Visitors

Hi everyone! I thought I'd write another post today, since Chad doesn't have as much time as I do to post on the blog. He did such a great job when I couldn't, that I'm going to try now that I can. Things are going well here, all things considering! My headaches are much better controlled on the pain meds, which were changed at my last appointment. My sister has been here with my younger nephew, Jakey, which has been great, only hard because I can't lift him. I have a weight restriction and can't lift more than 10lbs. My friend from college, Jennifer, came to vist for the weekend, which has been great too...it's like we're freshmen in college again, only married! We went for a walk (Dr's orders) this morning through the neighborhood--what a beautiful day! I had an appointment with the oncologist this morning. Still waiting to find out the final pathology so we know whether chemo will be recommended or not. Pray that the pathology is a lower grade, so they won't recommend chemo. We would like to only have to do radiation, but will obviously do whatever gives me the best prognosis and the lowest chance of tumor recurrence! By the way, for those of you that know her, my friend Neethi gave birth last night to an adorable baby boy!

Phone Calls

To all of my friends that wonder why I don't return phone calls...please understand that before I was on anti-seizure meds, too much auditory stimuli would make me have seizures...both too much talking and too much listening. Talking on the phone really seems to bother me, so I stay off as much as possible. Know that it has nothing to do with not wanting to talk, but everything to do with not wanting to ever have another seizure! I hope you understand. As I continue to feel better, I will let you know when it is easier to be on the phone. Thank you for all of the calls and emails...right now, email is the preferred method of communication for me. Getting better each day. Still praying for no more headaches! Also, have many Dr's appointments in the next couple of weeks, please pray for those. The verdict's still out on chemo, but I really don't want to have it! Radiation starts next week. Love to you all,

On that note,

Laura does have an allergy to shellfish, especially shrimp.

If you are wanting to cook...

We have had a number of people ask if they could make a meal for us while Laura recooperates, but are fearful of the gluten allergy...which is understandable. That being said, I love food, and welcome any meals during the work week when I can't be at home to make them as easily myself. Also, Laura doesn't know this, but I had a special request for the Professor to get rid of the part of her brain that made her not want to eat meat...and it seems to have worked! We had filet on Saturday night, steak kabobs for lunch yesterday, and burgers last night! Praise God! That being said, Laura still stays away from anything "farm raised" (fish) due to mercury content. She still eats vegetarian, just not strictly as she seems to crave protein lately. Also, I eat everything, so don't worry about the food going to waste or not being liked.

Here are some websites for gluten-free recipes that might be helpful:
http://www.csaceliacs.org/recipes.php
http://members.ozemail.com.au/~coeliac/det.html
http://www.celiac.com/st_main.html?p_catid=20


Some things that I have learned to avoid since trying to live gluten-free:
distilled vinegar (balsamic and red wine are fine)
maltodextrin
carmel coloring- did you know Coca-Cola has gluten?
artificial vanilla flavoring
"spices"- generalized on labels
wheat-free doesn't mean gluten free (I know, right?)

If you avoid pretty much all salad dressings and marinades, that is usually a good idea. People at stores just don't know or understand gluten-free unless you go to Harvest Health.

Please don't feel that this is necessary, but I wanted to provide some help for those people that "show their love" through food.

Laura's headache is still an issue, though she is now officially "regular" after I threatened another supository Saturday morning. Thank you for all of your prayers, flowers, and support; it has been amazing. Talk to you soon.

Farmers Market

Went to the Farmers Market this morning and to Fresh Market this afternoon. I have been out walking like a good girl getting my exercise! Thanks to everyone for your gift generosity and your time, for those of you who are driving me around! Everything is much aprreciated! You all have sent such beautiful flowers, too! It looks like a florist in here!

My headache is getting better each day, please pray that it goes away completely...I'd like to not have to take anything for pain. I'm sleeping well, which is a huge blessing when trying to heal. I just got off the phone with my dear friend Neethi...we are stuck on opposite sides of the state from each other, and neither of us are allowed to drive to see the other...me because of the driving after having seizures rule, and she because she is 9 months pregnant and could go into labor any time! I told her she just can't have a baby that weighs more than 10 lbs. because I'm not allowed to lift any more than that after surgery. For those of you that know Neethi, that's just funny, because she's petite. She said she'd cry if she has a baby that weighs more than 7lbs, let alone 10. Ohhh, how I wish I could be with her right now!

Thank you all for your continued prayers and posts! It's so awesome to feel this loved! Chad is making me dinner right now. He's concerned about my getting enough protein to regain my strength, so he's grilling filets, which is not a common occurrence here in our mostly vegetarian home. For those of you that know me well, you won't be suprised by the pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream waiting for me in the freezer...already partially eaten. I know, for those that know me really well, you're suprised it's not a half-gallon!

Again, visitors welcome, as long as I'm home. Love to you all,

Ahhh OMM!!

It's so nice to be home! Patients just don't get good rest in the hospital! I went to one of my clinics today to get treated. Oh, how I needed that! Thanks Laura and Kevin! I feel much better! One of my friends had to drive me around today since I'm not allowed to drive. It's hard to be dependent on people. But boy how it helps to have great friends who will do anything for you! It was great to see everybody today! It was nice to get out of the house. I need to get out more and walk more--Dr's orders. He wants me to walk a couple of miles a day. If I'm not walking enough I have to wear the support hose. I know which I'd rather do!

I have some of my best friends in the world coming to see me in the next couple of weeks and I am so excited!! Thanks you guys! It makes Chad feel better to have someone with me at home...he doesn't like me here by myself, but there's not much we can do about that...and he has to work and I'm not allowed to yet.

For those of you wondering what the next step is...that will be radiation starting the first week of September. The Professor said no chemo...just radiation, that we will be able to do here in Grand Rpids, thankfully. Also, I will remain on seizure medicine for at least 6 months until they start to try to wean me off of that

The headache is continuing to get better; however, I still need quite a bit of pain medicine, which I'd just as soon not take. Thank you for the continued prayers for no more headaches or seizures, for the ucoming radiation--that it gets every last nasty cell that may be lingering in there, for my incision to heal quickly so I can shower and wash my own hair...those little things we take for granted!

Thank you to everyone who has been sending beautiful things to the house--flowers, edible arrangements, etc. It's all wonderful! Keri, Denise gave me a hug from you today! I would welcome visitors anytime...just call first so you know I'm home...though odds are good I will be! Love you all,

Home Sweet Home

To the surprise of many, we landed very easily in GR despite the storm. We immediately went to spend our gift certificate at Bonefish with Bruce (picked us up from airport) to celebrate coming home, while Laura was sporting off her scar. She was very hungry on the plane, as we realized that we hadn't eaten since breakfast and had no time on our layover in Memphis after being delayed sitting on the tar mack in Little Rock in 103 heat with no AC...not cool. I cannot WAIT to hear the story from Nicole as to why the police were in our drive when Bruce stopped by the house to pick up our car to pick us up...and speaking of Nicole, what the heck are you doing mowing our lawn? Thanks, that is too much. Carrie, flowers all over the place (nice touch on the card, how much do I owe you for the rose?) and an immaculate house...we don't even know what to say.

