November 17, 2011
Despite having a very bad cold make its rounds through our family, we have much to be thankful for this week! Tuesday’s appointment with our neurosurgeon went very well. When he took the dressing off Jonathan’s back, his word was, “Wow!” And he’s right—Jonathan’s back looks phenomenal. The tissue is growing up from underneath and the skin is closing in from the sides. The “open” wound we’ve been treating is gone. We no longer have to do the “wet to dry” gauze, just some routine cleaning to maintain.
With this great progress, the surgeon released Jonathan to spend more time upright and on his back. This is great news for our little man. We put him in a baby seat this morning and the other kids came close to talk to him. Jonathan was just a talking too!! It was very sweet. He loves being around people. This time upright will allow the shunt to work properly and begin draining more of the fluid from his head. Of course, we are anxious to see that this process goes well. The bonding glue has been removed from the incision cite and, so far, there have been no other leaks.
**Please continue to ask for complete health for Jonathan. With winter upon us, we’d love to see him stay free from any major viruses and remain infection free!
Meanwhile, we have several leads on the work front. Right now we are waiting to see what God will do, since we know that He has a place for our family.
**Please continue to ask that He will work in such a way to direct our steps that we will know it is the way He has ordained for us. He is good!
Just wanted to praise Him and rejoice in His faithfulness,
Jeremy & Cyndi
November 12, 2011
So, I guess it has been nearly two weeks since we updated! The last we wrote, Jonathan came home from the hospital. It’s been so very good to have him home with us. He is a good baby, just eating and sleeping and hanging out on his belly most of the time. He continues to heal and his back looks great. We are so surprised by its progress! We were supposed to see the surgeon again for a follow-up visit but he canceled the appointment due to illness. We will see him next week on Tuesday. Can’t wait to see what he says about Jonathan’s back. We will also have some questions answered about Jonathan’s head—where he stands and what we can expect over the next few months. It’s basically a “wait and see” game with him to watch his developmental milestones and see his mental abilities.
We did have an appointment with the Shriners hospital in town—where they have clinics for children with Spina Bifida. Every time we interact with these wonderful people, it’s so encouraging for us. They were pleased with Jonathan’s progress and happy to find him healthy overall. This is not to be understated or taken lightly. God has really blessed Jonathan with good health and a steady recovery. Though he shows very little movement from the waist down, they were also happy to find very good feet, legs, and hips to help him stand and “practice” with braces later on. We also learned some very interesting things about the make-up of Jonathan’s brain (and all Spina Bifida children) and how this will affect the way he processes things and learns.
Every day is a new day. We are certainly learning to trust Him daily with our needs and worries. Life with Jonathan will keep us dependent on Him, as there are so many things that can come up along the way in his life or blossom from minor to serious very quickly. Jonathan’s life is in His hands.
Another area that requires a great deal of trust right now is our work and ministry. Though Jeremy’s resume is floating around out there and we have several leads, we are waiting for Him to provide. On certain days, this is easy and we are eagerly awaiting the next step. On other days, it’s hard not to feel like we’ve been “benched” or “put out to pasture.” Yes, we know these are lies and fight hard to listen to truth. Please pray that we will patiently wait on His timing and provision. Please pray that we will fight feelings of defeat on those hard days. And please pray that He will use us, as we are more than willing to still be used by Him.
We certainly appreciate all of your prayers and for those who have stood so faithfully beside us. It is our deepest desire to remain close to Him and faithfully bear witness of His goodness, no matter how and where. I pray this season will be more about abiding in Him and less of a quest to “find” His will. It is not hidden or lost, but we are living in it right now as we live each day abandoned to Him.
Jeremy & Cyndi
October 28, 2011
Jonathan is HOME tonight! After an unexpected whirlwind day, Jonathan is now sitting in our living room drinking his bottle. We praise the Lord for His amazing unexpected blessings and that we are all together tonight.
