Wednesday, October 8, 2008

The Next Step

Well, I've finally gotten around to updating about Tanner's appointment last week!

We went to the neurologist and he has decided to change Tanner's medication. We are happy about this and hoping this will resolve some of the behavioral issues we've been seeing with Tanner. We are decreasing the old medicine and increasing the new one, by the end of next week he should be fully off of the one and completely on the other. We are encouraged by this change and hope this will help resolve the headaches (which have still occurred intermittently) and the behavior.

We have been reassured by this change in medicine, but, are a bit anxious to see results.

My book club just finished reading and discussing a book by Max Lucado "He Still Moves Stones." Finally, by the last night (my apologies to Max that it took the whole book) I recognized something that has been helpful the last few days. Each chapter refers to someone that Jesus helped: Jairus (when his daughter had died then was raised from the dead), demon posessed people, the woman who had been sick for 12 years, a paralyzed man and many others. What I realized was not how amazing the miracles were (though they are) and not how he helped or healed these people (though He did), but, how he met them all where they were at, in the depth of their struggles. He went to these people to help them, not to the rich, the healthy or the whole, but, to all of those who no one wanted to be around! How great is that?!!

This has been reassuring as I worry about whether Tanner's behavior will improve with the medicine or whether it will continue because it's related to the leukodystrophy. It continues to be reassuring as I worry about whether he'll be able to control himself or if there's something different we need to try to help him learn. And it is comforting as I worry about whether my pride is getting in the way of helping him deal with frustrations and feelings that he can't explain. Throughout all of it Jesus is here! On the good days when all seems right with the world, and on the not-so-good days when life feels hopeless and we don't know what to do, He is right here struggling right along side! What a reason to rejoice today!