It is impossible to put into words what we are experiencing
right now. If we try to think about it too much, we kind of get “lost.”
(I don’t know if that makes sense to you!) Jeremy and I were talking the
other day about this last year, about all that is to come for our family.
There’s been such a change and everything will be so completely new that it
really is difficult to get our minds around. Jeremy said that we are just
living it! Not overly analyzing. Just simple obedience, as He
leads.
We are rejoicing tonight in God’s faithfulness and
goodness—that after a year of waiting He has finally shown us what’s
next. Today was a day of confirmation and affirmation as Taylors FBC
voted to call Jeremy as their M of M’ssns. We will be staying in
Greenville, which is a huge blessing given the medical community. We are
mix of many emotions but moving forward with great confidence that this is His
direction. We could tell story after story about the amazing things He
has done in and through our family this year. We are so thankful that He
has graciously led us and confirmed every step.
Thank you for faithfully standing beside us.
A note about Jonathan…he is doing so well and getting
stronger with each passing week. It’s very fun to watch him, yet
difficult to see how hard he must work to accomplish little things. He
can now roll, one direction, from his belly to back. This is big!
Without using his hips or legs, he uses his head for momentum and pulls the
rest of the way with his abdominal muscles. Amazing! As he
strengthens his muscles, he’s getting better at holding his head steady for
longer periods of time. We are moving toward sitting up independently,
which will be a grand day for him!
Please pray for him this week, as we have a CT scan
scheduled for Tuesday, June 26. They will be imaging his head to see what
changes, if any, since the last time. I’m hopeful that our neurosurgeon
will have great news, but these things do take time to see change. I’d
love to hear that his brain is growing and thriving with the new shunt in place
and actively working on his behalf. We shall see!
We’ve attached a picture of Jonathan, with his hair recently
trimmed.
Our family is grateful for you, the Body.
Jeremy & Cyndi
June 4, 2012
After some moments of sheer panic and many miles of road
gone by, we made a wonderful, safe, uneventful, healthy, fun trip to FL!
We crossed the Georgia state line into Alabama on I-85 and Jeremy said, “Oh no,
we are in no man’s land now!” If you’ve ever traveled that stretch of
road, you know it’s pretty much, well…trees. And even more trees once you
hit I-65 headed south!! Not a problem unless you’re toting a little tyke
who might need special emergency care. But, after the initial fear wore
off, we relaxed, ate way too much, swam every day, and witnessed Cyndi’s sister
get married on a beautiful Saturday evening. Every single one of us
enjoyed our trip. Thank you for pr’ying for us.
We’d just like to remind you that both Jeremy and I will be
meeting with the personnel folks from the group here in Greenville tomorrow
evening. Please pr’y that His peace will reign in our hearts, that we
will remain sensitive to the leading of the HS, and that we will be an
encouragement to those we meet. They will vote on Jeremy on Wed, June
6. We feel a sense that this year of waiting is coming to a close and
things are about to pick up speed a bit. You can continue to pr’y for us
as we anticipate a transition into something wholly new for our family.
Thank you,
Jeremy & Cyndi
May 23, 2012
Yes, we are still here! This has been a big week for
our family. Last Saturday, our friends in Bisquick held a garage sale and
sold almost all of our things that will not be shipped back to us. It was
one of those moments where we looked at each other and said, “How do we feel
about that?” At first, a deep sadness washed over us at the thought that
life overseas was truly “closed” at that moment. There was no unfinished
business anymore. But as the day progressed, a sense of expectancy took
root. And we began pondering, once again, about what our future will look
like. I can’t help but play that game—“wonder what we will look like as a
family one year from this moment…”
This week also brought a call from the group that we are
talking with. Jeremy has a time with some of the members tomorrow.
And then another big meeting on June 5th. Then on June 6th,
these members will vote on him before sending it to the larger body for a
vote. Please remember these dates and ask that Gd’s peace will reign in
Jeremy’s heart as he seeks to encourage those with whom he meets. We’ve
seen G’d affirm this direction for our family—answering in ways we specifically
asked and in others that completely surprised us! In the present, we have
no idea why G’d desires this move for us but we trust that one day we will see
more clearly and maybe gain some understanding.
Today was quite a day for little Jonathan. He
recovered incredibly quickly from his hernia surgery. In light of how
well he is doing after the shunt and hernia surgeries, we went to see the
surgeon today and he removed Jonathan’s broviac (an IV catheter surgically
placed in a central vein). We’ve been caring for this line daily since he
was first hospitalized for the shunt infection. We are thrilled it’s been
removed!
And with great excitement and some trepidation, we are
attempting again to travel to FL. Cyndi’s sister is getting married and
we will be headed out this weekend to spend time with her family and be a part
of the fun. Please p’y that our travels with go without hiccups and that
Jonathan will stay completely healthy. We haven’t been back to FL for a
year and our whole family is super excited to visit the Sunshine State again!
Thank you for standing beside us. We are catching
faint glimpses of the next season in our family’s life and min’try. Your
pry’s have been invaluable to the life of our family during this transition and
change.