Funny stuff...Laura fell asleep in the plane with some water still in her mouth and woke up when it spilled down her shirt....and then asked me tonight what time I wanted to go to church tomorrow morning...then repeated the question three times as I wasn't sure I was hearing her right. Laura didn't even bother taking off her doctor-recommended white support hose to eat at Bonefish...she was THAT hungry....and a little stoned on meds.

Just to prepare those who visit, Laura's face is a little weak on the left side, so her smile mostly exists on her right side. She can smile symmetrically, but she has to think about it. Nothing to worry about per the Professor, it is the ONLY sign of weakness her entire body has shown, quite a miracle. I think Bruce was having the same issue I have had with her looking like she went off on a vacation and came back with a scar instead of a tattoo.

If people are planning on asking a lot of life question, be prepared for us not having a lot of answers. The fact that two weeks have passed in minutes, and Laura is laying next to me...catching flies with her mouth wide open no less...is a miracle that can only be understood by the big guy Himself. Frankly, neither of us can wrap our heads around it, as none of it seems real...we can't even believe it was two weeks ago today that we were flying out! The one lesson I can say that I hope to learn from is the power of friendship. I can't say I have been a great friend to a lot of people in my life, and you all have shown me what it means to be one. Your love, support, and care you have shown Laura throughout the last month has been awe inspiring. I could only hope to be the kind of friend that so many of you have shown to be to Laura. God bless you all.

By the way, her headache got a lot better today aside from the altitude changes in the plane, so hopefully the body chemistry change after last night took hold.

Coming Home!

I had an appointment with the professor this afternoon, and he thought I looked great and strong. He said we didn't even have to wait until Friday to travel. We were able to get back on our originally scheduled flight this afternoon and will be back in Grand Rapids later tonight. We are very excited to be out of the heat and out of hotel beds! I'm feeling good and up for the trip. Still have a little headache, but not bad all things considering....Ready to get home, for sure, and out of this heat. I'm excited to see all of you...thanks for all the support! Radiation treatments will be scheduled once I'm home, but I will not have to travel back here for those--he said those could be done in Michigan.

The Kids Enjoyed Their Swim

WARNING- I like gross humor, so if you don't, you may want to pass on reading this post.

Laura finally was able to clean her system out last night! Professor's wife, and assistant, was concerned about the lack of BM, so she suggested a suppository. After learning more about them on our way to Walgreen's, I realized Laura and I would be taking the intimacy of our relationship to a new level. :) When we returned from Walgreen's, I was tied up with an online fantasy football draft I have annually with my college buddies. During that time, at Jean's suggestion, Laura effectively used the "braille" technique to take care of it. All has passed, and she no longer looks 3 mos pregnant, which is not an exaggeration.

Continued prayers for a speedy recovery, disappearing headache, and brief radiation treatments are much appreciated, as well as those for Leah and her family (young woman hit by the baseball).

God bless and we can't wait to return to MI!

Coming Home Friday!

We found out at about 6:30 PM that we are seeing the Professor tomorrow at 2 PM and returning home Friday. We are looking forward to being back in MI!

Mmmm Starbucks

I am a dedicated Beaners guy, but they don't have them down here (I promise, Jim). Laura and I hung out at Starbucks for a while today and then walked around a bit. I was hoping Starbucks affected her like it does me, but no such luck so far. While we were there, a police officer escaping from the heat asked about how Laura was doing, not knowing what the head scarf was for. He was in awe when he found out she had brain surgery last week. She looked far too well for her to have had such a serious surgery. To be honest, the reality of the situation is difficult for either of us to comprehend as well. She had brain surgery last Monday...I just can't wrap my head around it...and she can't either.


We still have yet to find out when we are returning, so I will let everyone know when we do.

On Sunday, Professor informed us that he had an emergency surgery Monday morning on a young girl serving as the physical trainer for a college who was hit in the head by a baseball. They ran an MRI on her to make sure she was all right, even though she was not experiencing headaches, and found a malignant tumor. Talk about a blessing! When Laura, Doc, and Janet went for a walk late in the afternoon on Sunday, they bumped into the girl (20/21 yrs old) and her father. Understandably, she was very scared, but felt so much better after being able to talk to someone that was on the other side of it. Please pray that her surgery was successful and there are no lingering effects for the young woman, as I cannot help but be amazed that God had to line up a high speed foul ball to demonstrate his faithfulness in her. Our God is amazing!

No changes on the prayer request front, and we sincerely appreciate them.

She is a bit "stoned" from her medication, so she is not fully vibrant as usual. Directly to the left is a pic of us waiting for the shuttle as we were bringing her home from the hospital. Go figure, she gets a bit dolled up in nothing other than pink. We just finished a walk around the block...not too bad for brain surgery just a week ago!

The Other News

Laura is doing well today, though the headache persists. It is localized around her right eye and temporal area, so please pray for those areas. It is obvious she is happy to be out of the hospital, and her appetite has returned aside from the times her headache is intense. No BM yet, so that would be welcome as well.

After the surgery last Monday, Professor told me the majority of the tumor looked like a Stage 2 (low grade) aside from one section. However, he couldn't confirm that until it passed through pathology (labs) to confirm. On Saturday, he informed Doc, Janet, and I that all was Stage 2 aside from one corner that was Stage 3 (high grade). The good news is that there were no cancerous cells in her blood work or spinal tap, so it might have just recently changed/mutated. For good measure, he recommended that we have her undergo some local radiation to ensure there are no Stage 3 cells lingering around. The MRI confirmed all of the tumor is out, but cells can hide. Laura was informed yesterday, and she didn't blink an eye. She wants to get this finished and move on with life...a trooper to put it lightly. We are waiting to schedule an appointment with the Professor either later today, but most likely tomorrow. He said the radiation could be administered in Grand Rapids/MI (thank you to the leadership in GR for developing a life sciences economy so this is available locally). He said this is not something to worry about, as it is a preventative measure, and the tumor was found and removed in very short order, therefore potentially getting it out before more of the tumor mutated. Praise God!! We look forward to learning more when we meet with him next.

Prayer Requests

Please pray for safe, comfortable treatments of radiation, disolving headache, and a less retentive van for the kids. Thanks again for all of your support and prayers, it is a true blessing to have so many loving friends. God Bless

Back at the Hotel!

