A Reason for Hope

Can I just say that I am rejoicing in the Lord this week? Yes, I am rejoicing in the Lord this week!! My oldest daughter, Mary Gwen, had surgery less than a year ago for a condition called syringomyelia. I had never heard of it before. Her final diagnosis came after a few months of trying to figure out the cause of the curving in her spine. After several trips to regular doctors, orthopaedic doctors, and finally a neurosurgeon, it was determined that her curving (scoliosis) was caused by the stem of her brain resting in her spinal column and not allowing the free flow of fluid in her spine. Doctors don't know the connection between the two things (scoliosis and syringomyelia) but they do know they are connected some how.

After all of this, Mary Gwen was quickly set for brain surgery in November, the Monday before Thanksgiving. She had shown no other symptoms of the problem except the scoliosis and the neurosurgeon wanted to catch it before anything else was affected. She would have a chiari decompression and a cervical 1 lamenectomy. This is where part of the base of the skull right above the spine is removed and also the upper disc in her spine are removed to allow the fluid to flow freely in her spinal column. The Lord worked all of this out in less than a month's time to get an MRI, go over the results, and then have the surgery. Only God could have worked things out the way He did. This quick turn-around is unheard of except when something is placed in His hands.

Mary Gwen's surgery went well and she was in the hospital until the Friday after Thanksgiving and was released to go home. She continued to improve at a rapid pace and returned to school in less than two weeks after returning home. This was a miracle in itself. She did well and was scheduled for another MRI to recheck her brain stem in late December. Dr. Dyer, our wonderful neurosurgeon who did the surgery, went over the slides from the second MRI and was pleased and told us to make another appointment for April or May to be seen again.

After a few months of worrying over every headache that Mary Gwen had, we were scheduled to go back with her to the orthopaedic doctor in April and the neurosurgeon in May. Our visit in April to the ortho doctor went well and after x-raying Mary Gwen's back again, it was determined that her spine curvature had reduced in size! We were told that one more check when she was 18 would be all that we needed to do and no surgery would be required. She was borderline before the brain surgery and I just knew that she would have to have surgery on her back and most likely during the summer and miss all her summer activities. This completely dashed all my worries about that!

Next we were scheduled to go see the neurosurgeon this past Tuesday. After a quick visit with Dr. Dyer once again, we were told that Mary Gwen's syrinx (the open spaces that are like tumors in her spine) were reduced in size greatly and the fluid was flowing freely and no problems were seen in the area where she had surgery. The only thing we would have to do was schedule another check up MRI for August before she returns to school.

Now after sharing all of this, I just want to give a huge shout out that our God is an AWESOME GOD!! One of the scriptures that has been part of my reading this week for our church's Signs of Life commitment this month is I Peter 3:15 that says, "Sanctify the Lord God in your heart, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear." This appears under the chapter heading "The Keynote Speaker." Dr. Jeremiah discusses how we are the keynote speaker in our lives for the work that God is doing in our lives. I want to step up to the podium and give a word of testimony that says God is faithful and He hears and answers the prayers of His people. Our church family prayed for Mary Gwen from the very first doctor's visit through this final one in May and had a special prayer time in our church sanctuary the very day and hour of her surgery.

I cannot express in simple words how very much this all means to me. It is a beacon in my family's life and my daughter's life that says, "God is good and His mercy endures forever!" It also supports the testimony that the prayers of the faithful availeth much! I dearly love my church family and their support of my daughter and their understanding through so much that we have gone through these past few months.

But even more than that, I want to give this reason for my hope, God is true to His word. He keeps His people and hears their prayers and pours out His unfailing love and mercy on us all! I just want to praise the Lord and bless Him for His goodness!

We have studied many times the scripture from Psalm 84 about going on pilgrimage and receiving blessing by placing our strength in the Lord. It also talks of those passing through the Valley of Baca (tears) and making it a place of springs and the autumn rains covering it with pools. I just want to testify that we have passed through this Valley of Tears and want to be sure and make a spring for those that pass after us. It may seem dark and very hard and extremely difficult but God will see His people through. We are digging our springs for those behind us through the testimony of God's care and keeping through this difficult time. And yes, Mary Gwen's surgery was in the autumn and God rained down His blessing on our family and covered us with never ending pools of His faithfulness!

I praise You God because You have brought us through. Because of this very hard time for our family, each member now has a testimony to share about how God lovingly cares for His own. We know that many others go through much more difficult circumstances than these and don't always hear good news from doctors and surgeons. We don't understand God's choices in these circumstances but know that He always works out what is best. It is all for His Glory and we give Him praise! Our prayer is that we do not fail Him but continuously have His praise on our lips. Praise Him with me!!