Coming Down the Other Side. . .

I have many mixed emotions this morning as I gather my thoughts and decide what to share.  I feel like we have climbed a very steep mountain this week.  Sometimes frantically, sometimes stopping and waiting, never quite seeing what was very far ahead of us.  The craniotomy surgery was the mountain looming before us, and it scared me.  I came home last Tuesday after they wrote the words "Thursday- neurosurgery" on the whiteboard in our room and left it there.  I needed time to get away from that word and gather myself for the climb.

By Thursday I was at peace with the surgery and feeling the calm that came with all of the prayers and fasting by so many in a unified cause.  Then brain surgery was changed to Friday and more peace flooded my heart.  Yesterday we were carried and uplifted and I felt we had arrived at the pinnacle of the climb where we could look out and finally see a little of what was ahead.

As we talked to Brendan last night and he was able to respond, and even make a joke with the nurse, I truly marveled at the miracle of modern medicine.  Who knew you could put your brain through so much and come out seeing, talking, and joking -- painfully, of course -- but joking?  Having made it to the top of this mountain, I felt we could start the journey down the other side.

We've met with most of the doctors or their fellows this morning and everything is looking good.  They are draining just the right amount of cerebral spinal fluid off of his brain.  He had some nausea overnight but they upped his sodium levels and that seemed to take care of the nausea.  (I guess they watch the sodium levels carefully because it has something to do with the swelling of the brain -- I didn't quite get the correlation.)  He is resting peacefully and follows instructions when he's asked to open his eyes, squeeze the doctor's fingers, etc.

We got news this morning that they are going to wait awhile for Brendan to heal before they start chemo.  Maybe as much as a few weeks. An MRI scan is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. to check everything post-surgery.  He will have to stay in Pediatric Intensive Care another 24-hours or so.

Brendan loves having his feet rubbed.  So glad someone gave us that suggestion.

Again, we are so grateful for everyone's kindness.  We want you to know that we feel your prayers, faith, and love and we know that our Heavenly Father is intimately involved in all this.  This knowledge has given us an amazing sense of peace in the midst of this storm.  Charlie has mentioned this as well as he feels the same feelings.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!  May God bless you all for your kindness and faith.

Love, Shaun & Kerry