Jeremy & Cyndi
May 2, 2012
Hello friends and family!
Sorry you didn’t hear from us yesterday about the
surgery. For some reason, I could not send and receive at the hospital
this time.
Jonathan came through the surgery just fine. He spent
one night of recovery at the hospital while they administered several doses of
antibiotics. We are now back home and Jonathan is happy to be with his
brother and sisters once again.
It’s very hard not to worry over this little guy—he has more
incisions that need to heal, which translates to more opportunity for
infection! Please p’y that our Ld’s peace will reign in our hearts as we
entrust Jonathan into His Almighty hands once again. I don’t think it’s
ever going to get any easier as we watch Jonathan’s body go through these
operations and procedures. But it is a great opportunity to allow the L’d
to work in us and grow our faith.
I counted up the “battle” scars on our little guy—7 ½ months
old and eleven different scars spotting his body. He is strong and has
the proof all over him.
We did hear more from the group here in Greenville.
Things are moving forward and leadership there will be presenting Jeremy to the
appropriate members. In the days following, we hope Jeremy will have the
opportunity to meet with these members face to face. Please ask that
Jeremy will be an encouragement to them and that all involved in this process
will remain sensitive to His Spir’t. We also ask that you will remember
our family in the months to come as we make this huge transition
together. We are closing a significant chapter in our lives and it feels
like He is opening a completely new and different book!! We are excited,
with several other emotions throw in there. I often wonder what our
family will look like a year or two down the road…
We p’y that you will be blessed and encouraged in Him
today. We serve an amazing G’d!
Jeremy & Cyndi
April 30, 2012
Hello!
Just a quick note to say that we are all doing well.
Jonathan had a little stomach thing, but it passed very quickly. He will
be moving forward with hernia surgery—in the morning, in fact! He is
scheduled for surgery Tuesday, May 1 at 10:30 AM. Because of Jonathan’s
special case, he will stay one night in the hospital just to get some
antibiotics in him and monitor him. Hopefully, we will be back home
Wednesday!
Please pr’y that everything will go well with the surgery
and that Jonathan’s recovery will be smooth. Most importantly, pr’y
against infection. He will go on a round of preventative antibiotics to
minimize the risk of exposure to the shunt (contaminates could enter his
bloodstream or spinal fluid and travel to the shunt)!
We are still waiting on the job front, but will let you know
as soon as we know something. Continue to ask that His peace will reign
in our hearts as we wait on Him.
Cyndi’s dad has started his new medication—a “seasoned”
medicine that has never been used for someone in his condition.
Please pr’y for him as he adjusts to the side effects and will taper off as his
body adjusts to the medicine. Most importantly, ask that it will do what
the doctors are hoping it will do.
Thank you for standing with us! We will keep you
posted.
We’d also like to say thank you to our dear friends and
colleagues who have sorted, packed our things, and will ship or sell for
us. This is a huge blessing, so that Jeremy does not have to make a
trip.
Jeremy & Cyndi
Well, Jonathan has been doing so great since we’ve been
home. He went to a bunch of follow-up visits and was cleared with flying
colors. He still has some healing with incisions, but they look great
right now. And he has a few things ahead of him—like another possible
surgery for his hernia (which came back out with the pressure from his
infection), and the removal of the line from his chest because he came home
with it so we can still administer antibiotics and on the chance that we will
need it again at the hospital!
We’ve almost crossed the one month mark after Jonathan’s
shunt surgery. This is fantastic! One more month and we’ve crossed
a big hurdle. Please continue to pr’y for Jonathan to remain infection
free!! It would be wonderful to pass the six month mark after surgery and
see his chances of infection greatly diminish.
Thank you for remembering Jeremy and our family. We
continue to talk with one of the groups here in Greenville. We are
thankful for this opportunity and feel more confident with each interaction
that this is where G’d is leading our family. We are still looking at
several more meetings with them, as they continue to pray. The last six
months have been an extremely unique time in our family life. We’ve
waited, sought the L’d, waited some more, sought the L’d, waited some
more… He has clearly guided us. We are thankful for His strength to
sustain us even when we didn’t have the faith to believe. We are expectant,
ready and waiting!
Certainly, we STILL say often in our home, “G’d is
good! And ALL He does is good!” We have four beautiful children,
the opportunity for a new minst’y, circumstances that keep us wholly dependent
on Him—we are blessed beyond measure!
Jeremy & Cyndi
So, we are going home again! Jonathan is doing well and his head has a fresh incision. The old has been cleaned away and new skin stitched together! Please pr’y that this incision will hold tightly and no infection will set in. We are going home on antibiotics, but you never know. Sometimes these wounds just take so much longer to heal—our surgeon says that he sees this often with Spina Bifida babies.
It is with a little more anxiety, but we are ready to be home. Please also ask that peace will reign in our hearts!
We will try to keep you posted and let you know as needs arise. Thank you all so much for standing with us and bringing us before the Throne of our gracious and loving G’d. He is our enduring hope!
