CONGRATS DUANE!! YOU MADE IT ALIVE!! THANK GOD!! I WOULD LOVE TO COOK SOME GOOD SPICY INDIAN FOOD FOR YOU SO PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU ARE UP TO A BIG MEAL!!

PLEASE LET PEGGY KNOW THAT I WOULD LOVE TO HELP OUT IN ANY WAY I CAN, SO SHE SHOULD NOT HESITATE TO CALL ME. SO GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOU ARE HOME! HOME SWEET HOME!!

AARTI

So glad you're home. Blessings!!

Pam Pierson

Well Duane and Peggy,
Along with 50,000 other "fans" we are GLAD you are back home again! There is nothing like fresh air, is there? We thank the Lord for answered prayer and will continue to pray for the Lord to watch over you at home too...both of you that is - smile!
love,
Paul and Beth
P.S. Snow is on the way, so we would really appreciate you sending that 70 degree weather our way!

Welcome home Peggy and Duane!
Cindy

We are so happy that you are finally home! Hope you get some rest and continue to recover. We'll continue to pray for a quick and complete recovery! We love you!
Love,
The Beans!

hey duane welcome home!its the best feeling isnt it? ok now get some rest and take it easy.and dont forget not to sit back in a chair that you cant get out of! haha. it does happen! jeff from nj
jeffstoveken@yahoo.com

We are so glad you are home. May God continue to bless you on your recovery. I am sure the nursing school dropout will take wonderful care of you:) She is a wonderful women and we are all so thankful for you both. Love, Amy, Anthony, Delaney and Tanner

So glad you are home. Now Peggy feels more pressure, so as we pray for you, we will certainly keep her in prayer especially. There may be moments that will be difficult. She should never be afraid to call medical professionals when she is worried. Since you've been declared the "hard nut".... :-) May God be very near!
Norma

Hi Duane,
I just realized a good lake friend of mine is a local musician in Winterhave. If you ever see Wiley Christopher Widnerhad playing around town, he has been know to step inside a chuch and play also, tell him you know capatin bill! He just preformed at "Smoke on the Water" BBQ Championship Festival last weekend. Everything will back to normanl and even better for us soon.good luck!

from inside the space shuttle
captain bill

Congratulations Duane!

So glad you were able to see the launch of the Endeavour early this a.m. as you prepare to blast off from the hospital and get on with the business of healing at home and recovering from your ordeal. As the commander of the shuttle said, “It’s time to go fly.”
Many prayers have been answered, and many more are being said for you and your family as you progress in your recovery.
Best of luck, and I will look forward to your journal updates.

Susan Murphy, Overland Park, KS

We at 3811 Vanguard Drive in Fort Wayne are rejoicing with you!!!!

Diane

Wonderful news. Have a safe trip home. Would love to bring you dinner tommorrow night. Would not stay because I think it is to soon for company but would like to drop off dinner sometime tommorrow afternoon, 4:30ish, if that is okay.

Let me know, dq@stslawyers.com, Love and prayers, Deborah

thankful for all the good news. have a safe trip home. Jen and Jeff McKinley

I'm so glad that you were able to see the space shuttle take off. Peggy will do fine on the drive home. She is a wonderful lady! Thinking of you often and praying constantly. Love, Jenn

Duane,
For awhile there I thought you were going to join me on the ISLANDS..Happy to see you made it to Lift off, I wish you many more lift off's in the future.

happy boating
captin bill
(stow-awayed on the space shuttle compartment B-7)

Duane, Peggy,

We saw launch over here in Pinellas County today. Pretty incredible. Hope you saw it as well. Still praying with you.

