Update and Thank You from Tom Seay

Men, I praise God for you and for the healing He is performing on my body.  First of all I have no idea how many people lifted me up in prayer, nor if I even knew them all.  I just want to thank you, whom I know, and to let you know your prayers humbled me to know many of you cared for me and it encouraged me.   My journey began about 3 months ago when I noticed my feet began to swell.  At that time I didn’t know that swelling of the feet indicated either a kidney disease or heart failure.  Neither of these events happen overnight.  I had been feeling pressure in my chest when walking and hiking for a couple of years and just ignored it.  On May 13 I was walking on the track at my fitness center and I felt the pressure on my chest, I was short of breath and light headed.  I knew I had a problem.  I went directly to see my family doctor and told him what was going on.  He said I needed to see a cardiologist and got me an appointment on May 31. I went home and told my wife and she immediately called her sister who is married to a doctor.  The next day I was admitted to a Fayetteville hospital to have a stint placed in or blockage removed from my arteries.  During the exam they detected a heart murmur, which is a potential sign of a valve problem.  They took me to the operating room and determined I had no blockage in my arteries, but that my aorta valve was leaking and failing quickly.  On May 16 I was back in the hospital and the surgeon removed my aorta valve and replaced it with a cow valve.  The doctors had me trying to walk the next day. You have no idea how my energy and conditioning was almost down to zero.  I spent the next 7 days in the hospital recovering somewhat and receiving family and friends.  On May 24 I was released from the hospital to return home.  On May 29 I went to see my surgeon and he released me to drive and to return to work on a very limited basis.   So that is a brief overview of what happened.  Once again I just want to thank you for your prayers and all of the glory goes to our Heavenly Father.