Walt's Journey

Since I just crossed over my one year anniversary of my life changing event and with Sarah just turning forty, and myself just days behind that milestone as well, I have been overcome with thanksgiving at the spouse that God has blessed me with. We have been married for over seventeen years now, but the last year has been the most trial based thus far.

Along with these trials, the Lord has brought many blessings that may not have come otherwise. I have felt a closeness in the last several months to Sarah and my kids that makes me want to shout with joy. Special friendships have been gained through the storm. God has used the intense testing to draw me into a close relationship with Him that I would not trade for anything. I cannot wait to be in His presence someday just to wrap my arms around Him and thank Him for my suffering and what it has allowed me to learn about His greatness.

This past Saturday evening, I pulled off one of the more difficult stunts imaginable. I was able to, through the help of others; throw Sarah a surprise fortieth birthday party.

Sarah and I are so connected in our daily life that planning and executing something of this magnitude is next to impossible. We pulled it off, and it is something that I will never forget. To top it all off, we were able to share the evening with friends and family.

I wanted to list some reasons that are on my mind as to why I am thankful for the wife that God has given me.

1 – She is an amazing godly woman – Proverbs 31:10

2 – She thinks before she speaks. Let’s face it, we live in an age of social media, and I have seen this bring out the true characters of many. I have seen moms/wives say things publicly that amaze me. I have seen Christian ladies ridicule everything from the way people worship right on down to the music that others listen to. I am thankful for a wife that is slow to speak and quick to listen.

3 – She is a giver. She is always on the watch for the needs of others

4 – She is an amazing mother

5 – She is tender, gentle and kind-hearted

I am looking forward to continuing this journey together, and when the storms clouds gather, I know that I have a God-given wife and two wonderful children that will always have my back.

Sarah – I love you!

Matthew 11:28-30 – Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

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Today is the one year anniversary of my aortic dissection. The weekend has been an emotional one for me, and I spent a lot of time reflecting on this past year. I have been through many rough waters. There have been plenty of tears shed and questions and bonds formed. I have gained new friends, some who have stuck closely by my side consistently throughout this past year. I thank the Lord daily for these friendships. I want to thank those who have prayed for me diligently and those who sent me words of encouragement over the weekend. It was humbling that you remembered and took the time to lift me up through this difficult time.

I am thankful for the opportunity to be alone with Sarah for a couple of days, and be able to thank the Lord together for what He has done in both of our lives through this ordeal. Sarah has been a rock for me, and I thank the Lord daily for such an incredible person that He has placed into my life.

I have asked God on more than one occasion why he allowed this to happen to me. As I look back at the year behind me, I see three accomplishments that were nothing short of answers to prayer.

Room of Grace – The Room of Grace started in February of 2011. That night in February was a special evening. Plenty of prayer went into this ministry by many people. I was just sixteen weeks removed from my dissection when we started, and I know that God waited for this ministry to begin because He knew that I would need these men more than ever during this storm in my life. We started off strong with ten guys. The Room of Grace has grown to over sixteen guys, and the Holy Spirit has been moving powerfully in our midst. One thing that I have told the guys is that there is no gift more meaningful that I could give my wife than to surround myself with Godly men that she knows are praying for me and holding me accountable. Thank you Lord for opening the doors to this ministry, and for the amazing things that You are doing. Thank you to the guys who are involved. You have been nothing short than a miraculous blessing and encouragement to me through these hard times.

Heart Refined – In July of 2011 Heart Refined was released. Soon after I was home and recovering from my surgery, I began to pray how my situation could be used. There was a point where God told me to share my story. I was not sure how I was going to get my story out to more than a handful of people. While praying for this, the Spirit brought to me the idea of writing a book. I wrestled with Him for a while because I had no idea how a lowly person like me with no writing experience could possibly pull this off. I was reminded that God does not always use well-trained professionals to spread His Word. Sometimes He uses shepherds and people who cannot speak too well, so He could certainly use someone like me to write a book about what God has done in my life, and it did not have to be perfect and eloquent. Heart Refined has been out for about eleven weeks and God has already blessed me beyond what I could have ever thought. My desire is that anyone that could be encouraged by Heart Refined will be able to read it. While the book is being read, I want Christ to be consistently leaping from the pages. I am open for wherever God will take me with this project. I cannot end this section without thanking those that have read the book and have thrown humbling and encouraging words my way.