I don't think I have ever been so excited and happy to bring anyone anywhere. After Professor said he would have her stay another day, I sweet-talked him into allowing her to come back to the hotel...a more comfortable and uplifting environment. She was very happy to get out of the hospital, though that is in no way a reflection of the UAMS quality of care. All of the people there are so caring and nice, we would recommend it to anyone having this or multiple myeloma...which it is also world famous for treating.

After the move, Laura is resting in the bedroom watching TV...though I was giving her grief for watching HSN, which she replied that they were cooking her yummy food (Wolfgang Puck was selling his stuff...and the prime rib looked great!). When Doc and Janet return from lunch, she will get to take a much needed shower...lover her to pieces, but she's getting ripe!

I am sure she will reach out later today, as will I as there is more news to share. Off to the pharmacy I go!

She Speaks!

I thought I'd take the opportunity to post something while Chad doesn't need his computer; and, he's otherwise occupied watching his brothers football game on TV...we were supposed to be there right now, but this surgery changed our plans around a little bit.

Not much more to write than what Chad has already. I ate well today. Lots of fruit and prunes (yuck!). Dad made me some salmon and wild rice and delivered it to the hospital. It was awesome and the closest thing to real food I've had in days. I am excited to get out of here and back to the hotel. Very excited to wash my hair/shower and get these compression boots off...they said I have to wear the hose for awhile.

Someone has already spoken for getting to be the one to adorne the little patch of hair on my right side with pink beads...so don't everyone fight over that! My sister sent me some beautiful scarves to hide the war wounds, which I will be wearing for awhile, I'm sure. I don't think my hair will cover it that easily, we'll see. I'm not too concerned. I feel totally blessed that he got the tumor out and that I have all my faculties about me. I have a lot to be thankful for. OK, I think that will be it for tonight. Thanks for all the continued prayers for my complete recovery and all the love I know is being sent our way.

A Great Night's Rest

...will do wonders. Laura slept from about 9:30 PM until early this morning. While I noticed she was getting stronger through the night, the difference this morning is fantastic. The smile that lights up a room is back, as well as a more consistent sense of humor. Professor is excited to see the progress, and wants to see her progress a touch more here before sending her back to the hotel.

We got to see the post-op MRI, and wow. The tumor was pretty large. A vague description would be an oval 4 in. by 2 in.. It is pretty crazy to see an empty spot in her head. While I can accurately say I now have more brains than she, we all know who is the brains in this family...and it is not the author of this blog post.

For your enjoyment, Laura OK'd the release of the pictures of her incision and shiner. It's not like she won't be asked by people to see the incision scar anyway.

Prayer Request

Continued prayers for a speedy, comfortable recovery, dramatically reduced headache...and a less retentive "van door."

Exciting News!

Today was not a lot different from yesterday, as Laura's headache still persists and the "kids are still strapped into the bus." Now the pain starts for me...watching "High School Musical 2"...the things we do for our loved ones. Far too much bubble gum, overacting, and singing for my taste, but Laura is entertained by it.

Ok, here is the exciting news- It is possibile that they are going to release her to the hotel tomorrow so to get her out of the hospital and into a more comfortable environment. How long we will be there, I am unsure. I am excited and scared at the same time to get her out of here.

Please pray for the "kids to unclick their seatbelts" and for that to allow her headache to disappear for a more comfortable recovery. Thanks for the prayers and support! We hope to see you back in GR soon!

What would you do for a Klondike bar?

My fault for the delay in posting, which you will understand a bit later. I stayed with Laura at the hospital last night, and she had a pretty decent night after taking some codeine around midnight. She rested well, and went to the bathroom by herself "so not to bother me"...she got in trouble for that one...but then I didn't wake up for the 2nd time she needed to go...so anyway.... This morning she asked for some fruit, as she was hungry...sweet! She was recently up walking around and it's so neat to see her become alert after getting some food in her. Jean mailed some tasty gluten-free lemon cookies, and she enjoyed some bites of those. Thanks Jean!

Her sense of humor is definitely in tact as she "squeezed the buns" as she likes to put it during a standing hug after her walk. Then, after explaining to Doc the hotel has ice cream treats such as Klondike bars you can buy, she asked, "What would you do for a Klondike bar? Would you get a brain tumor removed?" I can't tell you what it feels like to see her with a smile on and flashing around that sweet personality we all love.

Her headache is pretty rough still, and has to take codeine to put some limits on it, as it hit a 8 out of 10 on the pain scale today. As many of you know, she is not keen on medicines and pain killers. She is being so strong throughout this recovery process, I know I would be whining something awful.

Doc and Janet really stepped up today by being here when I went back to the hotel to rest. The lack of sleep finally caught up with me today. After getting what I thought was a reasonable amount of rest last night, I returned to the hotel this morning to recharge. Even though I didn't feel very tired, Janet and I thought it would be wise to grab a short nap around 8:30/9:00 AM... I woke up at 2:00 PM. I guess my body wanted more sleep than I thought, and since I woke up in the exact position I laid down in, it was much needed. Many friends who have supported family in the hospital have encouraged me to take care of myself, which I especially took to heart so to provide Laura heartful, caring support, not grouchy, tired attendance in her room. My college roommate, Tim, really made a point of this, as he and his wife Kathy had a similar situation a couple of years ago when their then 2 yr old boy, Max, had a tumor/mass removed from his brain. Thanks Tim.

If she is feeling up to it, Laura might post her own entry again tomorrow. She texted Jean a thank you for the cookies, so she is becoming more active and wanting to do a little more all of the time.

She just said that she needs a STAT OMM consult...

Prayer Request

Continue to pray for a speedy, comfortable, pain-free recovery and specifically for the headache to subside. I can't believe I am going to put this on here, but I don't want to miss out on any power of prayer for her...she also needs to "drop the kids off at the pool." She hasn't since the surgery, and they think that might be part of the problem with the headache. Here's to hoping I don't end up in the hospital shortly for posting that...

God bless, and thanks so much for all the love and support everyone has shown.

A Walk Down the Hall

Laura recently finished a walk of 40 ft to left of her room door to the exit door, and then about 100 to other end of the hall where the visitor's lounge is, and then back to the room she went! She has a mild temperature as her body recovers, and her head continues to thump. She only had some small sponges inserted between her lobes to create some space for the removal of a tumor...I guess I would have a headache too.

She did find a berry smoothie concoction an easier way of stomaching the soy milk rather than drinking it straight. She left a little, and it was pretty tasty.

She is resting soundly right now, and hope to see her do more of the same throughout the night.

Sending Stuff

People are asking about sending goodies, and I want to first say this is very generous and much appreciated. However, if you would like Laura to be able to enjoy them, would it be all right to have things sent to our house once we return home? Laura's eye's are shut 99% of the time right now and will be able to enjoy them more at home as we would likely have to leave them behind. I hope that's all right, I just want the person they are intended for to be able to enjoy them!

