The Good News....

So as many of you know, Monday night/Tuesday morning were very frustrating and trying. We were back at the hospital with a shunt that was swollen from the head all the way to the abdomen. When I say swollen, I don't mean just a little bit- I mean SWOLLEN. We didn't get a lot of answers, we felt like we were on a roller coaster every time a doctor would come in and say "you're going home" then 10 minutes later we hear "he may have meningitis" and then in yet another 15 -20 minutes "no he doesn't...you're going home." However, this frustrating 13 hours in the hospital ER did lead to some very positive news...news that we couldn't have been happier to see.

For those of you who followed the blog right after Anderson was born, you probably remember this post- the one from the Sunday that we had a really bad day. The post about the doctor who told us that we needed to go ahead and file for disability for our less than a week old son. The post that described how that doctor showed us the films from the 1st MRI and pointed out all of the fluid and lack of brain tissue. The post where the doctor told us a cyst grew in place of the right side of Anderson's brain...remember?

You also may remember how the last time we went to see our neurosurgeon I asked about having another MRI performed now that Anderson has his shunt and the cyst should be smaller- you know, just to see what is there. If you read this post, you remember that we were told they MIGHT do a repeat MRI but we would have to wait until Anderson is at least 6 months old. We were also told at that visit that "Whatever is going on up there is out of our control- it is up to a higher power."

It certainly is. Our little trip to the ER this week resulted in Anderson having a series of x-rays, 3 shunt taps to draw fluid, and an MRI. Yes, we got to have an MRI. And when one of the neurosurgeons came in to see us, he kept remarking at how good the MRI looked and how impressed he was.

"I want to see it!" I said.

He kind of turned slowly toward me and gave me a look like "you won't know what you're looking for. Why do you want to see it?"

"I'm not leaving here until I see it. I want to see the films. I saw the films from his first MRI and I know what I'm looking for...I want to see now that the cyst is smaller- what is there? Empty space? Brain tissue? What?"

He smiled. He said the MRI looks great- he went on to tell me "Oh, there's brain tissue there alright." And he went to find a computer.

When he led Jamie and me to the computer, he had pulled up one picture from the first MRI and one from Tuesday's. I didn't need a medical degree or an explanation from a doctor. ..I saw what Jamie and I already knew was there.....gray matter- which represents BRAIN tissue.

Anderson is NOT missing most of the right side of his brain like we had originally been told. PRAISE GOD! I looked at the doctor and told him that the MRI pictures were nothing but ANSWERED PRAYERS. I told him he had no idea how many people out there have been praying for this baby. He didn't say anything in return- just smiled.

So even though the night/day was frustrating, we came home from the hospital full of THANKSGIVING and PRAISE for more answered prayers.

We have said from the beginning that we REFUSE to give up. We REFUSE to label Anderson. And we REFUSE to lose faith. God is working all around us every single day. Thank you to all of our friends and family who believe in the power of prayer and take time to remember us in those prayers. Thank you for not giving up, thank you for all of your support when we need it most. We are truly blessed in every way.

Growing...

Things are busy around here. So I've been told that even if there's no time to write, I must keep pictures updated. So...here a few new pics.

"How can I get this in my mouth?"

Always cheesing...such a happy baby.

Cheering on the VOLS with daddy! Go big orange!