Love,
Jeremy & Cyndi
March 29, 2012
Jonathan made it to the OR today. And the surgeon was able to clean everything up and revise the incision. Jonathan is a happy baby and resting well tonight! We are waiting for all the doctors to concur on our length of stay at the hospital, which antibiotic to continue and for how long. We should know more tomorrow. Thanks for pr’ying!!
Jeremy & Cyndi
March 28, 2012
These are exciting times! We made it home Friday and watched as one of Jonathan’s incisions changed significantly over the next few days. After one trip to the ER and several phone conversations with our doctor, we went back to the ER last night and were admitted into the hospital again. Jonathan has a skin infection at the site of the incision. The surgeon feels confident that it hasn’t made it to the shunt—based on his lab work, Jonathan’s good spirits, and looking at the wound. Of course, this does increase the chances of getting a more serious infection but we are thankful for today!
He is in the hospital, receiving antibiotics. The plan was a trip to the OR today to clean the wound very well and revise the closure. However, after a long day of waiting for an OR, the surgeon put us on the schedule for tomorrow morning. We will know more about our length of time in the hospital after the surgeon goes in and gets a better look at the wound.
Jonathan’s still happy and eating and doing well. He has two incisions on the back of his head—one of them looks great; the other took a different road!
Pr’y:
**that the open wound will remain “clean” until he goes into surgery tomorrow morning.
**for the surgeon (Dr. T) as he cleans and revises the incision, and that he will have wisdom in mapping out our next steps.
**that Jonathan’s head will heal quickly and seal after this revision.
**that G’d will protect Jonathan from any other infections!!
Thank you for remembering our family. We are doing well, though I admit that the drive back to the hospital was pretty difficult. G’d has been so faithful to us over the last year. We have seen Him work in amazing ways, and He is graciously providing for our family.
Many of you have asked about the groups talking to Jeremy…we are still in the process with one of those groups and have been very encouraged every time we’ve met with them. Please continue to ask that we will have wisdom as we move forward, as well as those making decisions within their group. We are expectant and looking forward to what the L’d has in store!
Jeremy & Cyndi
March 21, 2012
Jonathan went into surgery this morning and had his new shunt placed. Things went very well and he went through recovery fairly quickly. He has eaten a few times today, but he’s mostly laying still and resting—as he seems to be in pain and/or sore. Please ask that he will have a speedy recovery and be back to good health very soon. We also need to see some of his numbers (based on nutrition) come up just a bit, to ensure that he can move forward with strength. We should know a little more tomorrow about the last leg of our hospital stay. We are all ready to be together at home again!
Please remember to pr’y that Jonathan’s shunt will work well and that he will remain infection free (especially for the next two weeks, but really for the next six months!!!).
We are so grateful to all of you and thankful for the L’ds faithfulness!
Jeremy & Cyndi
March 19, 2012
The last two weeks have been quite a ride for us! I’m thankful, though, because we have learned so much and now we know certain things to remember when Jonathan goes into the hospital. And we also know what some of Jonathan’s “signs” are when something is wrong with his shunt. These are both very good things.
Tonight, Jonathan is infection free. He has nursed several times throughout the day and held down his food. He is playful and smiling at everyone who walks in the room. There aren’t many people who meet him and don’t exclaim, “He is so precious!” I can’t help but agree, but I’m very biased.
Our surgeon is back in town and the shunt surgery is scheduled for Wednesday at 9AM. Please pr’y that this will go smoothly and the new shunt will “take” to Jonathan’s body. Please also ask that the two incision cites on his head will seal and heal quickly. And the last thing to pr’y is that Jonathan will remain INFECTION FREE!! Our six months start all over again on Wednesday. The first two weeks are critical. The next two months are very important. And six months with the new shunt will greatly reduce the risk of infection. When Jonathan Thompson comes to mind, just stop and pr’y that he will remain infection free.
We are hoping to check out of the hospital some time the end of the week, if all goes well.
Thank you for taking this little ride with us and pr’ying every step of the way!
Our G’d has been faithful. He has been our Strength.
“Each time He said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” 1 Corin. 12:9
Jeremy & Cyndi
March 18, 2012
We simply cannot THANK YOU enough for pr’ying on behalf of our family. Today the doctor told us that Jonathan’s head scan came back clean and looks great. The markers that they watch for infection are also down to a great number. These are reasons to rejoice! He still has a tube in for continuous feeding, but he has tolerated it well and we know that the milk is working its way through his system. Last night he even nursed for a while. He’s been off the heavy antibiotics for two days now and we’ve seen a big difference in him!
The surgery to replace his shunt has been pushed back to Wednesday, but we still don’t have a definite time on that. We will be sure to let you know. We are asking that the next two days will be a season of rest and gaining strength in Jonathan’s little body. I think he’s as tired of this hospital as we are!! He relaxes so much when the crazy “chatter” of his brother and sisters walks into his hospital room. He even falls asleep to their sweet lullabies.
We are not exactly sure what this week will look like, but we know Jonathan will be getting his new shunt, both of us will be meeting with some folks from one of the groups we are talking to, and Jeremy will be teaching again this Wednesday evening at the same group where he taught two weeks ago! Life is anything but dull right now.
Rejoicing!