The final and most important thing that has come out of my near death experience is my closer relationship with Christ. Not only did He answer the prayers of many, and spare my life, but He has used this trial in my life to draw me into a closer more intimate relationship with Him. I know that God is not done with me yet, and I am excited to see how He is going to use my circumstance to bring glory and honor to Him.

Romans 5:3
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance. (NIV)

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My friend Jerry is heavy on my mind this evening. He is going in tomorrow morning for open-heart surgery. Jerry is having an aneurysm removed from his aorta and replaced with a Dacron graft. The area of the aorta that will be repaired is nearly the same area where my damage occurred. Thankfully his aneurysm was discovered before it could cause a dissection.

We did not know each other before his current condition, yet he did know who I was as we both attend the same church and he was one of the many people who prayed for me during my surgery and recovery.

During our first conversation a couple of weeks ago he informed me that he had read Heart Refined, and to both of our amazement, he will have the same surgeon that performed my surgery. I speak very highly of Dr. Patel in the book and Jerry said that this was an encouragement to him. I have said on several occasions that one of my desires for Heart Refined is that it could possibly provide comfort to anyone that may be going through similar circumstances as myself. It has been an incredible experience to not only know that this is currently the case, but I have the privilege of knowing and speaking to one of those people.

I am praying that the Lord will guide and direct Dr. Patel throughout the surgery tomorrow, and that Jerry’s valve can be spared.

Sarah and myself will be making a trip to U of M and I am sure the emotions will be running high as I re-visit the exact area of the hospital where my life changed courses.

Please keep Jerry and his wife Lisa in your prayers.

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Last Wednesday I had my checkup at the University of Michigan Hospital to see how my heart is functioning, how my aortic valve is doing and to ask my cardiologist some questions.

The first appointment of the afternoon was getting my blood drawn. It is amazing the technology that they have at U of M. Normally when getting my blood drawn, it will take several days to get the results, but at U of M, I had a piece of paper in my hands to give to my cardiologist within fifteen minutes.

Shortly after having my blood drawn, I received an echocardiogram. This procedure took a little over thirty minutes. I knew that this would be an important test for the day as it would be able to show how my aortic valve is functioning. At my last appointment, the results were not very good. I have been having some issues with shortness of breath and some ongoing mild chest pains, so I was a little nervous as to what the tests would reveal.

Within fifteen minutes of finishing the echocardiogram, I was called back to see my cardiologist. Both Sarah and Gabe were with me, so we all headed back together. Shortly after arriving into the room, doctor Booher arrived. From the first time that I met with Dr. Booher, I was extremely excited to have her as my cardiologist. I told Sarah on the way home that I feel as though you could invite Dr. Booher and her family over for supper as she is so personal and laid back. I enjoy my conversations with her, and am confident that she is the best person that I could have considering my condition.

The blood that I had drawn showed that my cholesterol was a bit high. I was told that this is not abnormal. I was not able to exercise the way that I would like to for several months after the surgery, so I am not in the shape that I was prior to the dissection. My cardiologist is going to give me six months to lower my cholesterol on my own through diet and exercise and if it does not improve I will have to go on additional medication. I do not want to take anymore pills, so I will be working very hard to get the levels down on my own.

The results of the echocardiogram showed that the leaking in my aortic valve was starting to improve. It was very encouraging to hear this good news. As my aorta and heart heals from the surgery, it is possible that my PVC’s and aortic valve leakage could continue to improve.

I asked some questions about exercising and where my heart rate should be while riding my bike, and we then scheduled a CAT scan in eight weeks to check on the additional tear that is still on my aorta.

Overall it was a positive appointment as I was concerned with my leaking valve. The next big step will be the CAT scan which will determine if the tear that still exists on my aorta is stable as well as seeing if the graft that was inserted is holding up the way that it is supposed to.

John 14:27 – I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. (NLT)

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Last week we took a family vacation to Ludington, MI. We all had an incredible time and the weather could not have been more perfect.