A Low Key Day

...and that works just fine. Laura is resting peacefully next to me. The only activity aside from bathroom breaks are revolving moist, cold wash cloths that Laura is situating over her right eye. We rotate them from the AC vent that I am sitting on to her eyes. It serves two purposes...feeling good and relieving swelling. Late yesterday afternoon, her right eye began swelling. Professor warned us this would take place, as it is the lymbic system's response to the incision and surgery. This is all based on memory of last Thursday's appt. with him, so my apologies to the doc's out there if I am off base.

***Breaking News***

We interupt this program to bring you a breaking news alert...

Just as I was finishing the prior paragraph, the nurse came in and we got Laura to keep down about 6 oz of soy milk to give her strength. She then got up to walk out of the room and about 20 ft down the hall and back! Her nausea subsided, and did very well getting there and back. A little wobbly due the to medication, but that is to be expected. Praise God! We are going to need to be a little more aggressive with feeding her, as I could tell very quickly the difference the little bit of soy milk made.

Professor stopped by briefly and said things are progressing well, and we are going to start a more aggressive "feeding campaign" to build up her strength so her body can recover.

I would take a picture of her and post it, but I am not so sure I wouldn't be in the hospital as soon as her strength comes back. The gowns aren't exactly at Laura's level of fashion, and the ice pack on the head doesn't make for a very attractive hat. She is sleeping soundly after the walk while listening to some Brandon Heath (new Christian artist...album is great).

Your continued prayers and support are great and know they are felt.

Now that I am making sense again...

Sorry Laura fans for the late post, but I spent the night with Laura last night, and only slept a few hours...not a good thing for someone who really needs 7-8 to operate correctly. My sister kicked me out early this morning and sent me back to the hotel after my conversation with her around 6:30 was slurred and wasn't making a lot of sense. I thought I sounded just fine, but that's what drunk people say too...Laura had a really good night, and today the big development is she is eating! I am very relieved that she is getting some nutrition in her system to aid recovery. Last night, she was getting in and out of her bed well during bathroom breaks, which was a great sign!

Professor said this morning she will likely be released to go home on Saturday, which is amazing. We will be playing it by ear, but that is what he is thinking.

Her headache continues to be an issue, and she had a little more codeine to ease her pain so to rest more soundly. She is doing so now, and we ask that people continue to pray her headaches recede soon.

God Bless,

Chad

By the Way, Family is Awesome

I am ashamed to say I failed to mention something pretty neat. For those that don't know, my brother, Kelly, is working toward making the regular roster for the San Diego Chargers (http://www.chargers.com/team/roster/kelly-griffeth.htm). Settle down ladies. My parents flew out to San Diego this last weekend to see him play in Sunday night's Chargers vs. Seahawks game. I found the pick above just now on their website...Kelly is #46 and is the big, semi-shaved-head guy in upper right quadrant of the picture.

After flying back Monday, they drove 8+ hrs from KC to Little Rock and picked up my sister and nephew along the way. They arrived in Little Rock this morning at 12:45 AM. They have been great support helping Doc and Janet "behind the scenes" as laundry gets done, runs to Wild Oats for fresh fruit for Laura are expedited quickly, and comic relief is instantly available via Owen. Just to clarify, Owen is above right, and Kelly is above left.

My laundry was done...so no need to wear "clean" inside-out boxers. I really need to have my information filter reset.

Laura's movements in the just the last hour have become much more crisp. So cool. He works fast.

Janet is the definition of gentleness and calm, while Doc is talking to people from Scotland to Washington state to keep them informed and praying. Having my family here is like a cherry on top. I am starting to ramble, so I will provide more updates tomorrow.

Rest, Sweet Rest

Thank you for the prayers! Her pain level (on a scale of 1 to 10) has decreased from a 5 to 2 in the past few hours. I can tell a big difference in the annunciation of her words, as she was slurring before. Also, after standing by the side of the bed, she showed great progress in her strength as she put herself back into bed. After some nausea issues earlier, the medication for that and the headache have made her quite comfortable. Aside from periodic requests for ice chips, she is resting peacefully.

I am here for the evening, as they want 24 hour supervision and support the first night out of the higher level recovery area. The RN's have been great. It has been a learning experience to remember to focus on the little details...they make a big difference. I must admit, that is area of weakness for me.

Prayer Request

Continued relief from headache pain and for it to be gone for good when she awakes tomorrow morning. Also, she has yet to be able to eat much, so pray her nausea also disappears and her appetite and ability to hold food down return. We are so grateful for everyone's support and prayers, I cannot put it to words.

Good Night and God Bless You All,

Chad

Walking...No Problem

In an effort to gauge progress, they had her walk to the bathroom with my assistance. There was no issue with the left leg at all, and aside from getting nauseous, she did fantastic. She hasn't eaten much of anything in the last day and a half, so she agreed to let me feed her some Griffeth Gourmet Banana Pudding...look for it soon on supermarket shelves in your neighborhood. It is a delicately prepared concoction of mashed banana and....mashed banana. She ate about 5 bites and is drinking a lot more water.

Kind of funny...I discussed with our nurse Laura's gluten allergy and sensitivity to dairy, and that a fruit plate would suffice as a meal. What did they send? Two popsicles and some jello. That's just funny. They have it straightened out now, but how does anyone in a hospital consider that to be a nutritious option? I can't help but laugh.

Since the walk to the bathroom, she has been sleeping soundly aside from the bites of gourmet banana pudding and intermittent sips of water. Continued prayers for relief from her headache are much appreciated. No pain, no pain...

Sitting With Her

I am sitting next to her on the bannister next to her bed. No worries about the scorching midwest heat wave, as my left cheek is on the AC vent. Too much information...you wouldn't believe how great she looks...more color than she has had in weeks, everything is working on her left side, and speaking clearly without any issue. Professor just stopped by to say how brave she was during the MRI, which is really tough on people following brain surgery due to the volume of the mechanism. Best of all, he said the MRI shows they got ALL of the tumor out! Praise His Name!

She is very happy to be able to drink water today as the oxygen mask really dried her mouth out yesterday, which we could tell during our visits. She has yet to have an appetite, but Professor is not worried about that. She is resting now as they gave her some codeine for her headache.

The only lingering issue at this point is her headache, so that makes for a great prayer request. Please pray that the headache disappears for good, allowing her body to focus on recovery in a very comfortable state without pharmaceutical/herbal assistance. I know she would like nothing more than comfort during recovery she can return home soon.

As I sit here in this quiet room with her, I cannot put into words what your prayer, blog comments, and notes do to provide us strength through Him. I am so humbled by this, if for no one else. it is bringing me so close to Him, for without Him, I would be an absolute mess right now. Thanks again, and I will update throughout the day as things progress.

Morning Third Party Update

I spoke with the recovery unit this morning, as the soonest we could see her this morning was 9:00 AM. They were getting her ready for her MRI, which she has yet to return from.

