This is to inform you of my current situation.
As most of you may know, I had surgery on my back in March 2003 to remove what are known as ependymomas from my spinal region. These growths were causing severe nerve pain in my lower back/upper thigh region. The surgery was a great success, and the pain was gone until recently. About a year ago I began to experience a similar type pain down my left leg. MRI’s showed that there was regrowth of the tumors in slightly different areas near where the last ones were located. It turns out that there are three primary growth areas: one left, one lower, and one right (not separated by too many inches) along my spine. The left most is causing me my current pain. My wonderful neurosurgeon has said that he will for sure be able to get two of the growths, but the right most will be more difficult and could possibly leave some side effects (weakened right quadriceps muscle, burning, etc.). He still may be able to decrease the size of the right one regardless. All this was not too shocking (except for the difficulty of removal of right tumor), however, the doctor said that if I don’t get radiation therapy following my surgery, that these will continue to grow throughout my life. Hmm, there are many things that radiation therapy could mean, and honestly, Meredith and I are not too familiar with it, except for the chance that this can make me sterile, and we would really like to have children one day. As you can see, this is a very difficult situation for us both and for those we know (you), and this Monday we will meet with the Oncologist to be educated on radiation therapy. We will update you all as the information/events unfold.
This part is the coolest thing I have learned so far, and something that I didn’t grasp the last time I had this surgery: We often hear of people saying, “Why did God allow that to happen to me, him, or them?” Or “If God is a God of love, why are those people suffering, etc.” To leave out the fact that we are in a fallen, degrading world where sin dominates most everyone’s flesh, and as a result everything will one day pass away would be silly, but have we ever thought of everything that God allowed to happen to His own Son, the obvious being the torture He went through, and ultimately His death on the cross; or what about when He was in the desert for forty days and was probably suffering, not only physically (no food, water, etc), but also mentally? We would be foolish to think that if God allowed this to happen to His own son, why wouldn’t he allow this to happen to us, his children. The following hit me even harder than what Jesus went through: it is so incredible that God has allowed this to happen to me (twice!) and all the trials and pains we all go through. He has used and is going to use what I am going through right now to touch others and to bring them to His son. How precious are His thoughts for us—how much He cares for each of us that He would specifically use us. God could be so distant and uninvolved with His people’s lives that it could seem like He didn’t even exist, or if He did, we weren’t even on His mind. On the contrary, He specifically cares about each and every one of us. Enough to allow things like this to happen, so that He can be glorified.
Things to pray for us: Surgery (more difficult than last time because of scar tissue etc), radiation therapy (and all that entails), future of naval career/submarines (already get some radiation there :o), and most importantly that God uses this for His glory.
All of the above will take place if it is God’s will, however, I have seen and know His power, especially His power to heal. Please pray for His healing power. With God all things are possible! Believe with us.
Love,
Jordan and Meredith
Psalm 104, Proverbs 11:9, Matt 6:33
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