it is thinking time...

On Friday, December 8, I had the scariest moment of my life. Michelle and I were eating sushi at a Japanese restaurant in Toronto, and she choked on an oversized spicy tuna roll. In the frantic seconds that followed, I attempted the Heimlich in vain, experienced a fear that bordered on hysteria, and then clutched Michelle as close as possible after she forced the offending fish down her throat with her finger.

Sometime between December 11 and December 13 I had a heart attack (acute myocardial infarction, 100% blockage of the Left Anterior Descending (LAD) artery, 100% blockage of one of the diagonal arteries coming from the LAD, to be precise.)

Coincidence? Methinks not.

Changes are afoot.

One would assume that these would be diet, exercise, etc. However, with the exception of additional exercise, most of my day-to-day calorie storage and expenditure won't be changing. After all, Michelle is a dietitian.

The changes I speak of deal with the heart (no pun intended). My relationship with God has been founded on whatever has been convenient for Travis P. Slagle, Esq. As I sat in bed (in a striking cotton miniskirt/kimono number) I heard God speaking through these events. There have been a number of instances where I have narrowly avoided an end to these years here on earth. God has a purpose for my life, and it is high time that I started looking for it.

Travis had a heart attack

My husband awoke at 3am on Thursday morning with severe chest pain. We got to the emergency room and explained the situation, the lady at the desk mockingly asked him, have you ever had heartburn? Travis assured her that this was definitely not heartburn and the staff at the hospital was moving at a sluggish pace. No one can hardly believe that someone in their mid-twenties is having a heart attack. As time went on the pace picked up and EKG's were done and Travis in the severe pain that he was in was given multiple nitroglycerine tablets to place under his tongue. After a while the pain in his chest was reduced from an 8 or 9 to a 3 or 4 and morphine was deemed necessary as well as a nitroglycerine drip. My heart was racing, as I did whatever I could to keep him more at ease. Hours later he was taken for a stress test, since they needed more confirmation even though they were pretty sure damage was done to his heart.

More tests...finally at 12 pm the next day he was taken in an ambulance to a larger hospital for a angiogram. We were told about the risks of this procedure. The one that was standing out in my mind was death. They anticipated it would take about an hour. After what seemed like the longest 3 hours of my life the cardiologist told me about the blocked vessels and explained how he repaired them. He said that I could see Travis shortly. Another hour passed by, finally I saw a very weak looking Travis in his hospital bed. I see him as such a strong man, yet looking at him in that gown with IV's and wires everywhere...this reminded me of a patient I had observed during my clinicals, not my husband. Before I could even talk to him about how everything went and ask him how he was doing, his eyes were stinging and he was in unbearable pain. I ran to find some hospital staff who determined he might be having an allergic reaction and gave him meds immediately. I tried to talk to him but he didn't respond at all. I completed a medical history form and waited for him to wake up.

That day and especially that night were incredibly long. He was unable to drink on his own, reach the button to call the nurse, or anything else. I am so thankful that I was able to be there with him. It was physically and mentally exhausting to attend to him and notify friends and family of his progress. We received phone calls from so many. Some people left encouraging messages or prayed for us on the voicemail of our cell phone. Others offered me a listening ear in time of need.

It is amazing how God provides. He knows how much we can handle and we are able to stand in His strength despite our human weakness. I pictured myself an emotional wreck, but the Lord carried me through the time that Travis needed me to be strong. He is recovering well from it all, but more tests are being done. He is still in the hospital as the doctors investigate other related factors. I pray for God's wisdom for the doctors and praise the Lord for his faithfulness, grace, and mercy. I thank God for the way that He continues to love and bless His children even in the tough times.

News flash...

12 inches of snow expected by morning in Buffalo.

An answered prayer for a nutritionist

I prayed for a job at a community agency in the field of Nutrition that no one except Travis, not even my internship director, thought I had the qualifications or experience to get. Not only did I land the part-time job, but I have been able to work in a place that needs Jesus like none other. God has blessed me with opportunities to show love and compassion to a population in need. The icing on the cake is that this week they have asked if I will consider going full-time in January. God has answered my prayer above and beyond the desires of my heart.

Living through the storm

The beauty that once was our neighborhood is no longer. The beauty of fall seems to have vanished in the midst of the events surrounding October 12th. There are changing colors, but, sadly, the branches are broken and lie on the ground, though many branches remain attached to the trees that they once inhabitted. The trees have undergone much destruction and it is a wonder if our neighborhoods will ever be restored. The wreckage remains. Some were without electricity for days and others will remain without electricity until Saturday, sources say. Our water supply was deemed unsafe, and boiling has been advised.

We were fortunate enough to regain power 36 hours after the storm. It is amazing what a blessing electricity can be, when such a service ceases one realizes they have taken it for granted. Many in our area have been reaching out to one another. God bless Buffalo and the efforts of the lovely people from Pennsylvania who have been our help in time of need. The Lord has been faithful and protected us through the storm.

What are the reasons that you go to a particular church?