Jeremy & Cyndi
March 16, 2012
All pr’se be to our G’d! Jonathan’s scan of his stomach and abdomen came back clean. This is a huge reason to rejoice. We are waiting to hear about one more test tomorrow, which will determine if we need to scan his head again. He is doing well and interacting with us, we just can’t get him to keep food down. This afternoon they started a very slow, continuous feed in his tube. As of this evening, he had tolerated it. Please continue to pr’y that this process of food moving through his system will help settle his stomach enough that he will begin to nurse again. Your pr’yers have been invaluable. Thank you for interceding for little Jonathan. He is such a sweet boy and the nurses are fighting over who gets to take care of him! We are ready to see him back up to full strength again. And in Jonathan’s young life, you can never pr’y too often against infection. This is a very large hurdle that we must cross—six months without infection!!
We will keep you posted when we learn more about the surgery date and time and how he is doing with feedings.
Love,
Jeremy & Cyndi
March 16, 2012
Ok…one more for you!
We will be doing one or two CT scans today to rule out an abscess in his stomach and/or brain.
Please stop right now and ask that G’d will have mercy on Jonathan and that the tests will come back CLEAN.
We can continue to move forward if nothing is found, but the presence of more infection by abscess will set us back significantly.
May our Father heal his little body and allow us to keep taking steps forward.
We know that He created Jonathan and is also His Protector.
No matter, He will be praised by this tired family!!
Jeremy & Cyndi
March 15, 2012
In many ways, Jonathan is doing well! He is still infection free. However, there have been many other difficult things for him over the last couple of weeks. Our number one urgent request for him is that he will EAT. Whether it’s lack of interest or constant gagging or a sore throat or nausea from meds, Jonathan has not been able to eat consistently for the whole time we’ve been in the hospital. Today they ran a feeding tube through his nose to his stomach and have started him on milk tonight. To say that this has been a very hard day is an understatement. It feels like we’ve taken a huge step backward, headed the opposite direction of progress.
Please p’y for him to eat. With the placement of this tube, there is a large chance that he will continue to lose interest in nursing and this can hinder his ability to eat in the months to come. Please p’y that Cyndi and the doctors and nurses will have insight to discover Jonathan’s hindrance to eating.
He looks great right now, has some more energy and is interacting with us. He will go off of his heavy medications tomorrow and begin taking a milder antibiotic through his surgery. We will wait through the weekend and know more about his surgery by Monday. This is a great time to really gain some strength again and work on feedings.
We do see the gracious hand of our Father bringing us encouragement when we need it. We’ve had some phone calls from one of the groups talking to Jeremy and that has been very uplifting for us. We’ve had our dear friend, Preacher, standing by us and speaking words of truth. And we’ve had some great emails sent at times when we needed them.
Thank you!
Jeremy & Cyndi
“And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pr’y and not lose heart.” Luke 18:1
This verse was a good reminder this week…that we ought always run to Him in p’yr; this is His desire. And not lose heart. Something miraculous happens when you focus on our Father, through prayer and reading the Word, and think less about the circumstances where we find ourselves. Somehow the “things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”
*Please p’y that Jeremy and I will have the time and ability to stay close to our Father. It’s easy for rapid-fire thoughts to consume when you stay focused on circumstances for too long. We long to dwell on Him and fight back thoughts of defeat. He IS in control. He DOES have a plan. He IS loving. “He fills my life with good things.” (Ps 103:5)
*With each passing day, we wonder about work, ministry, life—how these will coexist for our family. Ask that we will “patiently endure” these days of waiting and that our thoughts will stay in the present, rather than jumping ahead to “What?” and “How?”.
*PTL! Jonathan continues to show signs of improvement. He was given a much-needed blood transfusion to help strengthen his body. He still shows no sign of infection in his spinal fluid. He is interacting with us a little more day every day. There are still a few other tests that we will run in the next couple of days. *Continue to pr’y that Jonathan will remain infection free. *Pr’y that G’d will graciously place His hand of comfort of Jonathan’s stomach and quiet it. *Pr’y that his body will adjust to the change in pressure in his head.
*And we ask that you remember our other children. What little troopers they are!! I believe they are far stronger than we give them credit. We’ve had seasons of pseudo stability and routine over the last year, but something inevitably changes. They just move along with the flow with remarkable ease. Of course, there are moments and days of releasing their stress but G’d is sustaining them and developing their character by His design. Please pr’y especially for Noah and us, as we seek to do our role as parents with wisdom. We continue to steady on in training and instructing him, but there are times when we are completely at a loss as to what to do. He is a bundle of energy, compassion, fears, dreams, even misguided pride that he often doesn’t know how to handle himself!!
Thank you for pr’ying for our family.
Jeremy & Cyndi
March 10, 2012
Thank you for pr’ying! Those who get this on Sat morning (Eastern time), please pr’y for Jonathan today. He is very anemic and blood levels are low. They will be giving him a transfusion later today to boost his levels and try to give him some strength to continue to fight and heal. He is also still throwing up, but we all believe it is from the medications he is taking. Pr’y that his stomach will settle down soon.