The Good News

She was alert, moving all extremities, talking, and has been released to a regular recovery room! Praise Him! They are calling me as soon as she returns from the MRI so we can visit her for another 10 minutes. As soon as I have more to report, it will hit the blob.

Last Visit of the Night

After going in at 6:30 PM to find her fast to sleep, I chose not to bother her. Instead, it was pretty neat as her blood pressure (first number) dropped from the low 130's to 110 while I was speaking with her nurse. She had also moved her left leg shortly before to get a pillow underneath her!

Doc, Janet and I left to grab some dinner as we were informed we would be allowed to see her again at 8:00 PM for the final visit of the night. Speaking of dinner, I am hoping a Pei Wei comes to Grand Rapids soon, it's a really good younger brother of PF Chang's and has a gluten free menu. I digress...by the time we returned at 8:00, she had moved both her left arm and leg on her own! I have to admit I was very relieved, for loss of motor function was not something I had given enough weight in my mind and prayers. Just as important, she was much more alert! She knew we were there, made eye contact, and tried to communicate verbally. She was trying to communicate, but was too heavily sedated. She was nodding to my questions, and continually giving my hand little squeezes as a way of communicating. It was phenomenal. While it ripped at my heart to have to leave her alone for the night, she was so exhausted the last few minutes (of a total 12 minutes), she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. She is going to have an MRI tomorrow morning early to confirm they removed all of the tumor, and we will be able to see her again at 9 AM. I can't wait.

The comments on the blog are great, thanks so much for the continued love and support. The hotel we are staying in feels as though there are angels at every corner, as everyone here is here to be treated for something. The little acts of kindness provided by the front desk, shuttle drivers (Lenny is great), and the let alone the sweet people at the hospital make the entire experience one that reflects God's power when people are in need of Him. Love you all,

Chad

New Prayer Request

I was able to spend 10 mins. with Laura, while Doc and Janet split the 10 min. allotment. She was responsive to our voices, but in such a deep, out-of-it sleep that she would slip in and out of "it" (I can't really characterize her state accurately, so "it" is going to have to do). Once I moved to her right side, and she heard my voice, she sought out my hand to hold. She provided some good squeezes to let me/us know she knows I/we were there. She looks great, and already has more color than she did the last time I saw her (time seems to be warped today, so I am not sure when that was). To those that know her, you might know that she likes her kisses...and her heartrate literally slowed when I gave her some kisses on her cheek and whispered in her ear before I left...pretty comical.


Prayer Request:

She has yet to move her left side, which is but an observation at this point and has not yet moved to the level of concern. She consistently migrated her eyes and attention toward her right side, so we stayed on that side so she wouldn't think/try too hard. We were told that could create nausea for her. The doctor and nurses were not concerned as it simply takes different people different amounts of time for the hemisphere of the brain operated on to "wake up."

If our prayer force out there would pray that her left side provide the doctors some good feedback, we would be grateful. Due to her medical expertise, I do not want her to overhear us speaking about it and have her start worrying, especially in the cloudy state she is in at this point. She is prone to worrying, and I don't want anything but positive thoughts running through that cute little head. Please pray for full, speedy, painless recovery for all nervous functions. She of all people I know deserves it.

Tales from the Lounge...

UAMS gets a huge thumbs up on making wireless internet available. It is allowing me to expend my energy constructively, as I am pretty hopped up on a potent combination of coffee and Vault (don't tell Laura).

Professor, as Dr. Yasargil prefers to be called, recently stopped by to let us know the CT Scan looked normal. Also, he sees no remnants of the tumor. God rocks.

They just called out to let us visit Laura, gotta run.

Pre-Op Pictures

You can barely see it, but they made a mark on her right temple for good measure...which we all appreciated. No need for a "human" moment at a time like this...

As you can see, Laura's spirits, faith, and confidence were very high going into the surgery.

So Sleepy...

Dr. Yasargil came to reassure us the surgery went very well and she is doing fine. Some patients react to the anesthesia differently, and she is in a deep sleep. They took me back to see her, and she looks great. They asked me to speak with her to see if she would snap out of the sleep, and she raised her eyelids about half way, but was too tired to wake up. She did the same thing again when the nurse said I was there to see her. They are not concerned, but are going to run a CT scan for good measure to make sure everything is working the way it should.

Doc quickly informed me upon return that the Tinning family has historically reacted strongly to anesthesia, so she is likely just sleeping it off. For those of you that know Laura (and the rest of the Tinning's for that matter), know her to be a light-weight with cocktails, so why would this be any different? What she was given was a heck of a lot stronger than a margarita.

The Tumor is Out!!!

I just spoke with the neurosurgeon, and the procedure went relatively "easy" for them...which doesn't compute in my mind as he was performing brain surgery. The tumor came out well and they are closing her up right now. They will confirm they got it all tomorrow morning via MRI, and will confirm the stage of the tumor through histology, which will take about a week. He said from from outward appearances, it was just like his 500 other cases. Confirming the stage is required by law, and obviously a good practice.

In all actuality, it doesn't seem real. Doc, Janet and I have been waiting in the lounge, and when we see Laura (hopefully soon), she is going to be without the tumor she had just 4.5 hrs ago. Amazing.

The power of prayer is unbelievable, as we have experienced so much peace this morning. Inexplicable...though, who are we to comprehend His power? Thank you so much to those of you that have prayed so diligently in the past three weeks, and I ask you continue to pray for speedy recovery, no lingering affects, Laura to feel better than ever, and most importantly that the histology comes back as a Stage 2, low grade astrocytoma.

Laura has been a testament to her faith during this process, as she so peacefully and confidently went into surgery, while it was all I could do to hold myself together as it was very difficult to watch her be wheeled off without being able to go with her. She is an example for us all, yet also a reflection of the strength provided through everyone's prayer. I don't think one could be without the other.

I read this yesterday, and the passage resonated today:
Luke 8:25 He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. "Where is your faith?" he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him."
His power is amazing, as He has blessed such talented people with gifts that allow for "easy" removal of brain tumors that were not in simple places per all the conversations we had prior to our trip here.

We are so grateful for all of your continued prayers. God Bless!

11 Hours!

Chad and I have had a nice relaxing day just spending some time together. We are currently watching his brother's San Diego Chargers preseason football game on TV. Mom and dad have arrived in Memphis and will be here with us in an hour or so.

God has been so faithful and is still giving us such a peace during this process. He is truly carrying us in His hand, and it has taken an experience like this for me to comprehend the meaning of that!