In my book, Heart Refined, I wrote about the family vacation that we spent together last summer. It was not to long after this time together that I suffered my aortic dissection. In the book, I share some of Sarah’s thoughts about how that amazing trip would have been a great way to remember our last family trip together as I was hauled into the operating room for what we thought was my last day alive.

Not only did God have other plans, but He has allowed me to heal enough to make yet another fantastic trip to the same area to relive those wonderful memories together from last year. Mentally and physically I am a much different person than I was last summer, but I am still very thankful for this time that I have with my wife and children.

Tomorrow is a big day for me and one that I have been anticipating for several weeks. I will be spending the afternoon at the University of Michigan Hospital to have labs done, an echocardiogram and a visit with my cardiologist. I have some anxiety about the visit, as I have not been feeling all that well for quite a long time now. I will be sure to share the results.

Feedback continues to come in concerning Heart Refined: My Journey Toward Intimacy With God. I am thankful for those that have read and provided feedback. Through signing books, I have had the privilege to thank many people face to face for praying for me and my family during the tough times. Some I have thanked before and others I have been able to thank for the first time, and it has been a wonderful experience.

Isaiah 41:13 – “For I am the Lord your God, who takes your right hand and says to you, Do not fear.” (NIV)

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It has been a couple of weeks since the release of Heart Refined, and I appreciate all the kind words from those that have read the book. I poured my heart into writing the book and trust that anyone that reads it can see the honesty that I attempt to portray. I am grateful to those that have helped me get the word out about Heart Refined.

I am looking forward to being able to come in contact on a more personal level with those that prayed for me during my ordeal.

I have been keeping busy in the weeks since Heart Refined was released. On July 28-30, our family took a train ride from Flint to Chicago. Sarah was wise enough to secure bus passes that we were able to use throughout the three days. The kids were amazed by the sights and sounds.

Once we arrived at the hotel, we freshened up, and headed straight to the American Girl doll store. Hope could not get there fast enough. She had been saving her money from Christmas and birthdays for several months and could not wait to get her doll. Gabe and I, on the other hand, made a quick right hand turn on the second floor of American Girl doll and headed for the more man-friendly Lego store.

Once we were done with a little shopping, we took a ride up to the top of the John Hancock building before heading over to the Briar Street Theatre to see Blue Man Group. Sarah and I had seen Blue Man Group perform before, and knew the kids would enjoy them.

Friday consisted of a full day at the Museum of Science and Industry, a great dinner at the Cheese Cake Factory followed by another trip up to the top of the John Hancock building to see an evening view of Chicago. It was a great trip, and the time flew by. I was thankful that I was able to physical handle the hustle and bustle of the three days.

In just over two weeks, I will be heading down to the University of Michigan Hospital for some labs, an Echo-Cardio Gram and a visit with my cardiologist. I have been experiencing discomfort on an ongoing basis, so at this point I am not sure what sort of report I am going to receive, but I am praying for an accurate assessment.

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The last nine months have been life changing for me. As I was lying flat on my back at the University of Michigan Hospital recovering from my open-heart surgery, I knew that my journey from there on out was going to be a long and painful one. The Lord has blessed me in so many ways throughout my recovery that I decided to share my journey in my new book Heart Refined.

My life’s journey began long before that harrowing day on October 8, 2010, and in Heart Refined, I begin at my childhood. I trust that by showing how God has walked me through these many trials and blessings, that Heart Refined can be an encouragement to others.

Heart Refined is available at Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and Lemstone.com and will be available soon for the Kindle and Nook. Copies will also be available from me directly.

Thank you to everyone that lifted me and my family up during my surgery and recovery and for those who continue to reach out to me. The road is still long, but God has surrounded me with many friends and prayer warriors.

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June 19, 2011. Father’s Day. I have always appreciated father’s day, but this one was a bit more meaningful than the years past. I am eight months into my recovery from open-heart surgery, and father’s day is a day that I was not going to take for granted. I love my kids so much, and one thing that quickly comes to mind whenever I reflect on that day in October, 2010, is how close they were to being without a father. God had other plans, and I received a second chance to continue doing life with my family. It was great being recognized by Gabe and Hope on this special day. If you have not taken the opportunity to give your children a dedicated hug today, I would encourage you to give them a big squeeze. That chance may not be there tomorrow.

