I knew He would never leave me January 19,  2017  5:51am EST

Amen and God bless!

Congratulations on your sucess.God is good all the time.

Amazing story -- my heart issues did a segue into prostate cancer and God & I (mostly God I do believe) have it all mostly on the run!!

God is Good ALL the time. I first found out I had a heart problem from my doctor, he told me I had a big heart, me thinking he means I’m a great person, then he said here’s a referral to see a specialist, Still not thinking anything is wrong, I go and then go back and see my doctor a few weeks later. He then tells me I have two leaking valves in my heart. Now I’m shock, are you kidding me? I was working as a Para-Professional in the Special Education Department. I was running all over that school with High School Students. I then start thinking about all that my body was going through. I thought about getting out of breath so fast, not being able to lie flat in the bed, coughing uncontrollable everything. I thought I was smoking too much, not eating the right foods, what was I doing wrong. He told me I had to have open-heart surgery, I could have died when I heard that. So December 2012 I went into hospital. The surgery took about 5 hours, so my daughter tells me. I had open-heart surgery 2 heart valves replaced. A lot of scares a few close calls 3 code blue to be exact. Stayed in the hospital for about 2 months. Got home wasn’t doing any better Started just falling out all the time wherever whenever, goes back in the hospital had a Defibrillator and Pacemaker put in, was on oxygen 24/7. Still not doing too good, input a Pic-Line to have IV drip medicine 24/7 Still not so good started getting infections every other month in the hospital getting a new pic-line put in, more anti-biotic. I have so many holes in my body from IV, needles, bandages, tapes and everything else. I was on so much stuff all through IV’s lord had mercy on me. So I struck out to get a second opinion because I just wasn’t getting any better. So I thought why not go to Alabama with my sister at least she can help take care of me. So November of 2014 I had my brother to take me south, we loading up the car with all my medical equipments, Oxygen Concentrator, large Tanks, Pic-Lines, everything. Got to Alabama and was so happy but so sick, I was on my deathbed. I couldn’t do nothing but go to bed. Now I come South with no insurance what so ever. I was on Medicaid in Michigan so I thought I could transfer it to Alabama. Ha! Alabama doesn’t give out Medicaid, Obama Care, NO. I’m sick what do I do. I had an appointment at UAB, keep the appointment, the doctor said what king of insurance you have I said none. She told me she cost too much. (Jokingly of course.) Turn out to be the best place I could have come too. But the cost not joking was extremely too much I could not afford any of it. I am getting Disability but the Medicare part didn’t kick in until 2015. I was in the hospital from December 2014 – Feb 2015. They didn’t know what to do with me, I should have been dead they tells me. So all through 2015 to August 2016 I was in and out of the hospital getting more IV in the Chest now, about 5 procedures I had in my chest. In August 2016 I went in to get an upgrade on my Defibrillator I had to have a extra Lead put on because I stayed in Afrilb. But today, 4 years later I’m doing just fine!!! So 2016 has been good to me. I came off all my tubing’s except 1, and I’m on a Heart Monitor, so not bad considering. I do still have to have my blood check weekly so I don’t get any blood clot but, I've stayed out of the hospital since August 2016; I've been feeling fairly good. 2017 will be the first year I've spent at home for the New Year and not in the hospital, so it's on this New Year Eve, Happy New Year Everybody, Let’s make it a good one. Now I’ve been looking at my bills and they are unbelievable, it doesn’t make since that it cost this much per day to be in the hospital I can’t began to pay even though now I have Medicare but here, they want you to buy your insurance, which I can’t afford a monthly payment either and pay office visit and lab fees and all the meds that I need on a regularly basis. So I’ve created this Go Fund Me page to see if I can get some help with my medical expenses. I’m not out of the woods yet, I still have a Nurse come by the house and take my vitals and all but no, changing of my dressing or tubing and not walking around with a pole to hang my IV’s on. It’s a good feeling, so if you could please help. Thank you, https://www.gofundme.com/rachels-heart-fund

FANTASTIC.....but what did all those that die on the operating table do wrong... or my nieghbor that went for a swim in his pool and died as a result of AFIB....was god on a coffee break? I know he , she or it works in mysterious ways?! Like he is doing now in the middle east or when just for fun he crashes a plane and lets half die and half survive?! Thank your medical team and science and your intestinal fortitude!

Good that they caught everything. I had a massive heart attack widow maker in 1993 and was "gone" many times, but shocked back to life. I was overweight and had a high triglyceride problem,, but no other pain at all. At a huge soccer all star tournament that my son was playing, I just passed out. Lucky for me, I passed out outside the referee tent and two of them were doctors. Also, since there were over 1200 kids playing, an ambulance had to be on site under city ordinance. And, there was a major hospital 5 minutes away. If I had to have a heart attack, it was probably the best place I could have had one. I was shocked a dozen times back to life and in a coma for four days. But, I came back and only had one artery blocked that they could not clean out or put a stent in as it was a weird one that took at sudden right hand turn. Other arteries were ok. The event did screw up my electrical system in the heart and I had an ICD implanted three months later. I have had to have four ablations for both AFIB and Ventricular FIB, but am doing great now. God was certainly looking over me, as was my wife and family. I thank GOD, physicians, and medications for my life. I live strong and hope that my story will inspire you to know that a good life is ahead of you.

YOU ARE A SURVIVOR! CONGRATULATIONS FOR CHOOSING LIFE & FIGHTING!

Congradulations on having your artery repaired. I'm happy to hear that it worked. I have had two open heart surgeries to repair my aortic valve and replace part of my aortic artery. The first surgery didnt work but I lived to have another try. I atribute all the credit for my survival to god god as well. I survived complications that boggled my mind. The second open heart surgery came 9 month later and was a success. I am now more than one year post op and I feel better than ever and I pretty much as strong as before the surgeries. I just take it easy and treat my body better. Like you said its great to be given a second chance in life. Thank you posting your inspirational story. It will be encouraging to others.

God is the Great Physician. I am the survivor of 2 strokes on 9/21. Life altering but Jesus & I are working hard to heal me!