I thought I'd write a post before leaving for the hospital in the morning, with some specific prayer requests for the next 18-100 hours from now. Here it goes...a restful night's sleep for us, continued peace as I prepare to go in for surgery, God's hand leading the way for each of the doctors involved in my care, good anesthesia without complications and no problems waking up after surgery, a steady hand for Dr. Yasargil and his assisting resident with every last bit of the tumor removed, no unnecessary brain tissue removed, no complications during or after surgery (e.g. bleeding, swelling, infection, speech or motor deficits, personality changes, etc), ease of waking up after surgery, the ability to be transferred to the floor very quickly and be able to start walking around sooner than anticipated, being ready to be discharged quicker than usual, and of course, complete and total healing from this tumor! That this tumor is removed and there is no evidence of any tumor remaining on my post-op MRI and no need for any further treatment ever again! Praise God for that!

I can't even put into words how this experience has changed me. I would be lying if I didn't say I had some rough days in the beginning...some days of disbelief...you know, the "why me" days. But I have to say this has been a blessing because I can truly grasp God's faithfulness and peace. He has never left me. God knew 32 years ago that I would be here now, and He has prepared me to be able to handle it with the support of my husband, family and friends, and the faith, grace and courage that can only come from Him.

I can't say enough thank you's for the prayers and those that are yet to come in the upcoming days! Chad will keep the blog updated while I'm in the hospital, and I look forward to my first post after I'm discharged...sooner rather than later! We will be up at about 4:30am CST to be at pre-op holding by 5:30. The surgery is schduled to begin at 7:15am CST. Dr. Yasargil said my surgery will take between 4-6 hours. Thank you in advance for your prayers throughout the day.

We love you and I can't wait to see you all when I get home, totally healed!

Some of my favorites through this:

Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

Matt 18:19 "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven."

Mark 11:24 “Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

Proverbs 4:20-22 "...give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh."

Addresses

First of all, sending things really isn't necessary! All of the prayers and support are already more than I could ask for. Many of you have asked for the address of both the hotel and the hospital. I will include the hotel address below, and Chad will post the hospital address when they know my room number.

We had a nice afternoon out and a good dinner at a restaurant started by the same people that started P.F. Chang's. They even had a gluten-free menu! I think the steroids they're having me take have helped my appetite, which I'm sure will only help keep my strength up for this upcoming week. Praise God, since starting the seizure meds on Wednesday I have not had an "episode"!

We are laying low in the room tonight, resting up, reading, watching TV. Here is the hotel address:

Markham House Suites
Ste 100
5120 West Markham Street
Little Rock, AR 72205

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

A Restful Nap

I thought I'd take a chance to post a quick note. Chad is still resting, but we both had a chance to take a wonderful nap after that llooonnnggg MRI this morning! I never knew such a thing existed! Chad might have been more exhausted than I was...I had to do silly tasks while laying down, and he had to listen to the chemical engineer explain how the program and test actually worked!! Oh my! Definitely, bladder and all, I would have rather been the one on the table in that MRI! ;) Oh how I would love to have one of my many OMM friends down here to treat my upper back after laying on that hard surface not moving for 3.5 hours! And just to see you, of course!

We are thinking of getting out this afternoon and going to a nearby mall to walk around a little...since I won't be able to do a lot of that next week. There is a shuttle that will take us there and then pick us up when we are ready to come home. So wonderful! It has been humid and in the 100's...too muggy to walk there from our hotel.

I really can't say enough thank you's for the comments you are all posting on our blog...it has been truly awesome! Something like this really makes your friends shine...and I can't say enough good things about mine!! I am still amazed everyday through this experience how mighty and awesome our God is! Through all of this God has carried me the whole way...even in my moments of weakness--He's comforted me and given me a peace that only He can give. I feel so blessed as I am almost 36 hours from a craniotomy and have our God guiding every last detail. He has truly orchestrated every event and it is so apparent!

I can't say enough about my amazing husband, who has been so strong, loving and supportive! I love you honey, more than you know!! xoxo

Be certain I will post something tomorrow, as I've been thinking of specific prayer requests for during the time of my surgery. Again, we can't say enough thanks for the support. Thank you for continuing to lift us up to our God in prayer as we quickly come one step closer to my total healing!

We love you and may God bless you all,

No More Tests!

After tests throughout the day yesterday, Laura had her final test at 6:45 AM this morning, a functional MRI. For the non-doctors out there, it measures brain activity when Laura was thinking/saying certain antonyms and other mental functions. They also ran a spectroscopy, which measures chemical makeup of different regions of the brain. Laura was such a trooper, as it ended up taking about 3.5 hrs. For those that know my wife, you are likely familiar with her walnut-size bladder, which was the most difficult thing for her to handle during the final 30 minutes.

The good news is the tumor has not penetrated any other regions of the brain, and Dr. Yasargil said that it looks just like the other 500 surgery cases on this type of tumor. Praise God! He is an amazing man and puts us at such ease. We are looking forward to being able to relax the next day and a half before surgery first thing Monday morning.

Prayers

The surgery will begin around 7:15 AM CST, so 8:15 AM EST. Prayers throughout the morning for precision, no complications, and peace are much appreciated throughout the morning.

Little Rock

Everyone at the hospital and the hotel have been so nice and easy to work with through this process. Southern hospitality has been outstanding. We are staying at a hotel that specifically caters to the family/friends of people being treated at the university. We have met a lot of great people who are also going through a healing process, which makes for no awkward conversations. The less stress the better at this point.

Friends and Family

We are so blessed to have such amazing family and friends to support us during this time. It is humbling to receive so much love and support...thank you all for what you have, are, or going to do for us. You have all been such a reflection of God's love, I cannot put it into words. God bless you all and we look forward to being home soon.

Quick Update

I am sending a quick update in between tests today. They have a room for patients with computers that we decided to take advantage of while we wait for my 11am Speech Pathology appointment. I feel like I'm going in for an IQ test like in 6th grade! I hope I pass! ;) We have been at the hospital/clinic since 7:45 this morning and will be finished with today's testing just before 6pm. Everything is going sooo well. They operate very efficiently around here and the southern hospitality is very true!

I can't tell you enough how much all of your notes of encouragement and prayer mean to us!! Please keep sending me your favorite scriptures because they always seem to be just what I need to hear...God has a way of doing that doesn't He? Would anyone be suprised that in the shower this morning all that was going through my head was, "Wow! It really is a peace that passes all understanding", and then 2 of you wrote that back to us in your comments. God is mighty and amazing and knows exactly what we need through every step.

Did you hear they say they don't need to completely shave my head?! So those of my crazy friends out there that were going to shave your heads with me...DON"T! The Dr. said he would shave a stripe above my right ear and that my hair should cover it. Still may have so hip hats and scarves...especially if I can't wash my hair for awhile!

Ok, gotta run off to speech pathology! Will post more later. Love you all!

