Dear Friends and Family, August 16, 2011
Hello from sunny California and foggy San Francisco! Thank you all so much for your sweet words of encouragement, prayers, and love. We have transitioned to our apartment in San Francisco, Colby is now under anesthesia, and we are eager to see what the Lord has in store for us today. We daily declare His “steadfast love in the morning, and [His] faithfulness by night (Psalm 92:2).”
God has been so faithful. Colby’s family arrived safely into San Francisco without lost baggage. We braved the traffic in and around the city without accidents. A second intense flare up of Colby’s arthritis came and went. A packed day of testing yesterday went smoothly. Jireh and her 5-year old cousin are enjoying time together despite having their schedules completely disrupted. And though this big trip is all for the sake of a tumor, peace and confidence in our great God reigns in our hearts. How could we doubt Him when he has effortlessly carried us this far?
As we met with the neurosurgeon yesterday, he was very encouraging. Though the tumor is located deep in the brain, he believes that because it is on Colby’s non-dominant side, he should experience little to no physical or mental defects. There is a small risk of hemiparesis because of the tumor’s proximity to the part of the brain that coordinates movement. The goal is to try to remove the majority, if not all, of the tumor. This will help prolong Colby’s life by both preventing malignant transformation and decreasing the rate of recurrence of the tumor. The principle seems to be the more he can remove, the better. The surgeon is well rested and plans to spend all day with Colby. He said he is in no hurry and will work until he feels that he is unable to safely remove any more tumor. Please join us in praying that Colby’s neurosurgeon will be able to remove 100% of the tumor.
As Colby has “signed his life away” with the risk of surgery including death, we are reminded of David’s plea that echoes ours:
To you, O Lord, I cry, and to the Lord I plead for mercy:
What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness?
Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me! O Lord, be my helper!
You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever. (Psalm 30:8-12)
Although we know of Colby’s risk of death, he has no fear of death. He knows that whether he has a poor operative outcome today or lives until he is ninety, the number of his days are known by his Creator. And though God so effortlessly carries our daily burdens, Jesus, His only perfect son, suffered a painful death as a man and died for Colby’s sake, for my sake, and for your sake. To know this as the ultimate act of love so that we can enjoy God forever both here on earth and in Heaven makes today so much easier to face.
Thank you for walking this road with us. We will keep you posted.
Forever blessed,
The McLaurins
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