--Glenn, Becky and Sarah

Thanks for your note when you have so much on your mind and heart. Will appreciate your prayers for me come March 18th. Thank you. Hope this is the day you get "sprung". Will follow your continuing recovery posts. Feel as if I "know" so many of the heart valve journal people.
Fran Zilko (FL)

Prayed for you every day this weekend and am so pleased that your back at the keyboard! Sorry about having to watch the Colts lose on a big flat screen TV! But hey, some of the commercials were pretty good. How well I remember "hugging the pillow", you're new best friend. Keep on improving! Let's have the next post from home!
Eric

Wow! You are definitely one for the books! I think you have found a new calling (blogging). You have quite a following. Duane, I'm thankful for the excellent care and watchful eyes you have surrounding you. May you continue on the path of healing and may your numbers get into the proper range for "you." Thoughts and prayers are with you and Peggy. Joellyn

Hi Duane! What a life! Room with a view and big screen TV for the Super Bowl! Seriously, I am glad things are looking up again. Too much! My prayers continue to be with you and Peggy. Love, Dot

I was glad to see the news that your surgery was successful. You have a strong team there to keep your spirits up!

Jane McLeod

Glad to hear you're doing OK Duane. I had to laugh at the photo of you and the "Operation" game. My kids used to have one of those! Sue Mabe

So thankful that things are looking up for you. You've kept the staff hopping. Your guardian angels have probably been putting in over-time! However, Our Lord is in charge of it all, and we praise God that your body now seems to be getting into step with your inhanced reality physically. We will continue to pray, and trust our God for you both. I can only imagine what this has meant for your children and wife.....God Bless you all!
Ralph & Norma

How special that you could have the wits and humor to change your room into a cruise ship. Looking at the bright side of any situation helps. Certainly feel that i know the two of you without having met in person. When I first went on coumadin 14 years ago it took a while before my INR was in the ideal range. Hopefully, it clicks in soon and you can be on your way. Enjoy the game.
Fran Zilko

Duane, I am so glad to hear you are doing great !

Rik T.

We're so happy to hear you're feeling better today. We're glad they're keeping an eye on you and not letting you go home too soon. You've brought us all on a roller coaster and we know they'll let you go when everything is right! Enjoy the game on your big screen!! :0) (I loved the Proposal...it was so hilarious I bought it!) Hope you and Peggy are both getting some well deserved and much needed rest! We miss seeing you here!
Love you guys!
Shylo & Becky

Hi Hunt family,
I just wanted to say hello and let you know that the "Christian family" is praying for you all.
My dad had a triple bypass at Florida Hospital in December '08, and they are the very best! We were so pleased with the care they gave my dad. That Ginsberg Tower is pretty awesome too! As I've read your updates, all of the terminology and memories are coming back: CVICU, progressive care unit, etc. We've been there walking those very halls, but we found that you do eventually graduate as they take out tubes, move you to better rooms, and eventually - you go home!! Pretty soon I'm sure you'll be back home, and what a wonderful day it will be your first Sunday back at church!
Y'all take care, and please let us know if there's anything we can do for you.
Love,
Julie "Christian" McGowen

Wonderful,wonderful,Yay!!!!! Love ya, Lynda

Hi Duane and Peggy! Have to get a quick message in before your family and friends melt down this website! I love your photos and am so happy that you are back at the keyboard but it would still be good to get Peggy's take on things now and again. Looking forward to reading your HVJ about your recovery as you progress. Warmest wishes
Penny (Scotland)

Sounding good, Duane. Keep hanging in there and remember that you're the PATIENT, not the Pastor. You are being taken care of - NOT taking care of others at the moment. We're still praying for you and Peg and thanking the Lord for all He's done and is doing.
Jack and Joni French

also f.y.i. Paul did what I considered a great job in your absense, hope thats a relief for ya . Mike

Wow, 403 entries in your guestbook, should be an all time high for years to come! Best news that the exit door will be opening for you! Where do they want your INR to be? Mine is to be at 2 to 3, will see what they want post op. Continued prayers for a full recovery.
Fran Zilko (FL)

we miss you and have been monitoring each and every post by peggy and yourself, gotta say we been glad than sad than back to glad, so please (roller coasters)upset my stomach, GET WELL SOON we love you guys and highly respect you and your courage through all of this C ya soon ! Mike,Lisa and family

Such good news--FINALLY!! We have been praying almost non-stop for you and Peggy and your family. Our prayers will continue 'til you're out of the woods for good! Come home soon, maybe we can come by for a SHORT visit? We love you both and all!

