May the 4th Be With You

Hello Everyone -  hope this blog post finds you happy, healthy, and hopeful.  I am apologize for the title, but i just couldn't help it 😀

Of course, we have all been dealing with this virus and the associated social distancing.  Online school has been a "learning" experience to say the least.  Family togetherness is taking on a whole new meaning.  Working from home is still a work in progress.  Angela and Matthew are teaching piano lessons using video calls.  We have spent more time in the yard than in any previous spring time.  We are going out less, but still spending all the money in the budget.  (Sigh..) 

We are so thankful for a living prophet that has received revelation from God and prepared us for this unique time in our lives.  We are so very blessed to have prophets and apostles on the earth, leading us to Jesus Christ and teaching us how to receive our own revelation for our families.  We are truly blessed.

I wanted to give an update on some things that have happened over that last few weeks in regards to my health.  I started having some shortness of breath when I would lay down at night - just on my left side.  I told Angela after a couple of nights and she convinced me to call the doctor.  I ended up driving to Huntsman just so I could get checked out by a physician.  They did a CT scan to check for fluid in the lungs or blood clots.  Fortunately, I had neither.  I tried sleeping wit a wedge.  That did help the symptoms, but takes some getting used to.  I had a ECHO and EKG done on my heart, as heart issues can affect breathing.  We contacted a pulmonologist and was able to do a video call appointment. We told him all the things, in regards to my breathing and history of lung damage.  He decided he wanted to see me in person, so he stopped by our house on his daily bike ride - mask, gloves, and all.  This was so king of him to do this.  He didn't have to, but he did it anyways.  He made a positive impact in our lives and showed genuine concern for a brand new patient he had just met on a video call.  He couldn't pinpoint any specific issue.  He thinks it is probably a result of the surgery, radiation, and broken ribs healing slightly collapsed.  I was sleeping on my left side, which would compress/restrict my left lung - the good lung.  My right lung is functioning at a reduced level 40%-60% depending on what you are measuring.  So, sleeping on my left side, I was relying on my right lung to be more effective - not happening. So, I have switched to sleeping on my right side.  This is much better.  I have been breathing better and falling asleep faster.  HOORAY!!!

We will probably never know why I started having breathing issues.  I am thankful we found a simple solution.  The doctor did tell us something very sobering, but something we had thought already.  Because of the havoc the COVID-19 virus plays on the lungs, the doctor said he would not expect me to survive a run-in with the virus.  We were kind of thinking that already...... 

But, we do not dwell on the negatives, we focus on the positives and try to be as prepared as we can, listening for the still small voice to guide us.  Tonight,for example, Angela heading up a strawberry freezer jam party.  We made 23 Quarts (yes, we bottle it in Quarts) of strawberry freezer jam.  We will be spreading happiness onto our bread products for months to come.  Yum!  Yum!

Thank you all, for your prayers, faith, love, friendship, and kindness.  We feel supported and loved in all the ways we could be. 
-Doug-