Details from Little Rock

Working on 3 hrs of sleep, I am going to keep this brief and to the point. It has been a whirlwind the last 36 hours, as we prepared and flew to Little Rock, Arkansas at 6 AM this morning. We were able to spend time with Dr. Gazi Yasargil, M.D. this afternoon, and it is an absolute blessing to have him as Laura's surgeon. He walked us through what will take place after recommending that we move forward with the surgery. He suggested we "clean it out of there" to provide Laura a seizure-free life. Here are the highlights:

• Surgery to take place around 7-8 AM Monday morning
• No ego, absolute servant to his patient....amazing to say for the "Neurosurgeon of the Century"...that's for real!
• There is no explanation for why these tumors happen, they have yet to determine a cause, but he believes viruses may be the cause. He said there's no risk of passing this on to children, and that after about 6 months we can start trying for babies.
• Fortunately, he has performed 500 surgeries on this type of tumor, so he is very relaxed and confident about it...even has a classification system for this particular tumor named after him!
• He has been involved in over 10,000 brain surgeries (so he has a little experience)
• Laura has a 90% chance of coming out likely feeling better than ever due to having this mass removed with no recurring effects
• She won't even have her head fully shaved...they do it all through a 4-5 inch long, shaved stripe above her ear so she can hide the scar with her hair for the most part
• She could possibly be sent home as early as next Friday or Saturday, or as long as Wednesday the 22nd
• She is not going to be limited to bed rest when we return home, in fact he said she could, walk swim and go cycling, but no diving...which we found hilarious
• She will not be allowed to work until the end of September, and even then start back very slowly

There's a lot more, I'm sure, but that's all I can remember for now! It's been a crazy 24 hours to say the least, since we didn't even have plane tickets 24 hours ago! We are so at peace about this and really feel like God's hand is at work in picking out the perfect surgeon and giving us a calming peace that we are doing the right thing.

Laura will spend the day tomorrow receiving a battery of tests, from 7:30am-6pm. Another specialty MRI will be Saturday morning early, then we'll have Saturday and Sunday to rest before Monday morning's surgery. Her parents will come Sunday and spend the week here; my parents will come Monday for a few days. We also found out that thus far the other labwork has all been completely normal! Praise God!

We will update you more this weekend before the big day. In the meantime, continue to pray for comfort and peace for us which has been so apparent so far. Pray for Laura as she goes through a long day of testing. Pray for safe travels for our families as they travel to be with us.

Thank you to everyone who has joined us on this journey of faith and prayer toward Laura's total healing! We can't tell you how much everyone's support and prayers have meant.

Surgery is Scheduled!

After meeting with the neurosurgeon yesterday, our expectations were to be waiting awhile for a surgery date. They called me this morning and want me to fly down for an appointment tomorrow and surgery on Monday or Tuesday of next week!! They had someone need to reshcedule next week, which opened up a slot for me. The Drs said for them to call me and see if I could come tomorrow. Wow! How quickly God answers our prayers sometimes! My prayers for a quick healing I didn't realize would mean a quickly scheduled surgery, but God is providing and showing me favor...we feel very blessed to get me onto a road of recovery sooner than 6 months from now.

I was a little anxious when she first called this morning...I thought I'd have more time to prepare. I thought they'd call and say, "Your surgery is January...blah blah blah." I guess God knows me well. Time for preparation just means more time to worry.

This is all happening so very quickly. Chad and I will be flying down to University of Arkansas tomorrow morning and staying until they release me to fly back home...probably a couple of weeks. The surgery will be Monday or Tuesday, we will let you know after the appointment tomorrow when the scheduled time is so you can all lift me up in prayer. In the mean time...

Please pray for our peace of mind and comfort. Pray for safe travels to Arkansas for me and my family. Pray for the surgeon--preciseness, skilled steady hands and that he is able to remove the whole tumor. Pray for a speedy recovery with no neurological deficits. Pray for no reactions to the meds I have to start taking tonight--including anti-seizure meds and high doses of steroids. Pray for total healing!

Thank you to all of you for your love and prayers! We will continue to update the blog so you all are informed of my journey of healing.

Chad and I met with the neurosurgeon in town today. We were more than ready to speak with someone in person and find out what the next step is. He had many positive and encouraging thoughts...Chad and I feel our prayers are being answered...I will try to fill you in...

He showed us my MRI again so we could see the tumor. The tumor is larger than we thought with very little swelling (We had thought the tumor was smaller with significant swelling). Anyway...he said he's had 6 different specialists look at my MRI. They are all in agreement, that it looks classically like a benign slow-growing tumor. He emphasized that this type of tumor is curable...praise God! He said that most people with this tumor are cured by surgery alone. Some require radiation, but those cases are the minority. He said this has probably been growing for 10 years. Wow!

He said it's definitely a good sign that I don't have any neurological deficits right now...that will make it more likely that I will come out of the surgery without any...and that the tumor is on the side of my brain that controls my left side (my non-dominant side). Another praise! It doesn't sound like a biopsy comes first...right to surgery to remove it. The referral process is underway, but it may take as long as 6 months for me to get an appointment with, who he says, is the expert in the country. The best surgeon, he said, is at the University of Arkansas. He is the "father" of brain microsurgery, and they do 2-3/day there of this exact tumor. We definitely want the best and most skilled!

I described my episodes to him, and he is certain I'm having seizures. He wanted to put me on meds right away, but I asked if I could wait until my appointment with my neurologist. Anyone who knows me well knows I'm going to try some alternative treatment or dietary change to see if I can get these "episodes" (?seizures) to stop. Right!?

So...Chad and I are relieved to have that appointment over with so we know more what to expect from here! We praise God that the Dr. says this is curable! Please continue to pray for our peace of mind as we await the appointment in Arkansas, the "episodes" to end, and for the healing of this tumor in my head. How great would it be to have a pre-op MRI that showed the tumor has dissolved! That is our prayer!

We will continue to update you all as more test results return and when we know more about the appointment with the surgeon. Thank you all for your love and prayers!

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6

Thank you to all my prayer warrior friends who are lifting me up before our Father! We will all be able to rejoice together and praise Him for my total healing! Please keep posting comments on the blog...I love to read them!

Today has been a good day. God is healing my headache from the spinal tap, and I am able to be up and around more...it's a nice change. I got some IV fluids from one of my clinics to help hydrate, which helps recover from the headaches by (in a roundabout way) helping regenerate my spinal fluid that was lost in the "leak". It's more complicated than that, but that's the best I can do!

Mom is still here, still cleaning and doing laundry! What a blessing she has been to have around, help me out and keep me company. She will have to leave tomorrrow and that will be an adjustment. I have plenty of willing friends that will keep me company (thanks!) and my sister will probably come back this week.

Chad and I will be meeting with the neurosurgeon in town tomorrow to talk about the next step. Pray for wisdom for the upcoming decisions we will be making. Pray that God leads us to the best possible surgeon and institution that we could get. Continue to pray for peace and comfort for us, and of course for my total healing!

