My Story

After living in the Republic of South Africa for nearly 10 years as a missionary I was home in the U.S. finishing my Master of Divinity degree in 1989 when I was diagnosed with AML Leukemia. After nearly seven months of in house hospital stay which included chemotherapy, infections, and a bout with septic shock which almost placed me in heaven, I had a Bone Marrow Transplant at the University of Kentucky. My perfect match was my brother Marc, and after two years of recovery from that health care ordeal I was pronounced cured of bone marrow cancer.
However, in 1995 while living in Murray, KY and ministering as the Director of Pastoral Care and Counseling in a local hospital I noticed bubbling and gurgling in my chest and lung area. A visit to the cardiologist and a few tests later I was diagnosed with Dilated Cardiomyopathy which is where the heart muscle is in a weakened state and can’t pump efficiently for the body’s needs. It was a result of the heavy duty chemotherapy which is now commonly known to cause heart damage.

At that time I was told by the doctor to get my affairs in order, put myself on the heart transplant list, and know that I would only have a 5 year life expectancy if I didn’t get a new heart. Well, that was in 1995 and I have out lived that prediction by exercising, living healthier, and taking the medications that were prescribed.

Since that time there have been thirteen years of preventative medical care, and I learned the added value of meditation, prayer, and the experience of wholeness of body, mind, soul, and spirit! "It is a wonderful ride, living life to the fullest with the experience of growth, development, and deepened life experience even in the midst of seemingly discouraging and difficult days."

**Now I will begin the latter half of this note from my heart. I have had the outcome of living a relatively normal life to the utter amazement of many of the ICU and Cardiac doctors and nurses that I work with on a daily basis. They often have remarked to me, "you are sicker than our patients here on the ventilator and/or those who are waiting for a heart transplant!" "You are a walking miracle." I believe it can be summed up with the words which my cardiologist said when I asked, "How come I am functioning so much better than most patients that I pray with when I am actually sicker than those who are in the beds?" He remarked, "It is your faith, intention, goal, focus, direction, a very positive mental attitude, and your mission in life to do what you do." "God is not done with you yet," is what I hear almost daily.

However, just two years ago I contracted a viral pneumonia which settled in the heart and caused considerable more damage to my already weakened heart. Since April 2006 I have had numerous stays in the hospital and the intensive care. I have had a pace maker/defibrillator implanted in my chest which has already saved my life once. There have been four hospitalizations, three ICU experiences, and three cardiac ablations to help with the atrial fibrillation. However, I am still in atrial fibrillation with an ejection fraction of only 17%. They have even tried five Cardioversions where they shock the heart to get it in regular rhythm. Yet, I still go in and out of congestive heart failure, have shortness of breath, and have a weakened and decreased ability to do physical activities. I was told by the doctor that I have stage IV Cardiomyopathy and am in end stage heart failure and that I should strongly consider stopping work because of the stress on my heart.

I was then referred by my cardiologist to go and have the heart stem cell transplant in Bangkok Thailand, and come back and give my heart a chance to rest and rejuvenate itself with my own stem cells. So after two years of intensive research with a company called Vescell which works with a group of scientist from Theravitea’ and who are in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh, I have been accepted into the Heart Stem Cell program. It is for patients like me who have no other options but to go home and either die or have a heart transplant. Therefore, I have opted to have the stem cell treatment for they have an 80% success rate of renewal to the heart muscle, have American trained doctors, and have a five star internationally acclaimed program that has been written up for its innovative program for heart failure patients.

My health insurance does not cover the expenses which could potentially save my life and so I have to pay for this completely out of pocket. I have a goal of raising $35,000 which will cover most of the medical expenses at the Bangkok Heart Institute. I am in the process of trying to find a not-for-profit organization that would have a Mike Rumble Heart Fund to which one could make donations and have a tax deduction.

My goal is to raise $35,000 by April 1, 2008. I will be using this blog on line for updates to my progress, give information, and be able to communicate on a daily basis from Thailand to all my friends, relatives, and supporters.

I am booked by The Vessel Company to depart for Bangkok Thailand on April 25th from New York and arrive on Saturday the 26th of April. I am picked up at the airport by a Patient Care Coordinator who takes me to the hotel to settle in. The time that I will be away is two in a 1/2 weeks. The first week they take the blood out of my arm like giving a blood donation. The second week after the stem cells have been separated they inject them with a needle directly into the left ventricle and I will be in the hospital two days. Then I will be at the hotel for a week with a daily visit to the doctor to see how I am progressing. There is no opening the chest like an open heart surgery, and there is no ventilator necessary either. It’s a fairly simple procedure with all American trained doctors. There is very little physical risk involved with the procedure. No patient has ever died from their own stem cell treatment. There is no chance of rejection, and a great chance for the stem cells to begin to grow new heart muscle and cardio vascular rejuvenation.

I need to raise $35,000.00 to make this happen.

Please prayerfully consider supporting my efforts by sending donations to the
Mike Rumble Heart Fund

Please address it to: Mike Rumble
1649 Woodfern Dr.
Boynton Beach, FL 33436

Cell: 772-224-0433

Mark on the item: Mike Rumble Heart Fund

Or you can contact me for information to directly deposit funds into an account that I have set up at the Bank of America.

**If I am unable to make the trip for some unknown reason your money will be completely refunded in full. Not one penny will be used for any personal needs. All money will go towards the up front payment to Theravitea’ to cover all heart procedure costs, hospitalizations, personal patient care coordinator, doctor fees, and scientist expenses. Payment must be paid in full up front before going to Thailand.

Please would you prayerfully consider helping me along the journey with a contribution and with your daily prayer for wisdom as I prepare to go and for recovery so that I can continue the mission in life that God has given me: "To be the healing presence of God to all I meet!"

Web sites and Links to look up for more information:
www.vescell.com
www.bangkokheart.com
Don_Margolis_The_No_Option-Option
a. Type that in a Google search to see a video

As it stands right now I am scheduled and booked to leave on Thailand Airlines on the 26th of April for Bangkok and will return on the 16th of May 2008.

Thank you so very much for your gracious prayerful support. After two years of extensive research I am in 100% complete confidence that this is the direction to go.

Sincerely your friend, Rev. Mike Rumble, M-Div; Board Certified Chaplain

To leave a comment, click on '# comments' under this paragraph. Then scroll down to the bottom and write your comment in the blank space. After that you must type in the word verification and then choose the 'anonymous' identity, finally just hit 'publish my post'. Thanks so much...........Mike