I wrote in my blog on April 23, 2011 how awesome it was to get back on the bike. I was able to get through the ride better than I had anticipated. A couple of weeks later, I went on another ride that turned out to be a horrible experience. I wore out quickly and my body let me down. I suffered just to make it to the seven mile marker. I turned around and made it back. The discouragement I felt afterward was overwhelming. I made the assumption that since my first ride went well, that I would only get better. This up and down experience is what I face daily. There are days that I do better than expected, and then there are days, like the last couple of weeks, that I fight madly in order to make it through the day.

On June 11th, I was able to go on a ride with all of my brothers-in-law along with the friend that I normally ride with. This ride went a little bit better than the previous one, so I was slightly encouraged. This past Saturday, June 18th, I was able to get through the full twenty-one miles much stronger than any ride up to this point. I felt good during and after the ride, and am looking forward to continuing to get back to where I was on the bike prior to my surgery. My ultimate goal is to ride the Dalmac in the next couple of years. This is a lofty goal for someone who has been through heart surgery, has a tear on their aorta and a leaky valve, but I need to find something that I can push myself toward.

I am thoroughly enjoying coaching the 9U Elba Bulldogs travel baseball team. The team has come a long ways since their first game on May 4th, and we are now half way through our twenty-six game schedule. All the boys have improved drastically, and I am looking forward to seeing that trend continue.

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Today is the day that Sarah and I celebrate our seventeen year anniversary. I do not take any special occasions for granted. It is hard to believe that there was a ninety-five percent chance that Sarah would be spending this day without me. When I think of that staggering number, I do not congratulate myself, but rather give continued thanks to God for reaching out and allowing me the privilege of spending more time with the ones that I love so dearly. Every moment that I spend with my family is cherished. Sure, I have extremely difficult days, with the last couple of weeks being without exception, but I am surrounded by family and friends who continue to provide love and support.

Lately, I have been suffering with more frequent fatigue and headaches, but I am enjoying being back on my bike and coaching the Elba Bulldogs travel baseball team. Everything I do is harder than it once was, and I often miss some of the things that I was able to do with ease, but then I look at my wife and children, or hop on my bike or walk out on the baseball field and appreciate how my eyes and attention are quickly turned to the Creator and Great Physician. I am reminded, nearly daily, that my road to my “New” normal is not going to be easy, but I appreciate the extra time that I have been given.

Tonight, as I am enjoying a wonderful anniversary dinner with Sarah, I will be honored as I look across the table at the person who has stuck beside me through many days of turmoil. I do consider myself the luckiest guy in the world to be surrounded by such a spouse and children as the ones that God has blessed me with.

Isaiah 40:28-29:

Have you never heard?  Have you never understood?  The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding.  He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. (NLT)

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To my left was my brother-in-law, and to my right was a friend. I gripped the handles of my Trek road bike, and clipped my biking shoes into the pedals. I could not help but be overwhelmed with emotion. I was back on my bike for my first crack at a significant ride since an aortic dissection nearly took my life several months ago.

I remember lying in the ICU on October 10,  2010, and realized that there was a possibility that I might never be able to ride my bike again the way that I was use to riding. At the time, I was more concerned with fighting for my life and being with family than whether or not I could ride a bike, but it was something I thought about as I enjoyed the sport so much.

As I started recovering, my passion to get back on the bike became greater, and I knew that the day that I could get back on the bike and push myself would be a milestone in my recovery.

My goal on this Saturday was to attempt ten miles. I had a heart monitor strapped tightly around my chest and kept a close eye on my heart rate.

As we started to reach the five-mile marker, I was surprised at how well I felt. I wasn’t close to slowing down, and decided to go another mile. Another mile became two, then three and I significantly reach the end for a one way trip of 10.5 miles.

After the 10.5 miles, I still felt really good, and made it back for a full twenty-one mile trip.

By the time I crossed the finish line, I was very tired, but was overcome with thankfulness, and praised the God that not only saved my life, but is now allowing me to do some things that I enjoy.

I was glad to share this experience with the two guys that I was with, and I look forward to getting back onto the bike several more times this summer.

Philippians 4:13:

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. (NLT)

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