Jeremy and Cyndi T
October 24, 2011
The OR was not needed today!!! The incision on Jonathan's head did not leak this weekend and the test results came back negative for infection. The surgeon said he came in expecting to do the surgery today, but since Jonathan is doing so well he would just sit on it for a while and see what happens. Later in the day, he said that things were looking so well that we may still be on track for bringing Jonathan home this weekend. Not only did we get this great news, but the surgeon said he was looking so good that he allowed Jonathan to begin rolling on his side and we can now begin holding him upright in our arms for the first time. We have been praising our Lord today for His many blessing! We do not know what tomorrow holds, but today we rejoice and wait upon the Lord for the tomorrows.
Thank you for standing with us and praying to our Father on behalf of Jonathan!
Jeremy and Cyndi T
October 22, 2011
Weekends are always interesting. Friday, I arrived at NICU 1 where Jonathan has been since delivery to find that he was no longer there, but had been moved to NICU 2. This was very exciting! We have been praying for this because this is the next step to getting him home. NICU 2 is still intensive care, but in personal rooms and where parents begin to receive training for going home and caring for their little one on their own. Not only had Jonathan been moved to NICU 2, but the nurses and doctors were telling us that if all went well Jonathan could come home Wednesday of this next week, and possibly as early as Tuesday. There was a lot of excitement among the nurses, doctors, and our family, and last night we even had our first training in how to dress the wound on the back. We went to bed last night hopeful.
This morning, we arrived at Jonathan's room to find our nurse a little alarmed and we’d just missed Dr. T, our surgeon. Jonathan's shunt incision began leaking during the night, or possibly sometime this morning. As we gathered information from the nurse and then had the chance to talk with our surgeon, we quickly realized that we were now facing a very different scenario than the one we had the night before. We are now thinking that there is about a ninety percent chance that Jonathan will be in the OR on Monday afternoon, but there are a few possibilities of what could happen. Possibly, the incision is just "weeping" and there is no real leak and no need for the OR. This would be GREAT. Possibly, there is a small leak, and if so, then the OR is needed and Dr. Troup will clean the incision and close again. Possibly, there is infection. A culture was taken today and results will be back on Monday morning. If there is infection, OR is needed, and Dr. Troup will have to extract the existing shunt and reinsert a new shunt on the other side of the head. This would mean two more weeks at least in the NICU.
We are waiting for Monday and praying for no infection. It would be amazing if the OR is not needed at all—we know it is possible.
We have faced a few swings of emotion this week. From excitement and anxiety at the possibility of Jonathan coming home, to the disappointment of hearing about the leak and fear of infection. This week, especially, we are thankful that our God, who created all things and holds all things together by the Word of His power, has also promised to never leave us nor forsake us. Either through a visit to our preacher, an email containing a timely and encouraging blog posting, or a powerful time in His Word, He has been faithful to be near us. He is sufficient!
Jeremy and Cyndi T
PS. We learned this week that my resume was being sent to a college here in our town. As a family today, we visited the school and prayed that God would provide his wisdom and guidance to those who will be receiving my resume. We are praying for clear direction.
October 19, 2011
Hello Dear friends and family!
This is truly an adventure for our entire family—with each day holding something different. Sometimes a little of the good and sometimes a little of the not so good. Yesterday was another eventful day in little Jonathan’s life. The incision above his shunt started leaking fluid again, so the neurosurgeon came and stitched the one place that he didn’t stitch last time around.
We had started talking about “discharge” with the nurses, so we could bring him home to finish up the healing process for his back. But, due to the leak around the incision, he is now on another round of antibiotics for seven more days, which means he will be at the hospital at least seven more days. This is good and necessary, because infection in the area of the shunt is not good. The surgeon also told us that if the incision leaks again he may have to take Jonathan back to the OR to redo the work at the incision site.
This time in the hospital has, indeed, been a long process for all of us. We are thankful for the many things Jonathan has already overcome, but we wait for his little head to heal and the skin to bond completely—to keep the fluid inside and infection out. Please join us in praying about these things specifically, knowing that God is at work no matter the outcome.
