God's Not Done With Her Yet

Shared with permission from Steve Raymond, Effingham-Teutopolis News Report

Being full of pep.

Or having pep in your step.

What does that mean exactly?

A quick request for a definition on Google produced quick -- or “peppy” -- results. It means having high energy, enthusiasm and a lively, confident attitude. It signifies being happy, motivated, cheerful and active.

In other words, being full of life.

One person that describes perfectly is Sister Jane Marie Hotze.

But there was a time this woman of faith was anything but peppy. In fact, those closest to her heard her say, “I have no pep,” way too frequently.

There was good reason for that, however. The Sister’s heart was in bad shape.

No medicine could fix the problem.

The only option was open heart surgery.

Now, 10 years later, Sister Jane Marie is doing fine. She is retired from active ministry, but still ministers every chance she gets, especially to those she now lives with at The Glenwood in Effingham.

Her life has been prolonged. Service to her Lord continues. And even at 91 years old, she has that pep again.

But in 2015, all of that was in jeopardy. Sister Jane Marie was experiencing fatigue and a shortness of breath.

“I didn’t have any pep,” she recalled. “I wasn’t feeling the best. I knew something was wrong.”

And she wanted to find out why.

So, she made an appointment to see Dr. Jessica Prange, a general cardiologist with Prairie Cardiovascular. As it turned out, she was one of Dr. Prange’s first patients in Effingham.

Testing produced the desired results – and they were both complex and serious. Sister Jane Marie’s heart muscle had thickened. It’s called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. There was also coronary artery disease, plus one of her valves was too tight, while another was too leaky.

“It was serious,” Dr. Prange confirmed. “If she wanted to prolong her life and continue her missionary work, open heart surgery was her only option.”

Both of those things were important to Sister Jane Marie, who was born and raised in Teutopolis. She recently celebrated 70 years as part of the School Sisters of Notre Dame order. She made her First Profession in 1955 and has spent many of those years serving as a school educator or administrator.

Sister Jane Marie had never considered the possibility of open heart surgery. And, understandably, she was reluctant at first.

“Isn’t that the normal reaction from everybody?” she thought. “I’m 80 years old. That’s pretty old to have that done, isn’t it?”

She remembers the questions that raced through her mind.

“Should I go through that? Will I make it through surgery? Could I be worse off afterwards? Is that a big risk?”

Dr. Prange, however, felt confident she could handle the surgery.

“Age is only one factor to consider,” she explained. “Sister Jane Marie was so active and otherwise healthy. She wanted to keep being active and wanted to continue her ministry. When someone has that mindset, they are much more apt to bounce back quickly and return to their normal life. I was confident surgery was the right choice for her.”

Sister Jane Marie also had a discussion with the cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon, Dr. Jeffrey Christy, at HSHS St. John’s Hospital in Springfield.

“He told me he could add another 10 years to my life,” Sister Jane Marie recalled. “He told me I could continue being active, continue my ministry and enjoy my qualify of life. Those discussions really helped me.”

So, at 81 years old, Sister Jane Marie agreed to have open heart surgery on March 2, 2016 – and it proved to be highly successful. She spent 10 days at St. John’s Hospital, then one month in the infirmary at the Motherhouse in St. Louis, before returning to her home in Effingham. She did her cardiac rehab at HSHS St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital.

“It took a while for me to start feeling confident,” Sister Jane Marie admitted. “There was some pain where the incision was. That made me a little nervous, but the doctor was very reassuring. Based on what I had been though, he told me those feelings were normal.”

Today?

“She’s doing great,” Dr. Prange said. “She’s doing better than some half her age. She’s my star patient.”

“Dr. Prange is very encouraging and positive,” Sister Jane Marie added. “She really knows what she’s talking about. I appreciate how reassuring she has been during these past 11 years.”

“Age is not the ultimate determinant of health,” Dr. Prange explained. “People shouldn’t make decisions based on age alone. Talk to your doctor and explore all the options.”

“I do feel great and I have no restrictions,” Sister Jane Marie continued. “My health is so good, it blows my mind. I’m surprised at how well I’m doing.”

This reporter has had the privilege of getting to know Sister Jane Marie. It was good to again see that sparkle in her eye, smile on her face and pep in her step. Plus, hear her familiar greeting, “God Bless You.”

“I just live day by day and trust in God,” Sister Jane Marie said. “I don’t worry about the future. I’m 91. My faith means everything to me. I put my trust in God and my prayers. I still rely on my prayer life every day.

“Oh, the opportunities I’ve had to teach, travel and serve,” she added. “God has so richly blessed me.”