Travis and I went to Michigan for the weekend. We reunited with old friends and went off-roading all day Saturday. The off-roading park was nearly entirely made up of sand dunes and it was a blast impressing Travis with my off-roading "skills." If you were there you know that Test Hill is huge and I took it. Travis even encouraged me to SLOW DOWN. If you know Travis, you know that those words are rarely considered a part of his vocabulary and in a place with little rules regarding one's automotive conduct, I was shocked. Is my husband rubbing off on me? :)

Jordan and Jessica invited us to join them at their church service the next day. We attended Riverview Church, an exciting place to be on Sunday morning with its ultra-contemporary worship service, the vision and aroma of multiple flavored coffees in the foyer, and the hip crowd it drew. If you're interested, http://eriv.net

I had forgotten what it was like to worship with a large group of people, most of whom were younger than age 35. I got the impression that no one tells their bass player or drummer to take it down a notch. It was extremely different from our usual quiet Sunday experience of hymns/praise songs, the doxology, the Lord's prayer, and a service filled with and geared for elderly men and women. The pastor at Riverview appeared on the stage wearing roughed up denim pants, cool kicks, and an American Eagle shirt, with the sort of mic that pop bands use so that their hands will be available to dance up a storm. The message delivered concerned the needs of a man and a woman in a marriage relationship, based on various scripture including Adam and Eve in Old Testament times. He was a dynamic speaker, who never failed to keep my attention. The topic was extremely relevant to our hearts, and, obviously, spoke directly to our current circumstance.

There are few, if any, differences in the doctrine of these two churches. It is quite fascinating that the two experiences can appear so different.

What are the reasons that you go to a particular church? What are the important qualities you look for?

Weekend at Letchworth State Park

We had an amazing weekend. We stayed with our friends at
their family's cottage. We spent the next day at the park.

Overlooking the Middle Falls at Letchworth State Park.
Posing for a shot with our friends, Philip and Annie.

Interesting...Annie looks scared.

At the park.

 

Two and a half weeks 'til autumn

Summer is nearing its end. It became apparent this weekend when we realized we hadn't run the air conditioner at all and it was quite cold in our apartment. We even resorted to locating our cozy throws! It was cool, rainy, and humid. Where did summer go? It was beautiful. This weekend we hope to get in at least one last summer hike!

Zoar Valley Creekwalk

Another NY adventure:

This creekwalk was amazing! I have never felt more deserving of dinner. It was about a six mile walk but when you are walking (and balancing) on rocks, it seems you tire more quickly than with your average six mile walk!


Walking through the creek (crick : O )



We jumped into a pool near a waterfall.

 

Jon took Dana to be his beautiful wife!

We enjoyed our visit to NV. It was nice to be back with the people we love, seeing old friends and family. The wedding was wonderful. The best part was seeing the love Dana and Jon have for one another.


 

Orange Passion

The Completion of the 2005-2006 Internship at UB

Tuesday was the last day of the internship. The director opened a bottle of champagne and at last we could visit with each other and talk about something else besides the grant project and the assignments we were working on! It was wonderful! It's amazing how close you can become with people who share your interests and have traveled along a similar path to your own. This year has been an amazing experience. I have grown from a shy nutrition student to a confident future dietitian! If I would have known what this year held for Travis and I before leaving Nevada, I don't know if I would have come. Now that I can see how much my life has changed, I wouldn't have had it any other way!

 

4 days left, but who's counting?

I am almost done with the internship! Today was my last day of supervised practice. All that remains are a training weekend and about 20 more hours of work on a grant project promoting the health of adolescents in Western NY.

-Michelle Slagle, Future Dietitian

Jordan's Bachelor Party Weekend...

Travis loves hangin' with these great guys. There is always plenty of fun to be had, fire, and let's just say it's never too tidy. They have entitled it a "Redneck Weekend." Maybe you can see why. Gearheads eat your heart out! We are disappointed that we won't be making it to Jordan's Wedding. He and Jonathan are getting married within a day of one another.

Taking care of Jordan's Bronco, with cans of white paint, that is. Travis, doin' what he loves best.
Andrew, that's hot! Looks like an advertisement for GMC, and like too much fun with a single pickup and one enormous puddle.

Smile, Luke and Jordan.

"If I were a painter, And could paint a memory..." - Lee Alexander / J.C. Hopkins

Life is beautiful. I love discovering new places with my husband. Here is our view of Lake Erie on Saturday night from our table. We had seafood at Hideaway Bay Restaurant in Silver Creek, NY. Definitely not Lake Tahoe. A worthwhile substitute? Sure. :)

Travis, braving the mighty Atlantic in a miniscule kayak.





Michelle pointing out our campsite (that's right, it is out in the middle of the Atlantic!)

So we went to Boston over the 4th of July weekend. Kayaked out to an island in the Boston Harbor and camped for two days. The above sign pretty much sums up the countryside that we drove through. Gorgeous though, and lots of really neat history. 

At the feet of Jesus

Today was one of those days, when I thought it was off to the right start. Time in the Word with my husband, prayer, and a balanced breakfast (speaking from the perspective of a soon-to-be dietitian.)

It's interesting how one thing can go wrong and I am crushed. I am in pieces because of something someone says or does. Is it my pride? Is it lack of humility?

Obviously the opinions of others I respect and look up to matter to me. I try to keep my heart focused on the things that are most important. I failed today. I let the world get me down, when I should have been looking at my Jesus.

Our Friends in Buffalo

Here is a picture Michelle took of Philip, Annie, and Cole.

Testing 1,2,3

Hey, cool. Now we can keep up with our old friends on blogger.com. Shout out to Alan Lo. Woohooo!