Meanwhile, they have started teaching us how to take care of his back wound when we take Jonathan home. This involves a process of dressing the wound with wet gauze and then removing it again 12 hours later when it’s dry which removes some of the unwanted tissue. We’ve asked the surgeon how long we can expect for the complete healing process; also the length of time that Jonathan will remain on his belly. He said, “Weeks.”
And so…we wait for the hospital leg of our journey to end, so we can enter into the next phase of healing that will take place at home. Thankfully, God is in control of ALL of it and He never gives us more than we can handle. He will give us wisdom and enable us to give the very best care to Jonathan and the rest of our kids. I trust Him and look to Him to pour out new mercies every morning.
He’s a precious little boy and it’s fun to watch him watch the world around him a little more with each passing week. He’ll have a whole lot of entertainment once he gets home! We can’t wait!!
It means so much that you are standing with us in this,
Jeremy & Cyndi
Jonathan is healing well. There is currently no deep infection and no leaking! Yes. This is good. Thank you so much for continuing to come before the Lord on His behalf. I believe the Lord is pleased when His people come before Him and make their requests known to HIM.
Right now, infection is the biggest concern. He still has two open wounds with access to the brain and spine, which means if infection does set in the result is not good. These two wounds are healing well though, and the more they heal the better his chances are for no infection. We are learning a lot about the healing process of the body. It is quite amazing, but sometimes it is also quite painful. The surgeon had to remove the nice scab that had formed over Jonathan's back wound this week. It would seem to us that the scab would be a help, but actually removing it, cleaning the wound, and then allowing the scab to grow again is how the new skin grows and replaces the dead skin. This process is repeated until there is no more wound. We praise the Lord for how He has made us and please join us as we pray for the Lord to keep the infection away and allow the new skin to grow quickly.
Once the wound on Jonathan's back heals more, he will graduate to NICU 2. They have given us no time estimate yet, but they have told us to plan for the long haul. They had originally told us to plan for six to eight weeks in NICU and that still looks to be correct. We are in week five right now.
A friend of ours sent us an encouraging email early this week praying that God would send us some unexpected surprises. Well, He answered! We have been encouraged by the Body of Christ this week. Two different friends of ours, one currently serving in CA and the other who served overseas for many years, both stopped by to see us. Their visits were extremely encouraging. One of them shared with us, "Do not be anxious (distracted) about anything." This was a great word for us as we wait on the Lord in Jonathan’s healing process and as He guides us into our next place of service. God has been faithful to keep us focused on Him. We rejoice in Him and give thanks for His peace, which guards our minds and hearts in Christ Jesus. He is good!
Jeremy and Cyndi T
Well, this weekend has been quite eventful. After our last update, asking for prayer for Jonathan's back, things went extremely well for a couple of days. Unfortunately, Saturday morning we got a call from NICU saying that Jonathan's back was leaking—meaning spinal fluid was draining out of his wound. Cyndi went to be with Jonathan and I stayed with the kids. After some anxious waiting, our surgeon arrived to assess the situation. It was better than we had hoped! There was no infection, no spinal fluid, and Dr. T encouraged us that all was just as it should be. This was just part of the healing. We all breathed a deep sigh of gratefulness!
This morning, Cyndi arrived at Jonathan's bedside and found that the shunt was leaking fluid. Two small holes had opened up and Dr. T had to put in a couple of stitches. He also decided to put Jonathan on an antibiotic as a preventative against infection. Dr. T does not seem to be worried by these things, and continues to tell us that this is normal. He had hoped, as we did, for an uneventful healing but Jonathan’s progress has been normal. As Cyndi put it tonight, we shot for the eagle and birdie, but praise the Lord for par.
Please continue to pray with us that God would protect Jonathan from any infections and that his back and head would heal completely.
We are thankful tonight for Dr. T and the many caring nurses that God has assigned to Jonathan. We are truly blessed. Last Friday Dr. T shared with me his testimony of how God moved him from Georgia to South Carolina. It was very clear that God called him to Greenville Memorial Hospital! He says that now there are many times he will look down and ask, "God, is this the one you called me here for?" We say yes! This IS the one, and all the many other children. God is good. He is faithful. We praise Him and are thankful for His faithfulness!