Good news is…
*infection is gone—has been for several days. We are on the count of “clean” days and have a tentative schedule date for the OR on Monday, March 19. This all depends on how he’s doing and scheduling. This will be to replace the shunt.
*No other infections are showing up and all his scans have been normal.
*Cyndi is feeling much better
This is a new world to us! We are learning with each passing day. Ask that we will continue to have strength and grace during these days. After being at the children’s hospital this week, I know that there are many families who know the medical staff well and nurses personally from having spent many days in and out of the hospital. We are not alone and see this as an opportunity to minister to those around us and also receive the love and support they have to give!
We will continue to keep you posted.
Many have also asked about Jeremy’s job opportunities. Things went well Wednesday evening and Jeremy and the group were mutually encouraged! We are waiting to hear about both possibilities. Definitely a theme of WAIT in our family life over this past year!!
Jeremy & Cyndi
March 8, 2012
Words cannot express how much we need your pr’yers right now. There is a lot going on in both of our families that seem crazy given the timing. Jonathan is resting most of the time at the hospital. He eats a little, but his appetite is definitely diminished because of all the heavy medication. They were not able to get a PICC line yesterday. They sure did try—for over an hour! The next step is taking him to the OR, sedating him again, and surgically implanting a line to his central blood line. Today he was smiling some at us and talking with us. It’s hard to think about him going into the OR another two times (for this line and the new shunt!). But, this is the road for Jonathan! May God be the God of all comfort to Him, in ways we can’t minister to him.
Another important request is health. Cyndi got sick in the middle of the night and ran a fever today. So, Jeremy is now at hospital (hoping Jonathan will take a small bottle if he gets hungry) and she is at home with the other kids, hoping to get a good night of rest. Please pr’y that this virus will clear up quickly and she will be able to go back up there to help.
We know that God is in control, but this is one of those days that we have to say it over and over again. Thank you for your continued support for our family. If you ever want to stop receiving these updates, let us know. Some of you may wonder why we send out updates and requests so often. Because we believe in the power of pr’yr and it’s such an awesome privilege to witness the Body at work!
Jeremy & Cyndi
March 6, 2012
Jonathan is looking much better today. Worn out and resting a lot. He’s not eating a whole lot, but that’s ok. His stomach seems to be settling down too. The scan came back normal. All reasons to rejoice!
We have two specific requests for tomorrow—Wednesday…
1. Jonathan will be headed to a procedure room around 1 PM (Eastern time). They will be sedating him to try and get a PICC line in. They need to get this line in his veins because it is stronger than an IV but doesn’t require surgery to place it like our other options. This line is for the strong antibiotics he’s on and the upcoming surgery to replace his shunt. Problem is, Jonathan has very delicate veins. They tried many times for the PICC line when he was in the NICU but never got one. He finally had a line surgically implanted in his leg.
PLEASE p’y that this specialist will find a good vein and be able to thread it without the vein bursting (very specific!). In the meantime, ask that his IV will hold up overnight and through the morning. It’s very delicate right now.
2. Jeremy needs a little extra coverage tomorrow. He’s ready, yet not! Ask that he will find some good time to finalize his thoughts. And ask that he will have perfect peace. Distractions abound!!
Thank you for pr’ying!
Jeremy & Cyndi
March 5, 2012
Thank you for pr’ying for Jonathan (and our family)! He’s had a rough couple of days—still not holding anything down. Thankfully, they have relieved the pressure in his head. Specific things to remember…
*Rejoice that there is no infection in his blood or urine. Pr’y that the infection in his spinal fluid will clear up quickly. The culture revealed a more common strand for shunt infections, so the antibiotics have potential to work very quickly.
*Because he’s still throwing up, they are taking him this evening for a CT scan of his belly. Ask that this will bring some clarity, if there is an issue in his GI tract. There is always the possibility that nothing is going on—except “all of the above” with the infection, changing fluid levels in his brain, high-powered medicines, etc. There still seems to be an unknown something that we haven’t been able to pinpoint.
*We all need stamina in the days ahead. Please pr’y that we will get rest when we can and take things one day at a time, and yet still maintain some order for our other children. Mom is pretty planted at the hospital with Jonathan because he’s still nursing. Please pr’y for extra measures of grace for Jeremy and the kids!
*As timing sometimes goes, Jeremy is scheduled to teach this Wednesday evening! This is one of the groups considering him for a position. Thank goodness for grandparents close by! However, to say that his attention is divided right now is an understatement. Ask that he will seize opportunities to get in the Word for his refreshing and preparation. Ask that this time Wednesday night will be encouraging and bring more direction for our family. The other group in town considering Jeremy continues to pr’yerfully move forward and stay in touch with us.
I’m sure there is more that I just can’t remember! We are thankful for you. We are thankful for a hope that is enduring.
Jeremy & Cyndi
March 4, 2012
This weekend has been very eventful for our family! Last weekend we had a great trip to Atlanta for the night and had a great visit with friends. Jonathan did well, but especially loved getting back to our place and his bed! He’s so funny, it’s like he melts into his bed when we lay him down and he just relaxes and falls asleep.
