Overdue Update

It has been 2 months since our last update. Recently, I was trying to apologize to somebody about the lack of recent updates and they just said “no news is good news, right?”. We are very grateful that this saying has proven true these past months. Jonathan’s health has continued to improve, and little by little we have cut down on doctor’s appointments and medications as his body has recovered from the infection, the allergic reaction, and the blood clots that followed his tumor resection back in March.
Thankfully we have transitioned to the new school year incredibly well. Jonathan has been back working full days in the office, taken a couple of short domestic trips, and he is even coaching Danny’s soccer team:)
On Thursday we went to the neuro-ophtalmologist and we were surprised to learn that his field of vision cut has improved significantly, such that the damage to his vision is almost totally gone.
In the midst of all of these wonderful gifts, we are reminded that this journey is a long one and that there are tough moments yet ahead. Jonathan is still missing a piece (about the size of my hand) of his skull and although that does not keep him from doing most everyday things, he does need to wear a helmet to protect his brain is situations of increased risk of injury such from a fender bender while driving.
At this stage, many ask us what is the next step? Back in April, when we went for our first check-up after tumor resection, the doctor was clear to remind us that brain tumors tend to recur and are seldom surgically curable. While he was happy to communicate that Jonathan’s tumor is not cancerous and therefore he would not need immediate treatment after surgery, he told us that he would need to have an MRI every 3 months for at least 2 years to closely monitor the potentially tumorous cells left behind. In July, Jonathan had a first MRI and it came back clear. Tomorrow, we go for a second one. We hope and pray it will be clear again. We are also hoping to talk to the doctors about their plan to replace Jonathan’s bone flap (the fancy way to call the missing piece of skull). We are hoping to better understand the timelines, risks, benefits, and the restrictions this would entail.
In all honesty, sometimes it is easy to let fear and anxiety creep in. The “what ifs” in a brain tumor scenario are many, but God constantly encourages us to stand on His Truth. His Truth is that He is with us, that we are His, that our days are in His hands, that His plans are perfect, that He is sufficient, and that ultimately this world is not our home. We choose to rejoice every day in the precious gift He has given to our family in Jonathan’s health and we will keep trusting in Him and walking in faith.

Thank you for sharing in this journey with us.