Jeremy T
October 5, 2011
Jonathan is doing well, but there has been some change in the condition of his back over the last couple of days. Our surgeon was concerned that Jonathan's back was not properly healing, due to the glue that was holding it together. The only way to test that was to put him on his back more frequently and allow the glue to come off. With the glue off, we could then see if his back would hold, or come open. Our surgeon believed it would come open, but he also believed that the muscle tissue underneath would then regenerate new skin to fill the opening. We continued to pray that it would not open, but on Monday night the back opened and over the last few days it has done exactly what the surgeon said it would do. It has pulled apart, has begun to scab over and now new skin should begin growing.
I must say that it was not easy to see his back open again, but we were very thankful that God allowed us to hear from the surgeon beforehand exactly what he thought would happen. It prepared us for seeing the opening, and revealed to us God's grace once again. We now pray that the new skin would grow, there would be no infection, and Jonathan's back would be made completely well. Once the back is healed and he can lay on it, we can take him home. We are waiting with great anticipation for that day!
I wrote a very difficult email tonight to our team overseas. I have included the following paragraphs from that letter to share with you the transition that our family is beginning.
Our Lord has been faithful to our family. By His mercy and grace He called us to Himself and then to His work among the K peoples. We have been blessed, and overflow with thanksgiving for the opportunities He has given us to be a part of His work among these peoples - to be a part of the lives of the K and to be a part of the lives of our teammates. But, we also know that this time is coming to an end. Due to the ongoing medical needs that Jonathan will have, we will not be able to return to our home overseas at this time. There are many unknowns, but based on what we know right now living overseas would not be an option for at least the next few years, and then only in major cities who have the medical facilities to take care of Jonathan.
God is moving us, and He is good. We wait on Him and trust that if He has moved us, he will direct us! We have started talking with some people with our company concerning our future. We have been encouraged to begin the process of sending out feelers and looking for a place of service here in the States. Therefore, we are beginning that process. Our company will keep us on medical status until we can smoothly transition to life and work here. We will then make the decision of whether to resign or go on a leave of absence.
Please pray with us that He would make our next steps very clear, that we may walk in faith and move forward in confidence. He has been faithful in our lives to do this in the past, we trust He will again!
Busy Waiting!
Jeremy and Cyndi T
October 1, 2011
We have much to rejoice in!! God has been faithful over these last few days to calm some of our fears with good information and also to give us some exciting moments with Jonathan!
We have been a little concerned about the plates of Jonathan's skull, that they might have attached to one another and would need surgery. But, one of the doctors recently was able to calm our fears. He said Jonathan's plates were not fused together and were perfectly normal. We praise the Lord, for this means one less surgery!
Originally, in Istanbul, they had told us that there was no brain matter at all. Then, after meeting with the specialist in Istanbul he said there was brain matter, but not sure how much. So, we have been wondering about Jonathan's mental ability and how much brain matter is really there. Unfortunately, time will only tell what ability his brain will have, but through a very faithful nurse and the CT Scan, we now know that Jonathan's brain is normal size and fully developed! So, all the parts are there, we will just have to wait and see what God will do. We praise the Lord that "all the parts are there."
Exciting moments!! Within a day of our last update Jonathan was given permission to turn his head. It had been almost a week of laying on one side. He did amazing and even smiled right after they turned him. Perfect timing. A couple of days later Dr. Troup said it was time to test the back! He gave the orders for Jonathan to be turned completely over and laid on his back for the first time in his life. Jonathan can now lay on his back thirty minutes every four hours. Then, the greatest news of all--Mom was given permission to hold Jonathan for the very first time!!! So, yesterday Mom held Jonathan and fed him on her lap. (Picture included!)
God is healing Jonathan in amazing ways, we ask you to join us in praise to the One who holds all things together by the word of his power. We ask you to join us in giving thanks for the many ways He has already healed Jonathan and has calmed our fears. We also ask that you join us as we continue to pray for Jonathan's complete healing, as God continues to make him the man he desires him to be.
