Friday, April 9, 2010

Normal?

By now, most of you I'm guessing have heard our wonderful news.  How do you prepare yourself for the words, "Your son's EEG is phenomenal.  It looks really great. It's normal."  Normal? What can I say, after being the mom of a special needs child for 18 months now, "normal" is hardly a word I recognize!  :-) 
I'm exageratiing just  a bit. But, ya know, Luke....well, things haven't been exactly normal for him.

So, honestly sitting here in my living room just 36 hours ago, I was doing my little "self-talk" pep talk for our trip to St. Louis.  Saying basically, in so many words "Well, it won't be a normal EEG. I mean he's only been on the diet 4 months. The studies show the EEG usually doesn't normallize until after 6 months. Plus, he  had a severe brain bleed....they already told you his EEG may NEVER be normal...ever, even if the seizures do go away. But it surely has to at least be improved. I mean he is learning new things and these huge clusters of seizures have gone away..."  Anyway...on and on I went, just trying to prepare myself for...well, I don't really even know, but certainly not what we ended up hearing today!!!

Luke's been seizure free for 40 days now.  Last time he had an EEG though, the docs in St. Louis were explaining to us that at times, Luke was seizing, but there was no outward demonstration of that. They had him hooked up to the machine and a video camera on him at the same time. So when the EEG showed seizure activity, they would look to see what Luke was doing right at that moment....and, well...nothing much...just laying there.   This left me feeling very apprehensive, wondering if he was actually having seizures these past 40 days and we just weren't seeing the evidence. 


THANK GOD, that's not the case!!  I will write another post explaining some more of the details, but for tonight (and mainly cause I'm physically and emotinally exhausted after such an exhilirating day) suffice it to say, there is NO SEIZURE ACTIVITY going on....no potential seizure activity going on.  It is ....normal.... and perfect and ...."phenomenal".  Luke's had a dozen or more EEGs in his short life (how sad that I've lost count!) and this is the first time it has been normal.

 All the way home from St. Louis (ok, minus the 20 minute power nap) I kept thinking about the verse in Ephesians that says that God is able to do more....abundantly more. The New Living Translation says, 

"He is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask for or hope." 

 Wow.  Isn't that the truth!?  And to think I would have settled for just  an "improved" EEG.  God had more in mind than I even dared to hope for!

~Kristi



8 comments:

  1. Not just one, but two amazing testimonies in just one week! Thanks so much for sharing them in the way you do. What an encouragment to all those standing at the foot of what seems like a looming and impossible mountain to climb. God is a mighty God, all powerful, and also ever gently, leading us one day at a time, one step at a time, hearing our heart, hearing our prayers, and responding.

    So very pleased for you all and cannot wait to see the pictures and read the stories as these two little brothers now grow up and take on this world with already such an incredible heritage.

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  2. Love it! Thank you for reminding me that God has such bigger plans than for what I am willing to "settle".

    My friend, though, I hate to break it to you. Luke's EEG might be normal but I'm sure you know by now, in a house with all boys and yourself, NOTHING IS NORMAL. So that's about the only normal you are gonna get!! HA!

    Enjoy this moment!!

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  3. You don't us and we never see you personally till we are in the Lord's presence, but it is such an AWESOME JOY to hear of Luke's recent results. Since your mom and dad alerted us of Luke's birth condition when it was first apparent, we have prayed for a miraculous answer (miraculous to us, just "normal" to our miracle-working God). Now we can join in praise with you to our Heavenly Father who does all things well . . . for our benefit and for His glory. For all of the prayer warriors who have interceded for Luke, there is another biblical truth that has come to pass . . . you will reap in due season if you faint not.
    Eternal friends,
    Bracy and Raylene Ball

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  4. We are with you! God is great - and things are going to get even better! We love you guys!
    Steve & Patti

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  5. Kristi and Andrew...I work with Sharon (your aunt) here at the District Office in Hurst, TX. All of you, especially Luke, has remained on our chapel/prayer list. I have also asked EVERYONE I know that is a sincere prayer warrior to lift this precious love up in very special prayer from the beginning! I kept telling Sharon, with each negative thing that came to this baby, that our 19 year old grandson, Jacob, is a pure miracle himself with a different stormy beginning...and with "freaky weird" situations coming to his life, (even as we speak), "BUT GOD"....BUT...God...in every situation throughout Jacob's very unusal "physical" life has taken him from the meant to kill, steal, and destroy situations in profound ways. (God is no respecter of persons as you know)

    The doctors said in the beginning of Jacob's life, that he would be unable to function in life in any normal capacity. Jacob is now in college (Salina, KS - KWU) with a 4.0 GPA! He plays his football, looks the picture of robust, rosey cheeked health, 6'4" tall, probably around 275 give or take and loves the Lord with ALL of his heart! He continues to daily be a miracle with the obstacles that pop up, but that does not rule his life, nor his faith. I feel the same way about Luke. I did from the very beginning and prayed over both he and his brother with the heart of a grandmother, as if the were my own, as well as both you and your husband, grandparents, everyone concerned in your lives, that God would prove to all that HE alone is in control of this draining situation that speaks no hope. God is a God of hope...and I know you know that! The prayers will continue...I promise! Please give both Luke and his brother a kiss from this Nannie (we have 13 grand children total) and let him know, both boys know one day that there was a "Nannie (grandmother, in addition to SO many others, with unceasing faith and prayer over their lives and over their mommy and daddy!

    This is a WOOOOO HOOOOO moment!!!!! Praise God, praise God!!!

    Love,
    Nancy Nolan :o)

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  6. Watching your lives as a family has been encouraging for these past 18 months. Being the father of a special needs child (a boy at that), I can totally relate to so much of what you guys have and are going through.

    Our son is 17 years old now, so many of those milestone moments have past for us. Our bundle of joy is about as developed and advanced as he will probably ever be, or so I thought until reading this last post! YES, God is able to do MORE!!! PTL!

    I rejoice with you guys and I give praise to our Heavenly Father right along with you!

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  7. Dear Christi

    We are so amazed at what the Lord is doing for Luke. Your father always keeps us updated about the progress he went through over the last months. Annelies and I wanted to share directly to you of our joy to see Luke not just improving but embracing a new level of divine health. Isn't it wonderful that we are valued much more than sparrows, and that our Heavenly father knows our needs and takes care of every single need. This last test of the EEG is just another of the numerous miracles Luke has had in his short life. No wonder what God will do with him when he is grown up. Let us be ready to see Luke serve God with all his heart and follow in the footstep of his grand father. Love you all. Pastor Donato, Lugano, Switzerland

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