“Da boyz” convinced me to grab some special time with them … wow, they were so en-“courage”-ing and the very best of the day !!! What would I be/do without you true friends! Privileged I truly am to be in your company… 👊

After 5& months away in hospitals, home now! The miracle of life!

https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/danemigsheartsurgery/journal/view/id/60e8e89ac29a3c6f04bd0dc8

Dan here again …
I keep trying to tell myself that I will have fewer down days.  Not reality.  Yes, they do seem some measure less frequent, yet still very much there.  

Had a good visit with the ENT in Denver today.  Explained to them that I had been trying to “hum” more over the past two weeks, as the ENT in recovery had said the same vocal cords are used.  Sure enough, over the past four days, I am getting some voice back.  No where near my opera norm (LOL), yet an encouraging start.  ENT Denver was so encouraged, that they said I would not have to come back, as long as things continued to improve.  Yeah !!!

Please do continue praying for a full recovery, and especially that my kidneys would kick into a healthy high gear, so as to lose this post-surgery stubborn body fluid.  

Grateful for you and your gracious concern for me and Nora, in these difficult days … !

Dan

24 May, I managed to barely drive myself home with severe chest pains.  I stumbled into the house and told Nora and Jonathan that I thought I was having a heart attack. They called the ambulance, and the next thing I knew, I was undergoing a 12-hour surgery for an aortic dissection.  7 days in ICU, 7 days in regular recovery, then finally home.  I am home so far and continue this excruciating slow process of gaining strength and stability.  With home-care, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and voice therapy, it’s a lot.  Because I was intubated, and the voice cords nerve is so close to the aorta, I have totally lost my voice.  

This is all so hard to communicate.  It’s been a hard 12 months, with my Covid-19 quarantine in Beirut, the CML diagnosis, and now this.  I am sustained by God alone!  

I have just now even gained the strength to type and send this. 
Yet amidst it all, the Lord has been my strength and source of life.  Even in the early stage of all this, when being transported to “somewhere”, I told the nurse, “just let me die” … God was there, in my darkest hour.  I even had nurses praying for me, and one even inked in her daily praying on the chest pillow they require I use.  The reality is, I should be dead, with only a 25% chance of making it to ER, from that, only a 25% chance of making it through surgery, and was told by the medical staff that many die post-surgery.   Truly, I am a miracle to be alive.  And I am so grateful to be here to tell you about this.  

The road is long and sustained ahead, with an 8-12 week basic recovery, then a 6-12 months plus to see how it all goes.  

Nora began a CaringBridge site at: 
https://www.caringbridge.org/public/danemigsheartsurgery

and our friend, Char Sellers, has set up a GoFundMe site at: 
https://www.gofundme.com/f/dan-emigs-big-heart-surgery?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=sms&utm_source=customer

as well as the regular giving sites below.  

If you knew of all this already, thanks for praying!  If you’ve just heard, thanks for praying!  God is faithful, and for all reasons not yet fully understood, He wants me to remain with you, for some time ahead.  Grateful for life.  Grateful to have all three kids here with Nora and me.  And we are always so thankful for you !!!  

Psalm 23:4
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.  

Affectionately peace always   …  
Daniel and Nora     
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If your heart so moves, we would love you to join us in these movements of helping others and advancing every area of their lives.  Relationships, prayer, finances, participation in trips, and more, are all intricate in this journey of faith and love each of us lives out in 2021.   Freely contact us for details of questions, input, and needs.  Join us on a trip.  Relate to all this in prayer. 

Daniel and Nora    

Global Hope Network International
934 N. Magnolia Ave.   Suite # 310
Orlando,   FL   32803-3840
407.207.3256  
https://www.globalhopenetwork.org/about/staff/daniel-emig