Pray the back will continue to hold even with the pressure of him laying on it.
Pray also that the shunt will continue to work perfectly and his skin would not break down around it.
Pray that God will continue to amaze us as He does more than we could ask or think.
Pray that God would allow our family to reflect His glory.
We rejoice in the Lord's blessings and praise Him for His goodness!
Jeremy and Cyndi T
PS. We have recently started posting in Jonathan's room some of the verses of scripture, prayers, and songs that you have sent to us. We have already noticed one nurse reading them and hope others will do the same. We pray God will use these for His glory!
September 28, 2011
Jonathan’s back is healing! The surgeons are pleased and the nurse practitioner said four times yesterday that his back looks exceptional! We are extremely thankful for these good reports and for your faithful prayers, please continue! He is still under orders not to be moved, but they may be able to turn his head to the other side in a few days. We are excited about this because it will give Jonathan a different view, and also because it will protect his head from becoming misshapen due to sitting so long on the same side.
Also, the fluid is draining well, the shunt is working perfectly, and Jonathan ate from a bottle for the first time! It was a great day to see Jonathan eat from a bottle and we rejoiced. The occupational therapist came in to work with him and he took right to it. The first day he ate a whole ounce, but yesterday he ate almost two full bottles and Cyndi had the chance to feed him herself.
God has been good to us! We are learning to rejoice in the “normal” things in life, such as eating from a bottle or turning your head. We took many of God’s general graces for granted before, but not so much now. It is His grace that we breathe with or without a tube, eat with or without a tube, sleep on our back or on our belly, or the fluid that He produces by our brains drains naturally through our bodies. We praise Him, for He holds the world together by the Word of His Power and nothing happens without Him.
Thank you for calling on the Name of our Lord with us and for Jonathan!
Jeremy and Cyndi T
September 24, 2011
Jonathan has been recovering from his surgeries, and is doing well. But there are a couple of places that have come up on his back that are causing us a little alarm. During the shunt surgery they had to move him and turn him over. This caused stress on the area of his back that was still healing, but was unavoidable to perform the surgery. The surgeon is not overly alarmed by these open places, but he is watching them. If they continue to open then another surgery may be necessary and his stay in NICU will be longer. But, he is also pleased with his overall healing, and the only thing that keeps him from being released to come home is the healing of his back. We would love to see God heal Jonathan’s back and him be released to come home quicker than we all expect.
Please pray that God would heal Jonathan’s back, especially these couple of trouble spots and no further surgeries would be necessary!
We wait on the Lord for He is God, and we are thankful for the grace He has shown to us!
Jeremy and Cyndi T
Jonathan is doing great! The fluid has already started draining, he is already off oxygen, and he has begun eating food again. He is recovering remarkably well. The nurses and doctors continue to be amazed at how fast and well he is healing. Today Jonathan’s nurse told Cyndi that Jonathan is doing very, very well and looks better than any baby with spina bifida they have seen in a while. She also told Cyndi to tell our friends that prayer works and to continue. So, God is moving and healing Jonathan! Please continue praying, specifically for no infection, the back to heal completely, and the shunt to work perfectly!
As we look back over this past week we are amazed and thankful for how you have stood with us and prayed faithfully for Jonathan. One of our friends said recently that this baby is now all of ours. We have already seen God working though Jonathan, and look forward expectantly to what more He will do. We will now be waiting and watching the progress of his healing. We may not write every day, depending on how well things are going, but will write when significant events happen. Cyndi will continue to update the blog for those who are interested. We want you to know how thankful we are for all of you, how God has used you in standing on behalf of Jonathan, and how God has used your responses to our emails to encourage us. God has done more than we could ask or think, and continues!
Jeremy and Cyndi
September 21, 2011
Jonathan David has a shunt tonight and is doing great! He was in the OR for a little over two hours today. There were a few anxious moments as we waited, but the surgeon came out extremely encouraged. There were no complications and all went extremely smooth. We like it when the surgeon comes out happy. We were able to see Jonathan shortly after meeting with the surgeon and he looked great. He rested the rest of the afternoon and when we left this evening he was still doing very well. They will be monitoring him now for infection and to ensure the shunt is working properly. Please pray that there will be no infections and that the shunt will work perfectly!
