News from New York

Good morning!

We apologize for our delay in posting, but there really was no reliable news to share until now.

Next week, we are scheduled to have a phone consult with Dr. Bolognese, the neurosurgeon in New York. He is reviewing all of Mackenzie’s information, her new upright MRI, and her symptom list. From that review, he will formulate a treatment plan and explain it to us next week.

She is having some new symptoms, for which she will have further testing done here in Spartanburg. I am going to give you the dates because we ask you to pray—pray especially that these tests will reveal any abnormalities that are causing her symptoms. Here are the dates and tests:

Wednesday, May 20th—Modified barium swallow to assess her swallowing function. Over the last month or so, she has become unable to swallow pills.

Thursday, May 28th—EEG—this is a two hour test to check for seizure activity. The neurologist feels she is having what are called absence seizures, which are episodes where she stops and stares. It is as if she just “checks out” for a few seconds at a time.

Both the swallowing issues and seizure activity are common in people with the conditions Mackenzie has. Evaluating them by testing will be helpful as the doctors refine her treatment plan.

I must tell you these weeks of waiting have been long, but we do trust there is a good purpose for the wait. We want to ask the Lord to tell us His purpose—Why did we have to wait, Lord? What did You accomplish during this month, Lord?

I read this week in When God Weeps by Joni Eareckson Tada that when we ask, “Why?”, we probably really don’t want the answer. Would it help us if God told us, “Well, this person’s faith was strengthened, Mackenzie needed these new tests first, your e-mail to so-and-so was necessary, etc.? Joni proposes all we really want when we ask, “Why?”, is for God to scoop us up and tell us, “It’s going to be okay! I’ve got you!”

Let me tell you, He has told us that over and over—“It’s going to be okay!” We don’t know how, we don’t know when, we don’t know what, but we do know God is in control.

Thank you for checking this blog faithfully. Thank you for your words of kindness and support. Thank you most of all for praying.

We will post again after the tests and phone call next week.

Love,
The Mathis Family