Post- Surgery Update - John

4:07 PM   
We are in a room! Noah had a good night of sleep. He woke around 6:00 AM. We were not allowed back to where he was until 8:30, but Noah can be a handful when he isn't happy so they let Jessica back around 7:30 AM. At 8:30 we all went to the MRI and Noah did great!  Dr. Wellons (his neurosurgeon) came and gave us the report. From looking at the scan he saw that he was able to remove all of the tissue affected by the tumor and a lot of scar tissue. He was very pleased with the scan and very pleased with Noah's recovery. 

Noah has been talking up a storm, eating popsicles and playing with the ipad. All of his blood work looks good. If he continues to do this well, we may be coming home tomorrow night! It is amazing how well he is doing. His face isn't swollen as bad as last night so he can see. He hasn't complained very much about pain, only about the IV in his foot. He has been a little sick to his stomach, but that is about as bad as it has gotten. 

Jessica and I are doing well. We feel a tremendous weight lifted off our shoulders. We really slept well last night and are both looking forward to going home. We thank God for his grace, and for bringing Noah this far. 

God doesn't always say yes to our prayers. He often allows us to walk in valleys where we are confused and unsure, grasping for hope. He allows us to go through painful situations, experience loss and disappointment. It is easy to question your faith in these times. It's easy to give into anger and doubt. It is easy to walk away from God and turn your back on Him when you are devastated by tragedy. What is not easy to do is to let go and just trust Him. When we make our requests and say our amens, thats when we must leave it in His hands and believe that He knows best. I have made many sighs these last five days. Almost every one has been reminding myself that Noah is in God's hands and not mine. Sometimes His decision are not at all what we want, but He has always been faithful to work out all things for good.

For some reason God has allowed Noah to go through these things. For some reason He has allowed pain, disappointment, and sorrow. We are not alone in this. From the beginning of mankind, pain and hardship has been a large part of life. Some people we know have never experienced pain like what we have experienced, and others have had it much, much worse. Through it all, in every circumstance, Jesus' words have been true. "In this world you will have trouble, but take heart, for I have overcome the world."

When we lay our pain and worry at the feet of Jesus, He allows us to experience victory. That victory is either here or on the other side of eternity. Either way - it's still victory!

I hope to do the next blog from my living room.
​John

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