As an introduction to the events that changed our lives about 8 days ago, I will use our initial prayer letter as my first Blog post.
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Dearest Friends and Family,
We hope that this letter finds you all doing well. We are writing in usual McLaurin fashion to update you with the latest big transitions in our life. If only we were better at keeping in touch! Please do forgive the group email. Know that each of you holds a dear spot in our hearts and that we miss those of you whom we don’t see on a regular basis.
Originally we thought we’d be updating you about our plans to move to Little Rock so that Colby could begin his pediatric ENT fellowship training at Arkansas Children’s Hospital after finishing his 5-year residency next week. There were a lot of exciting things to anticipate with our move to Little Rock, but God has changed our plans.
Eleven days ago while rounding at the hospital, Colby started to feel unwell. He came home and rested for several hours and felt better. That evening, he developed episodes involving a strange combination of neurological symptoms: dizziness, tinnitus (ringing in his ear), dysgeusia (very bad taste in his mouth), and numbness in his left arm. This would last only a few seconds and was followed by a mild headache on the right side of his head. The headache would resolve within an hour without need for medication. These episodes occurred 4-6 times per day on Sunday and Monday and were non-reproducible but consistent in character, prompting us to organize an MRI for Tuesday afternoon. The MRI showed a mass on the right side of Colby’s brain.
Since then we have met with 2 local neurosurgeons who agree that the appearance of the mass on MRI is of a low-grade glioma. It is about 3x5 cm in size, is located mostly in the right temporal lobe and wraps around the most prominent artery of the right cerebral hemisphere. For reference, this is the same general category of tumor that Matt Chandler (pastor of Village Church in Flower Mound, TX) had/has though his was in the frontal lobe and is one of the histological subtypes that is susceptible to chemotherapy. It tends to affect people around our age (Colby just turned 33). In general these are slow growing tumors. It may have been there for several years and may stay there for many more years without causing any further problems. Unfortunately, the natural course is that they all eventually transform into a more high-grade malignancy, after which time the end is near. The median survival is 7 years after diagnosis, though with a large range on either side of that.
Most neurosurgeons do not talk about cure as a possibility with this type of tumor. Though there aren't good studies on treatment, there is accumulating evidence and a general opinion in the neurosurgical community that aggressive surgery can lead to prolonged survival. The more senior neurosurgeon we met with recommended surgery with the goal of buying us 10-15 years, at which time the state-of-the-art in chemotherapy and radiation may be more successful in treating this type of tumor than it is now. He is in the process of communicating with the chair of neurosurgery at UCSF who has built his career on treating this type of tumor. We hope to be able to visit this neurosurgeon within the next couple of weeks.
In the meantime, we have decided that it doesn't make sense to move our family to Arkansas next week. In Oklahoma City, we have been blessed with a wonderful church, community, neighborhood, and support system. Though God had already begun providing abundantly in Little Rock, if something were to happen to Colby there, Emily and Jireh (our daughter who is 2 years old today—Happy Birthday, Sweetheart!) would be by themselves, and that doesn't sound too appealing. So we are staying here for the foreseeable future. For the time being, Colby feels great. He has started seizure medication and has absolutely no symptoms. We are thankful for the blessing of time and the strong reminder that we are to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90:12).
While Colby was waiting for the MRI, both of us were in prayer. Aware of the possibility of a tumor, Christ gave both of us the strength to praise him no matter what the outcome. Colby said, "If it is a tumor, thank you, because I know you are going to do something really good with it." Christ has already shown himself to be so gracious and powerful in our lives, from providing for us to stay in Oklahoma City, preventing our house from selling, allowing Emily to keep her job, and allowing a way for Colby to be added to Emily’s health insurance. We continue to be confident that God has something wonderful planned for this, and we pray daily that we will not waste this opportunity to be effective for His Kingdom.
Many have asked us if there is anything that they can do to help. Thank you SO MUCH for your generosity, concern, and loving kindness. Since we are still waiting to hear from the neurosurgeon in San Francisco, we are focusing on time together as a family and ironing out details for how Colby may be best used both in and out of the world of medicine. For now, our biggest need is truly your prayers. So here are our requests:
2. We are looking for ways that Colby may be faithful to the calling and not waste his tumor. It has already produced untold amounts of fruit in our lives spiritually, and we want it to bless others as well. He is open to sharing his testimony and the gospel in any format or event.
3. Please pray for wisdom as we focus on today while also planning for the future. Pray that Emily does not grow a spirit of fear or worry and that both of us will be able to spend rich times studying the Bible daily.
4. Though Jireh is still young, please pray for wisdom in knowing how and when to share this journey with her through the years. Pray that she will learn from Colby’s example of faith and grow to trust the Lord despite the hardship she will one day face.
It is our privilege to walk this road together with your support. We will send updates as they come and are grateful for your love. If you wish to be removed from this prayer list, please don’t hesitate to let us know. We won’t be offended at all. Also if you know anyone else who you think would like to hear from us and pray for us, we would be happy to add them to this list. Just let us know!
“Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.”
~Habakkuk 3:18
Love,
Emily, Colby, and Jireh
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