do in the future)
Uncle Jed, your daily encouragement was a blessing and I look forward to sharpening iron together in the future.

We hope to see all our Amarillo friends this weekend back in Amarillo.

It's been a long 152 hours, I'm going to bed!!!

Goodnight,
Greg & Cinbaby

Passed along by your good friend, Jimbo
PS - Thank God for American Healthcare - I wonder what would have been the outcome in Canada or the UK?