After a day and night of fussing/restlessness, Jonathan woke Saturday morning throwing up. But the most troubling sign for us was a very full and tight soft spot that didn’t really change much after sitting up for a while. We decided a trip to the ER for a CT scan was well worth it (after consulting with our pediatrician and neurosurgeon)! They did the scan, called in the surgeon, tapped some fluid from his shunt to send off for lab work. We were all trying to rule out a shunt malfunction or infection. The tests came back positive enough that they sent us home to monitor him. We felt relief, but this feeling was to be short lived. We hadn’t even made it through the process of picking up our other children when they called us back to the hospital because some other tests came back with troubling numbers.
Our older children had a sleepover with grandparents and we checked into the hospital. Through the night, Jonathan got more and more uncomfortable. Then this morning other lab work came in that confirmed Jonathan does have an infection in his spinal fluid. It’s so very hard to have your baby boy look up at you through immense pain and cry like he’s saying, “Dad, Mom, I hurt so bad. Why aren’t you helping me?” This morning the surgeon came in for a procedure that allows Jonathan’s shunt to drain externally for a period of days while he goes on antibiotics to clear up the infection. After one to two weeks of “clean” spinal fluid, the surgeon will take Jonathan to the OR and put in a new shunt (on the other side of his head) and take out the old one.
There are so many specific p’yr requests and details that I don’t know where to start…
*P’y that Jonathan will have a “simple” infection that will clear up quickly with antibiotics.
*P’y that the old shunt will continue to work properly while we clear his system of this infection.
*P’y that he will be able to nurse again soon and hold it down.
*P’y that his surgery will go smoothly and the new shunt will work properly for a very long time.
We have a little harder road in front of us for the next few weeks, but very thankful to be sitting in Greenville, SC, to have a very trustworthy surgeon, and to know that our God is in control. This seems to be what God is teaching us right now. He is in control, He is good, and His steadfast love endures forever. We rest under His Wings.
Jeremy & Cyndi
February 27, 2012
February 17, 2012
February 10, 2012
February 4, 2012
January 30, 2012
January 2, 2012
February 27, 2012
We’d like to thank many of you who joined us in pr’yer Wednesday, as Jeremy went to an interview. It went very well and they have communicated that they would like to meet with him again! At the same time, another group in the area called and asked Jeremy to come teach a couple of Wednesday nights so they can get to know him also. We are very thankful and honored for both of these opportunities. And we are waiting with expectation to see what G’d has planned for us—we are aware it may be one of these options or something completely different!! Please continue to pr’y for us, as we wait and seek the L’d. March is proving to be quite an exciting month for our family.
Because of these opportunities, we’ve had to rearranges some things in our schedule. We had planned to travel to FL to see Cyndi’s parents for a week or two, but we’ve had to postpone. While it’s sad for us, we all know that the things going on right now are much more important for our family. We had also tentatively planned a trip for Jeremy to travel back to Central Asia because we really need to close out things there and bring back our personal belongings! However, we can’t seem to find a good time for this trip. Please ask that we will have wisdom as we seek to make plans for our family.
Today, we are headed on our first road trip with Jonathan. We are going to Atlanta for a night! We are asking for a fun, uneventful trip. It will be a good time to see some dear friends and co-workers!
Since Cyndi’s parents last trip to MD Anderson, the doctor has been in touch with them again and has a couple of ideas for treating his bone growth. Her parents are currently talking with medical folks to find out how these options will affect her dad’s ability to fly and work. While it’s a little unnerving because all of the treatments will be unchartered territory for this unique condition, the doctors are ready to try something/anything to stop the growth. Pr’y for those making decisions and her parents as they seek the best treatment for him right now.
Thank you for standing with us. The global Body has been an amazing source of encouragement and support to us over the last year. It is truly beautiful to see!
Jeremy & Cyndi
February 17, 2012
Well…today was the day to hear news. Many of you have written to see if we’d heard anything. Thank you for “waiting” anxiously with us!
We heard from our leadership today that we were not approved for this opportunity with our CO. The basic, underlying reason is good—for the health of our family. The position would involve a big move and a new role, which would add some unwanted stress to our lives at this point. We are so thankful for the Ld’s guidance through our leadership. This is a clear answer for us at this point and we can now move forward with confidence.
Yes, this closes out a very big chapter in our lives. We will be discussing resignation with our company and talking through some timing issues, and we will need to tie up some lose ends overseas like getting our personal belongings sent back to the States. We are so grateful for the many years that G’d allowed us to see Him doing amazing things among the nations. We sit here tonight with peace in our hearts because we have no doubt that He has us on the move and He will show us a “new land.”
Thank you for pr’ying with us and for us. We only ask that you will continue on this journey with us for a little while longer. Jeremy has an important interview next Wednesday with a group here locally. From everything we’ve heard, this is a solid group and we are interested in this min’ty opportunity. Please ask for absolute clarity—both on our part and those who will be making the decision at this group. We even p’y that Wednesday will be a very telling day for everyone involved in the meeting. As usual, we will keep you posted!
