Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Counterattack of The Devil - A Health Update

by Donna L. Watkins


As many of you know, I've began again experiencing breathing problems at the same time in 2012 that the whole heart nightmare began back in December of 2011. It has continued to worsen and I felt I needed some direction to determine my battle plan, so I went to the clinic today since my breathing has been labored even for walking. I don't take to clinical environments, tests or drugs, so it's not easy to get my body into this mode of thinking.

I figured I'd have a chest x-ray and hope for pneumonia (yes, really :-). Well, it was the heart again and the doctor said I was on the thin line of going back into congestive heart failure and also that he'd never seen such a large heart due to the left ventricle's growth. I was going to crack a joke about having a large heart, but he was explaining something else to me. He's a Christian and has been so very accommodating since he knows I'm medical phobic and that we use herbs. He also says that I'm very tuned into my body so he can trust I will see something changing.

He wants me on digitalis and lasix even though I'm not retaining fluids right now (actually I have gained 5 pounds in the past week which was another sign to me that I needed to know something). I have stayed at the same weight I was in high school except when I went through getting thyroid meds properly dosed in 1976. So, I know when something's up. I put the fluids on the thighs first last year and then it was abdomen which is what had all my organs swimming and drowning and was unable to eat hardly anything.

I listened attentively and he went through the anatomical stuff but not like the ER doc or the cardio doc last year who emphasized the horror stories. He said he'd like to keep me around awhile longer since God's not finished with me yet. I agreed.

One question he couldn't answer was how it could've all gone away for 5-6 months like it did allowing me to have normal (even excessive) energy and stamina and be involved in very active activities.  I also ate plenty of salty foods without a thought of concern.  We aren't high sodium eaters, but after those months during the raging fluid battle and counting sodium grams and finding barely anything to eat, I have praised the Lord any time we eat things that I couldn't think of eating before.

So, I don't know what happened last year, but I have been reading about various ways that healing occurs and one of them is through "mental faith." In other words we believe with our minds that we can accomplish this and our bodies respond with healing. Hence why unsaved folks get healed all the time with various methods and even those who pray to gods since where ever your faith is, it can bring about healing.

BUT! with those methods, it's not the same as God's provision for healing in the atonement and things generally resurface if it's not based on the blood of Christ. I can see the "mental faith" would fit my personality since I got very determined to be healthy again after the ER doc pronounced death over me. I'm so glad I got to read that info just over the past weekend so my mind had a bit of an understanding of possibilities. Don't know about you, but I always want to know WHY?

I suppose I knew that a visit to the clinic doctor that I have used for annual thyroid bloodwork would give me enough information to get my head and body in gear. Once I set my mind to something I can keep it there till the job is done. However, I'd much rather use the provision of the atonement and Christ's Blood.

After getting back home and having lunch, I told Randal what I'd heard and that I wanted us to be in agreement on this decision. We both finally agreed that we'll take the protocol from the doc while we continue to learn and seek God for more revelation of His Word to our hearts and not just what we hold in our minds. The doctor had volunteered that I may not have to be on the drugs for long (was he sensing something more than the physical realm?), but it would be wise to get my heart back into rhythm and the cardiac arrest dangers behind. More than likely his positive thoughts were said to encourage me. He's one amazing doctor when it comes to today's practice of medicine.

Drugs was one of the other ways to heal, but there again, it was one that many times isn't a permanent solution or one without side effects creating more drug use. I will be "eating up" Hawthorn Berries which builds the heart muscles since mine are so stretched due to the enlarged heart that will help with blood flow. I've had numbness in my left foot since the breathing problem began. Hawthorn Berries are good for many issues of the heart and it's funny but it's the only herb that I crave once I get on it. I make herbal tea with the capsules (since I want the assured purity and potency guaranteed by Nature's Sunshine) and I also use the liquid herb version if I want a quick dose. Both methods are more readily assimilated than just taking the capsules and right now I'm into "quick."

I will begin the lasix (diuretic) in the morning for about a week to see what it does. He did indicate that the lasix itself could take care of it, so I can hope on that before I begin the digitalis next week (used to regulate heart rhythm in congestive heart failure to strengthen the heart) would be a much better approach. All I can rely on is what I feel the Holy Spirit is telling me and with Randal and I having the same thoughts on it, it's a good way to go. I will also be faithful with whatever herbs I'm instructed to use along the way.

The most amazing thing was that after talking about it with Randal, I laid back on the bed looking out a tall window at a pine and old red oak tree. I was trying to figure out the feelings I was having and it took awhile for me to realize that I was at total peace. Since my mind is usually so busy trying to figure something out, I knew that I wasn't feeling like I normally do, but I was amazed when I finally saw that it was simply an overwhelming peace that made me not want to move from the spot I was in. It continues to dominate and assure me that all is well.

God got me into herbs back in the late 70's when the doctors could find no way to help the asthma that plagued me with a diagnosis of Environmental Illness (now called Multiple Chemical Sensitivity). I was pretty much left to stay at home (where we cleared out any trace of a product with chemicals in it), since so many things triggered the asthma attacks outside of the home. God is faithful and He works with us any way He can with the faith we have and where we find it along the way.  The foundation of it all is that He has never left me and will never forsake me (Hebrews 13:5), so I'm the road with Jesus where ever I am.

Related Article:
How Does God Heal?

Update 4/15/13
Communicating by blog post is so much better than having to repeat this over and over to family and friends.  I believe the more you repeat something the more it becomes part of you ... so I don't like talking about my health problems since I am focusing on healing.  It may seem a bit impersonal to some, but it's the way I need to work with it right now.

I began the Lasix and took off the 5 pounds of fluid on my thighs, but have not used the Digoxin.  I have to have a peace about timing when I use herbs, so that's what I'm doing with the drugs.  I have worked up a schedule for the Lasix but am back off of it since I was getting much too thirsty (I am drinking a half gallon+ fluids) and a bit light-headed probably from potassium loss.

I plan to begin the Digoxin this week so I will know if there are any side effects coming from that without being on the Lasix.  I want to see how much difference the Hawthorn Berries will make since I have increased the dosage on that and been getting great results.  The intense pounding in the chest from my heart having to work so hard has stopped and my high energy has returned.

I have read that Hawthorn Berries make the Digoxin more effectvie, so dosage would need to be cut and that's what I plan on doing.  Beginning with half of what the doc said and see what that does.

Breathing may be a little bit better.  Hard to tell since I'm moving about so much more with my energy back.  It had been going downhill for about a week before I went to the doctor.  I'm real happy that I can still move about and do ... especially in the garden and with various outdoor painting projects I want to get done.

Update 5/3/13
I stopped taking the Lasix after losing the 5 pounds of fluid and have kept my weight normal since then (3 weeks off).  I took the Digoxin for a week with each day seeming to add another side effect.  Finally after a week, I stopped it.  That was 9 days ago.  Neither helped the breathing, so I am still praying for wisdom on that.  It's definitely better.  The Digoxin took away my energy and that returned a couple of days after stopping.  Thank you for all your prayers.  Healing is still in progress, but it is already finished in my spirit.

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1 comment:

Creative Art Expressions said...

I love reading about your peace! Rest in Jesus love! Praying for you! Love you so much.

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