God is good and he has been good to us! We are thankful tonight for the way He encouraged us today and carried Jonathan. We are thankful for the shunt that is right now draining fluid off of his brain, which will allow the pressure to be released and the brain to continue forming and developing. We are thankful tonight for the surgeon, doctors and nurses that God has provided for Jonathan, who are amazing. We are thankful for you and all who have been faithfully lifting up Jonathan and our family to the Lord and pray that God will bless you for your faithfulness to call upon Him. We are thankful!
Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from Him.
Truly He is my rock and my salvation;
He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
He is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in Him at all times, you people;
Pour out your hearts to Him,
For God is our refuge.
Jeremy and Cyndi
September 20, 2011
Jonathan was doing well today, back healing really well but we got news late this afternoon that the surgeon has scheduled Jonathan’s shunt for tomorrow, Wednesday, at around 11:00 am (U.S. Eastern Time). So, unless God works before then (which is possible) Jonathan will be in surgery tomorrow. This surgery is to implant a shunt in his head, that will drain the fluid off the brain and relieve the pressure. This is absolutely necessary, and we are thankful that this surgery is possible.
Please pray:
All will go smoothly during the surgery and there will be no complications. Pray specifically for Dr. Troup who will be performing the surgery. There will be no complications with the shunt after surgery. Some shunts take the first time, others take multiple attempts to get it right. Pray that it will take the first time.
There will be no complications as he comes out of sedation and off the respirator again.
This shunt is permanent. Therefore for the rest of Jonathan’s life he will need to be near very good medical care, especially in his early years. As you can imagine, this will have an impact on our family and our future. We are taking one step at a time, focusing today on Jonathan and his surgery, but know that many decisions and changes are coming.
Please pray:
That our minds will not race ahead but will rest in Him and focus on today, while waiting on His perfect guidance.
That our minds will not race ahead but will rest in Him and focus on today, while waiting on His perfect guidance.
“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal rock.” Isaiah 26: 3,4
Jeremy and Cyndi
September 19, 2011
Thank you so much for all of your prayers for Jonathan and words of encouragement for our family! They have brought us a lot of strength over this last week and hopefully that has been seen by those around us in the NICU. We have definitely been blessed by the nurses and doctors He has watching over Jonathan there.
Jonathan is doing very well tonight. His vital signs are very strong and is healing from his first surgery very well. I think all the doctors are more than pleased with how the covering on his back has healed. Unfortunately, the fluid on his brain has not drained on its own yet. It has leveled off, but is not draining. The surgeon has scheduled surgery for Wednesday or Friday of this week to place the shunt. We are not sure which day he will choose, but will let you know as soon as we know something definite. We continue to pray that God will move the fluid and the shunt will not be necessary, but if that is not His plan, then we are very thankful that He has given us the ability and possibility of the shunt. Without this, Jonathan would not live. So, we praise the Lord if He moves the fluid naturally and praise the Lord if He moves the fluid through technology He has given us.
Yesterday was sibling day in the NICU! Noah and Grace had the opportunity to see Jonathan for the first time. They took pictures beside his bed and gave him some cards they had made for him. It was a good day! They were ready to see their brother, especially big brother. Ruth will have to wait a little longer, but she did get a nice note written by the social worker, “from Jonathan”. She was pretty happy with that and showing it off proudly. God has blessed us and we are thankful!
Jeremy and Cyndi
September 16, 2011
Jonathan looked very good today. He was eating and his eyes were open. He even got the hiccups. It was good to see him.
They did the CT scan this morning and the results came back this afternoon. Thankfully there was nothing in the results that surprised them, but they do think that the shunt is unavoidable. Our surgeon is planning the surgery for next week. We are not sure yet whether it will be early or late in the week, but we will let you know as soon as we hear something.