Our children continue to amaze us…Jonathan is doing remarkably well and practices things every day that we just took for granted with our other three children. This is very special and allows us the opportunity to delight in the little things and rejoice over his milestones. We did, in fact, buy a van. The kids are SO excited. G’d provided us with a van in excellent condition for a good price. The day we drove it home, Grace asked us if it was our van to keep. She said, “You mean we never have to give it back?!” This coming from a little lady who has seen her fair share of vehicles come and go, and she learned early on that it’s all just part of Gd’s resources. We often play an “I Wonder” game in our home, where we sit and talk about what G’d is going to do next in our family and wonder what it will look like. One night at dinner Jeremy said, “I wonder where we are going to live. Where do you think G’d will take us?” Ruthie immediately shouted, “HEAVEN!” There’s nothing like a little perspective from your happy-go-lucky three year old!
Some of you have asked about Cyndi’s dad recently. He is doing well. Her parents went to MD Anderson for a six month check and his numbers are remaining level for the cancer. Essentially, he is in remission. However, his bones continue to grow in density, though the rate seems to be slowing down a bit. His bone marrow is slowly being cut off and his body is unable to keep up a healthy production of red blood cells. This is making him anemic and causes a fair amount of fatigue already. The doctors are searching for an answer, but many are still scratching their heads. There is one possibility for medication—a drug administered to children that “eats up” extra bone growth for those with a genetic bone condition. Cyndi’s parents should hear something about this option within the month. Please continue to remember them in the days ahead as they wait to hear from the doctor. P’y for strength for her dad as he continues to work.
Resting in him,
Jeremy & Cyndi
February 10, 2012
Thank you to everyone who continues to pray for our family and who prayed specifically for Jonathan’s fever. His fever went away after two days and never showed any other symptoms. We are so thankful. God continues to protect him! Jonathan had his first “multi-disciplinary” clinic at the hospital this week. This just means that he saw a team of doctors and nurses dedicated to helping little (and big) guys with cases of Spina Bifida like Jonathan. An example, the neurosurgeon, an orthopedist, an urologist are all there to watch over the various needs of these children. All the doctors are still so pleased with Jonathan’s progress. He’s in a very good place right now with his legs and bladder and kidneys and shunt. We are so thankful to God!
As a side note, many children born with Spina Bifida have significant problems with their legs or feet since they are unable to move them in the womb. Sometimes their feet and legs get “stuck” in awkward positions and are born this way. We’ve had more than one specialist tell us that Jonathan has such beautiful legs and feet. They are in perfect position and remaining very flexible, despite the fact that he can’t move them and the muscles are rarely used. This is just one of the many works of God in Jonathan’s young life. May He receive all the praise!!
We have not heard anything about the position with our company. We figure it may be another week or two before we hear anything definite. Thank you for all who have asked and are standing with us. In the meanwhile, we’ve had two groups call us this week and are actively looking at Jeremy’s resume for two different roles within the local body. Both of them are in the Greenville area. God keeps us guessing! We are so thankful for these reminders that He is at work and He will show us where He desires our family to serve Him.
What a ride! I can honestly say that this has been the longest season of waiting that we’ve ever gone through—up to this point in life. We are coming up on nearly a year since the time we discovered Jonathan’s condition, left our home in Central Asia, and landed in the States. Waiting for a place to settle, waiting for Jonathan’s delivery, waiting through NICU, waiting to hear about the next step in our family’s journey. Like I said, what a ride! With every step, God has been with us and done a work in us unique to these set of circumstances. We are thankful for this time and that He is using it for the good of each of us!
We will be sure to keep you posted. We know that you are waiting as anxiously as we are to hear about the min’ty opportunities.
Thank you,
Jeremy & Cyndi
February 4, 2012
Hello,
We have been very encouraged by your emails and kind words, thank you!! Also, thank you so much for petitioning the Father on our behalf and on behalf of the leaders of our Organization this week. Unfortunately, we heard today that one of the decision makers is still out of town; therefore, no decision has been made yet. It looks like it will be a bit longer before we know anything. We do know that there will be a meeting next Wednesday, February 8, where our case will be discussed. So, again we ask you to pray, especially next Wednesday, that God will provide His wisdom to those who will be making decisions that affect our family. We will wait and trust in His leadership through our Organization. Also, please pray that we can wait well.
Different note, Jonathan has one of the many viruses going around right now. As we interact with the world outside our house and then come back home, we can’t help but bring some germs with us! Please pray that his fever will go away quickly and his body will remain strong and in good health despite the virus.
Thank you,
Jeremy and Cyndi T
January 30, 2012
Hello,
I pray this email finds you doing very well today. I am sorry for the delay in writing, but thankful for many of you who have shown interest in continuing to receive updates. God is good and has been good to our family. We enjoy sharing His blessings with you, and pray they are an encouragement to you and your families.