Lovingly, Joy & Scott

Continuing to send healthy, heart pumping thoughts your way!

Adam Pick

HALLELUJAH------------HALLELUJAH-------------Sher & Shar

Prayers continuing from sunny California ...well not so sunny at the moment as it is raining. Lots of love and gentle hugs coming your way. Carla

Hi Peggy and Duane
I just read that Richard and Susan are now home and settling in so thought I'd check your journal again to get an update on your situation. You're like one of those houseguests that come for a couple of days and stay a couple of weeks! No doubt you've met most everyone on the floor and then some. Good to hear the tubes are getting removed and that you are finally getting into real recovery mode. You've been there and done it all. Prayers. Cheryl, Ontario

Yeahhhhhh!!!! Such great news!!!! Wilma

Duane and Peggy

Glad to hear your latest news, always in our prayers

love Pete and Thelma Adams x

Duane & Peg,

Just to let you know. You've been on our church's prayer list since just before your surgery. We have been updating the prayer group (that includes Bob's Aunt Dixie) regularly. The church is putting up a prayer quilt for Duane so people can tie a knot in it and say a"prayer at the same time. That will be sent to you later. Glad to hear that things are looking better. You've kept us on our toes the past several days! I noticed that you couldn't seem to just be normal and have a quiet, uneventful recovery--you had to make it "challenging"! (Ha! ha!) Hope the rest of your recovery is truly "rest"-ful.

Love from the Vales

Yeah God AGAIN! So glad this morning to read the good news Duane and Peggy. Hang in there Duane! Still praying man!
Mark and Shawna

Hi Duane & Peggy,

That is great news!! We are praying for you and hope you will be going home soon.

Love,

Linda & Bill Gipson

Thank God, again, for the good news. We have and will continue to pray for you and Peggy.
Peace and Blessings,
Al and Linda

Duane, don't go home 'till you get ice cream! That's a MAJOR part of recovery!
Hal

Again great news. You're getting closer and closer to that big exit door. One thing I've learned as I follow people's recovery process is that it's different for everyone. Duane seems to have had the most setbacks but guess the good Lord knew he (and you) were able to handle them! Will wait for the "at home" update.
Fran Zilko (FL)

DUANE
My name is TOM FERGUSON and I live in CAPE CORAL FL. I have also been a very active person as yourself. I am seeing a local surgeon next week for a mitral valve repair.ADAMS blog and your journal have been valuable tools for me. Good luck to you and I will send you updates on my progress.

Duane,

What are you doing down there? I am beginning to think you are making the cardiac staff show you they can do all the procedures :-) I guess two chest tubes were not enough :-) I am hoping the humor in this will make you smile.

I am glad to hear that the last trip to the OR has this under control and thanks be to GOD that all this has taken place while you are in the hospital! Take it easy and I hope you get back on the floor ASAP.

Wishing you the best and still praying for you all.

Thomas Deakins
Farragut, TN

Duane & Peg, it goes without saying that you are covered in prayer and on our mind constantly. I wanted to also ask you if the protein S deficiency is officially called Factor 5 Leiden. Sheila carries that gene; hence, the DVT in her right leg when giving birth to Chase...huge clotted entire leg from groin to the knee as far as they ultrasounded...Dr thought she would not make it thro birth of Chase...She researched and found out what caused it. And of course on blood thinners galore when carrying the twins. I know after all of your research, you would want to know if Duane's is the same type gene....families...hmmmmmm...they are alike.
God is with you always and that is not just a cliche; how he watches and guides our foot steps...DUANE YOU ARE A MIRACLE...WE WILL NEVER FORGET...Peg, you are the wife of any man's dream. I love u both so much. Aunt Faye

Duane...honestly my friend, the stories that you are going to have in the future!!!!!! I was reminded recently of something you once said during a Sunday message. It was "God does not waste pain." Even though things are tough now, I take comfort in knowing that. ......Cindy