Also, the doctor told us that Jonathan’s brain is tilted back, which we knew from the ultrasounds. But, the way it is sitting is putting pressure on the brainstem, which after shunting can cause difficulty breathing. The doctors will be monitoring this.
While there is still time please continue to pray that Jonathan’s brain will move up and the fluid will move on its own causing no pressure on the brainstem.
We are thankful tonight that there were no surprises that took the doctors off guard. We are thankful that the fluid is evenly displaced between each ventricle and the ventricles are communicating. We are thankful that a shunt is available for Jonathan; without it, he would not live. We are thankful for the wonderful doctors God has given Jonathan. We are thankful that God is in control and that He is GOOD!
Thankful tonight,
Jeremy and Cyndi
September 15, 2011
Cyndi is home tonight!! That is a huge blessing for our kids, especially for Ruth. She was released from the hospital late this afternoon, after receiving a good report from the doctor. She is healing well and quickly. Thank you for praying for her smooth and quick recovery.
Tomorrow we will be back up to the hospital to check on Jonathan and spend time with him. He is scheduled for his CT scan tomorrow, when they can work him in. We should be able to get the results tomorrow afternoon. The circumference of his head was a little larger today, so please continue praying that God will start the fluid moving, and that the CT scan would come back with a great report.
Tonight Jonathan is off the breathing machine, off sedation, the draining tubes have been removed from surgery, and he should begin eating on his own tomorrow. The doctors say that he is strong and his vitals look very good. We are very thankful for all of these things and do not take them lightly. Each is a blessing from the Lord!
Thankful,
Jeremy and Cyndi
September 14, 2011
Our surgeon Dr. Troup just gave us an update on Jonathan this afternoon and said he is “soaring like a bird.” He is still very encouraged by the way the back is healing and thinks that it should continue to heal well. Jonathan is also now breathing on his own again after being sedated for surgery. They are planning to take him fully off of sedation tomorrow and begin feeding him milk. He also said that there is a little more firmness in the soft spot, but is still willing to wait and give it time. We are so very thankful for Dr. Troup. Many doctors go straight to shunt, but he is willing to wait and give the fluid time to drain on its own. This is a huge blessing! So, please continue asking for the fluid to drain on its own. They have scheduled a CT scan for Friday and it would be awesome for them to find that the fluid is now fully moving through his system!!
We are doing well, taking each day one at a time, and very thankful for you. God has used your encouragement and prayers to sustain us! There is still much ahead, but we are encouraged by what God has already done and is doing. Right now, we are focused on the back and head. Next week they will do a scan of his bladder and kidneys. It will be important for his bladder to be emptying itself completely. Also, we will continue to monitor his movement from waste down, as well as his brain function. We know right now that he is showing no signs of movement from waste down. We know that God holds Jonathan in His hand, has created him in the inmost parts of the womb and has a purpose for his life. We trust and wait upon Him, for He is Good!
I was encouraged by what a friend wrote today in an email, the thought of God being pleased with his people calling upon Him.
“Of course Father is still in control, but I’m sure He is smiling at how often he hears people bring up the name Jonathan David before Him.”
Thank you for coming to Father and raising your request before him. It is an act of faith and dependence in the only One who is able!
I know this email is a little longer tonight, I apologize, but I wanted to share one more thing with you which extremely encouraged our hearts today. Since we first found out that Jonathan has spina bifida, our prayer has been that God would be glorified through Jonathan and our family. Yesterday we had a student nurse who looked after Cyndi for a few hours. She shared with some of our family that when she first arrived on our hall yesterday she began hearing about one of the rooms where God was and how differently the family was handling their situation. So, she looked it up on the chart, it was our room. We praise the Lord and ask that God will continue to sustain us in such a way that our family glorifies Him!
Jeremy and Cyndi
September 13, 2011
Jonathan is doing well today. He has been resting and healing. We were able to visit him in the NICU this morning and it was amazing to see all the work that was done on his back. It really looks great!