We are thoroughly enjoying Jonathan right now. He is a bright spot in our family. He smiles and coos all the time. He has found his hands and enjoys playing with his toys that hang in front of him or sit on the tray of his new high-chair. He has received great reports from each of his doctors and is showing great progress with his physical therapist. Even this morning, he got a great report from the surgeon who was checking on a hernia that we, together with our pediatrician, feared he had. This morning there was no trace of it. So, we praise the Lord, there is no surgery needed! It is encouraging and fun to watch the doctors, as they are amazed at the progress of Jonathan. We rejoice and know that our Lord is doing great wonders. Praise be to His Name!
On a different note, we were blessed a couple weeks ago with a very special experience. One that gave us an assurance that God is in control, has not left us, and is working all things together for good. We were in need of purchasing a car, not something we have done since right before we were married in 2000. I ran across a promising possibility and spent most of the day Monday working out the deal and signing papers. I went back Tuesday morning to pick it up. At the same time, since we found out that Toronto is not an option for our family and had exhausted our possibilities with the Board, I was in the process of getting in touch with them to talk through resignation. I had called on Friday, but my contact was out of the office. And Monday was a holiday.
So, after purchasing the car, my plan was to go home and make that phone call—which was going to be pretty heavy. Then, as I waited for the car, my phone rang and it was the pastor of a church we had interviewed with. We were one of three men they were praying about hiring. Well, he told me they were going another direction. On top of all this, I had no peace about this car I was buying. I wanted out. With a very heavy heart I prayed and asked the Lord if He gave me a way out, I would take it. I continued through the process, even took the keys, moved ALL our car seats from my parent's car over to the new car, then cranked it up to drive off. Right before I did, my phone rang. While I sat there talking, a light came on. I went back in, they checked it, and said it would be two days before I could get the car. I asked if I could get out of the deal and they said sure. I canceled the deal, drove off, got about a mile down the road and just broke down before the Lord.
We’ve had a lot of closed doors. This was another day filled with more closed doors. I cried out in thanks for His still small voice that is so loud you cannot even hear the salesman in front of you, and I cried out for just a hint of direction where He was leading. It was a desperate cry, but not a faithless or hopeless cry. Once I could see the road again, I continued on—I needed to buy some groceries for my family. As I pulled in the parking lot, my phone rang again. It was Cyndi. She was a little excited and said my supervisor from overseas sent an email and needed to talk to me right away, and wanted me to Skype him as soon as possible! I ran through the grocery store throwing things in the cart (quite a sight) and flew home. I got on Skype and my supervisor said, "I have a possibility for you, but it is not a sure thing. It needs approval from the Heads of our company." We talked about it, and it sounded great. As we got off, he said, "I hope this gives you some encouragement today." Ah, I said, "You have no idea!" As we were talking, the Board had called our home phone. I called back and had a much different conversation—one of possibility, not resignation. We are waiting on the Lord.
This week, the Heads of our company are making the decision of whether to give approval to this possibility. Please pray with us for His guidance. May He give wisdom to these men. May they hear His still small voice and follow Him. Pray for us, that we may receive His direction through the leadership He has appointed over us. We will receive their decision as His leading—either way.
We are thankful for the encouragement He gave us that day, even if it was just for that day. We are thankful for His perfect timing. Our supervisor said, "our God is an 11:59 God." He could have acted sooner, but not much later. We are thankful for the healing of our son. God is faithful and His steadfast love endures forever!!
Jeremy and Cyndi Thompson
Happy New Year!!
I was packing up some of the Christmas things that we collected this year and couldn’t help but think, “Where will we be next year when it’s time to unpack these again?” We certainly didn’t know all that 2011 would hold for our family, and now we have no idea what 2012 holds for our family. We are waiting for a couple of options to pan out and really hoping to hear something concrete this week. As we learn a little more, we will share some of the details with you. Please pray that we will be patient in the waiting. The days are getting long!
We’ve had another round of colds in our house. I’m very thankful that we seem to be on the other side of it and Jonathan is hanging strong in the midst of the “germs.” He is doing remarkably well! He’s had a good many follow-up appointments and all of the doctors are thankful for the progress that Jonathan has made. He is so much fun—really smiling at us now and he loves to talk (may be a lot like Noah in that regard!). He also loves to eat, weighing in at just under 15 pounds right now! He still has some progress to make with his shoulder and arm movement since he’s a bit delayed from laying on just his belly for so long, but we have a physical therapist scheduled to start with him this week. Thank you for your continued prayers for Jonathan! It will be a great milestone for him to clear the six month mark with no infections. He is at 3 ½ months right now!
Noah, Grace, and Ruth are doing well also. They thoroughly enjoyed the holidays and had a little “vacation” from home school. Please pray that we will fall back into a good routine for this season. Please also pray with Jeremy and I that we will be disciplined in all areas of our life right now. As this season of waiting continues, it would be easy to slack off in certain areas. I also ask that you pray specifically for our faith to remain strong. I have waves of grief that come and go. Sometimes it’s for Jonathan and grieving for the life that he will live with limited mobility, possible learning disabilities, and unknown medical needs in his future. Sometimes I grieve the life that we left behind and the idea of “starting over” in a new place, trying to get our four little children settled into the new of our lives.
It means so much to us to know that many of you still pray for our family. Thank you for walking with us during this time.
Jeremy & Cyndi