Cardioversion successful and Greg's talk available online!

Hey Everyone,

Greg's cardioversion was a huge success today!  The doctor didn't find any blood clots during the TEE so they proceeded directly to the cardioversion.  Greg's heart converted from atrial fibrillation to a normal (safe!) rhythm on the third attempt and it stayed that way!  This is a HUGE answer to prayer!!!  The doctors anticipate that Greg's heart failure symptoms will decrease, his body will respond better to the diuretics, and his heart function will degenerate slower! And if his heart stays in the normal rhythm (there is a possibility it will convert back to atrial fibrillation) they will have more time to wait for the perfect heart!  We are thrilled with the results!

Greg will go to the hospital on Wednesday for an EKG (so they can make sure his heart hasn't converted back to atrial fibrillation) and blood tests to check his potassium level and to monitor the amount of blood thinners he is taking.  His potassium level was really low today but they allowed him to come home anyway (yay!) and we are hoping that it will increase over the next two days (they have stopped the potassium-leaching diuretics for now) so that he can continue to stay out of the hospital.   Thank you so very much for praying for us today!  Our prayers were answered!

I also wanted to let you know that the message Greg gave at Cru this past Thursday is now posted on the Mason Cru website (www.masoncru.com - click on the media link).  He spoke about suffering- told through the lens of what Greg has experienced and learned this year while waiting for his transplant.  You can also access it directly at http://www.masoncru.com/Talks/Cru_Talk_10.7.10.mp3.    I just listened to it for the first time (I didn't go to Cru because I felt like it would be too emotional for me to hear him speak about the last year) and it was incredible.

Thank you again for keeping us in your prayers.  We'll let you know how things go this week.

Love,
Elise