Believe and Have Faith

My headache is better today! I have been able to be upright more, which is a blessing. It only seems to be exacerbated by the crying that I seem to have done a lot of today. I am going to be very honest...I had been doing pretty well, but today was rough. I am writing this post because I need to share something. This is the end of my doubt, anxiety and fear. I refuse to let satan have any power here! God IS healing me!

My "brother" just called me...in God's perfect timing, with words I needed to hear. He called to give me 2 scriptures that I would like to share.

Matt 18:19 "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven."

Matt 21:21-22 "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the see,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

The third, sent by my sister, is Mark 11:24 “Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

I am asking all of you to join with my family and I...ask God for my healing, believe that it is happening, and don't doubt in God's mighty power! May God be glorified as He does a mighty and miraculous work in me!

Today's Praises

I have spent the day flat on my back, because I unfortunately woke up with a headache...which can be an after-effect of the lumbar puncture. However, it seems to be improving as the day goes on, and I am very thankful for that!

Chad got off the phone with my doctor this evening, and so far we have good news! The spinal fluid looked good with the preliminary tests. There are no signs of malignancy (i.e. bad cancer) in the spinal fluid, but the definitive studies for MS will take a couple of weeks to get back. So keep praying that those come back totally normal. My evoked potential was completely normal...which suprised them since I had one of my "episodes" during the exam. That test being negative makes it less likely that it's MS. Another neuroradiologist in Detroit looked at my MRI (thanks Neets!), and he agrees with the others that it looks like a benign glioma (i.e. primary tumor). My other blood tests should be coming back next week, and we are praying for everything to come back normal.

That's the latest as of today. We will probably be scheduling a consult with a neurosurgeon in town to talk about options and where the best place is to go if it comes down to biopsy/surgery.

Prayer

Please pray for complete and total healing, for faith and peace for Chad and I (and my family), for no more "episodes", and for wisdom with the upcoming decisions we have to make.

We praise God for a day of good news and a diminishing headache!

Love,
Laura

Gifts and Cards

I had a very nice visit from Laura G. and Elizabeth to deliver a wonderful basket full of goodies from my Breton family. THANK YOU all for your generosity and kind words! Thank you for your love and prayers...I miss you all...and I miss squeezing those babies!

And thanks to everyone who is sending cards...I got so many beautiful cards today full of warm thoughts and prayers. Please know that each one is so appreciated...it gives me something to read while I'm flat on my back!

Pictures of Benny and Jakey

Good morning everyone! I'm going to post a short note this morning simply to post pics...I finally figured it out! Right now, mom is cleaning the kitchen and making carrot juice (yummy!), Jean and I are on opposite couches, and Benny is begging to watch Dora. I will be getting hooked up to another looonnnggggg IV today, that will keep me behaving for at least 4 hours out of the day! I'm feeling ok this morning...I have a headache and my back is still sore, but that just means more behaving and couch lounging. Oh the days of longing to lounge on the couch all day...it's harder when you have to!

The lumbar puncture

Chad very willingly wanted to add all the posts to the blog; however, I managed to sweet talk him into letting me write something now and then to help pass some time at home...and save him from more time on the computer after working all day.

Today Chad took me into the hospital for the lumbar puncture at about 9am. After they checked me out, they decided I was a little too "with it" after taking something to relax me for the procedure. They decided to give me another 2 doses of what I had already taken! Let's just say...they told me not to sign any important documents today! I know Chad brought me to the hospital, but Chad disappeared (I'm sure I slurred goodbye to him) and my mom was then by my bedside to wait out the 3 hours until I could come home. I had to lay on my back for 3 hours to make it less likely that I would get a "post-tap" headache (i.e. a slow leak of spinal fluid through the hole from the tap, which causes a headache from diminished amounts of spinal fluid), which I unfortunately got after my last tap 6 years ago. The good news from the tap is that I have no increased pressure in my head and that the fluid "looked" normal (clear). Praise God for that! We will be waiting for test results from many tests in the upcoming weeks, and we are praying for them all to be completely normal.

Most of the day was a blur. The meds they gave me knocked me out and I slept most of the afternoon away...I can't complain about that. My back's a little sore and I have a headache if I sit up too long, so pray that that will go away quickly. I'm being good and typing lying on my back right now.

Visitors today

My mom, sister Jean, and her boys Benny and Jake are still here with us to keep me sane while Chad is busy at work. I am very blessed to have their help, as I will be laying on my favorite couch for much of the next 48 hours.
My friend Liza came over when I got back from the hospital and hooked me up to an IV of fluids to hopefully hydrate me enough to prevent a headache. Kevin, my friend and a resident who was supposed to be rotating with me this month, came over to work on my back after being in funny positions for the spinal tap.
Our friends from church, Nicole and Eric, came over with their little man Gibson and brought some yummy dinner! Thank goodness I had an appetite tonight. It was awesome you guys, thanks! We visited for awhile, but I wasn't great company on the couch!

Prayers

I am doing well and I believe Chad is too. We appreciate all the prayers and know they are all felt! I praise God for the peace and comfort He is giving us through this. Pray for Chad as he continues to have to work with the added stress that this has brought. Pray for wisdom with upcoming decisions, many NEGATIVE test results, no more of my "episodes", and most of all for total and complete HEALING. I am speaking God's Word daily and know He will use this situation to bring glory to His kingdom. Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, flowers, cards, visits, meals, etc. We appreciate all of you so very much.

Love,
Laura

Good News

Progress:
Due to assistance from our friends in the medical community, we were able to get some information from one of Fred's (Laura's father) medical students who is now a neuro surgeon here in Grand Rapids. After he heard of Laura's episodes and tests, he spoke with some neuro radiologists that provided some good news. In their opinion, the MRI looks more like an astrocytoma tumor (benign) than demyelination (MS). Nothing is definitive, but we are excited about the opinions. However, we have yet to have a direct consultation with a neuro radiologist or neuro surgeon, but hope to soon after receiving the results of the tests being run. The next test, a lumbar puncture, will take place tomorrow morning. We would welcome prayers of quick recovery and no leaks. We are unsure when we will receive the test results, but hope to soon.

Home:
Ben has been in rare form, providing constant comic relief. Little Jake is running for poster child baby of the century...the unique combination of fun, cute, and relaxed...aside from cracking up over Ben's antics. I haven't been home much today, but the house is the same color, so Janet must have found something to occupy herself with inside. Jean has been a jewel of support, providing invaluable conversation, companionship, and entertainment for Laura while I fulfill my responsibilities at work.


Faithful:
Laura and I are so grateful for the prayers by so many friends. Be assured they are felt. There is a peace that envelopes our home, thoughts and hearts. The love shown by so many is humbling and powerful. So many things at this point are difficult to put into words, so we simply take on each day hoping to fulfill God's will during this temporary challenge.


God Bless,


Chad