Jonathan’s surgeon updated us this afternoon on Jonathan’s recovery. He is still very happy with the closing on the back and believes it should hold. They will continue to monitor it. He also said that the soft spot on Jonathan’s head is a little more firm today, but that is to be expected with the closure of the lesion. But, he also said that it cannot double overnight again. So, please pray that the firmness of the soft spot will not increase and the amount of fluid will stabilize or even show signs of decreasing by tomorrow morning!! This is extremely important in order to wait on assessment for the shunt.
Cyndi is recovering well, minus a small reaction to some pain medicine over night. Once the medicine had worn off, she did fine and has continued to recover well. She was even able to walk a little in the hall today!!
We are so thankful for all of you who have been praying and are continuing to pray with us for little Jonathan. I will send another update tomorrow once we hear from the surgeon.
Jeremy and Cyndi
Post Op
“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright.”
Jonathan’s surgery started at 3:30 pm and finished at 8:30 pm. It was a long surgery with three surgeons working on him together and at different times. We had the opportunity tonight to meet with two of the surgeons and they both had positive reports. They are confident in the muscle closure, that it will be water tight!
This will do two things; provide a good breeding ground for skin growth and give us the possibility to have the water on the brain drain naturally. Both of these things are very, very good. Having a good closure in the back will help his healing process go much quicker. And, where before he said there was 100% chance we would need the shunt, there is now the “possibility” we will not need it. We are very encouraged with the news from our surgeons and ended our day with a wonderful time of praise with our family and friend who have been with us all day.
We will be watching this skin for the next five to fourteen days. Please pray that it remains intact and strong!
We will also be monitoring the fluid on the brain. As long as his soft spot remains soft we can allow the fluid to naturally drain. Please pray for the soft spot to remain soft, the fluid to naturally drain, and the shunt will no longer be needed!
These things will take time to monitor, so now we are waiting again. Please pray for quick and smooth healing for Cyndi as we wait, she has done GREAT today! Also, please pray for his peace as we wait and watch through these next days.
We are so thankful tonight for the encouraging news and hope that your hearts are encouraged as well. May your hearts be lifted in praise to Him who is GOOD, for the Great things He has done!!!
Thank you so much for standing with us. It has encouraged our hearts immensely to think of all the voices that have been raised to our Lord and King on behalf of this little one.
Jeremy and Cyndi
September 12, 2011 PM
We wanted to let you know that Jonathan’s surgery has been postponed till 2:30 or 3:00 pm (U.S. Eastern time). Due to a good many emergencies within the hospital we have not been able to reserve an OR. It looks like things are now moving forward though and we are on track for a late afternoon surgery.
After meeting with the neurosurgeon who evaluated Jonathan’s lesion, we now have some very specific request to lift up for the surgery. Due to the size of the lesion the doctor is concerned about having enough skin to make a good closure. You can pray that there will be enough skin to make a clean closure, and that the closure will heal well with no leaking!
Jonathan will be in surgery from around 2:30 pm till around 5:30 pm. We will send another update after surgery.
Thank you so much for all your prayers and support!!
We praise the Lord, for He is in control of all things and works all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to his purposes!
Jeremy and Cyndi Thompson
September 12, 2011 AM
Please join us in welcoming Jonathan David, born on September 12, 2011 at 4:32 am (U.S. Eastern Time). He weighed 6.13 lbs. You will notice that this is a little before the planned time of 8:00 am. We had a few anxious moments around 2:30 am when Cyndi went into labor and we made a mad dash to the hospital.
Mom is doing well and recovering from a C-Section delivery!
Jonathan was born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus and is currently in the NICU awaiting surgery sometime between 12:00 and 1:00 pm today.
Thank you all so much for standing beside us in prayer. Please continue to pray for Cyndi as she heals from the C-Section and for Jonathan as he goes through his surgery at noon.
We praise the Lord for his goodness this morning. He held Jonathan until we were at the hospital, He provided a very smooth C-Section, and He has given us a very precious little boy! We are truly thankful and blessed!!
We will write again after surgery to give an update.
Jeremy & Cyndi
Noah, Grace, Ruth
Baby Jonathan